Publications
Partners
Rob Houwing, Sport24 chief writer
Cape Town – To say he "couldn’t buy a run" would be stretching it a little, but AB de Villiers had certainly battled previously to impose himself in one-day internationals against England.
Not any more.
The Proteas batsman chose Friday not only to end a strange personal jinx against these opponents but also register his fourth and easily most hurricane-like century in this format.
De Villiers truly wowed the majority of a buxom Newlands crowd of some 17 000 with his 121 off 85 eventful balls – he reached three figures off just 75 – as South Africa imperiously levelled the MTN ODI series 1-1 with two to play.
The right-hander looked in gorgeous nick from ball one as he unleashed the full repertoire of strokes – although interestingly he saw little need to go aerial on a Cape Town outfield as speedy as one has seen it – en route to a personal plunder which, quite simply, took the game away from England.
The Proteas went past a humungous 350, not exactly an everyday occurrence at this venue, and this made De Villiers’ player-of-the-match mantle especially fitting.
As Andrew Strauss, the visiting captain, ruefully admitted afterwards: “300 would have been a more interesting chase, definitely.”
England made a rollicking start in pursuit of the strenuous requirement, but wickets in hand were always likely to be a problem, especially under lights when the Newlands pitch does spice up a little.
Experienced bowlers like Stuart Board and James Anderson were reminded afresh of De Villiers’ prowess on the cover drive – he has seldom, you would think, have played this particular stroke as majestically.
But he was also full of cheeky dabs, paddles and nudges against all comers that played havoc with Strauss’s field placement and vividly reminded everyone why the Titans player is so accomplished with just about any sporting implement in his hand, be it a golf club, tennis racquet or whatever else.
This was De Villiers’ second highest ODI score, well behind the 146 he registered as an opening batsman against hosts West Indies at St George’s, Grenada, during the 2007 World Cup, although his strike rate of 142 at Newlands way eclipsed the 112 on that occasion.
His other two centuries came in successive ODIs, 107 against modest Zimbabwe at Harare in 2007 and then 103 not out against Pakistan in Lahore two months later.
He had gone 37 knocks without a century before Friday’s one, although there have been plenty of scores around and well over the half-measure variety, and this was a gratifying statement in only his fourth innings this summer as his country’s intended new No 3 henceforth in ODIs.
And he has finally “arrived” against England’s ODI attack, having had a strangely pallid record against them in 12 previous encounters: he had amassed only 182 runs from 11 innings at an average of 16.6 and a highest score of 42, also at the 2007 World Cup when the Proteas blew away the English in a Super Eights fixture at Bridgetown.
Compare that with his average against trend-setting Australia, for instance, which stands at a lofty 51.35.
But now De Villiers is making up lost ground in earnest against this nation, and moves to Port Elizabeth for Sunday fuelled, in addition, by the fact that his last ODI performance in the Friendly City was 84 against the Aussies last summer.
Asked afterwards if his maiden century against England had hurtled straight to the top of his “favourites” pile in the format, De Villiers replied, probably with delicious under-statement: “Ja, I had a really good time out there; it’s always nice playing in front of the Newlands crowd.
“Good wicket, and our captain and Hashim (Amla) set us up nicely so I could come out and play with a bit of freedom from ball one. The base was set. Things just went my way today and hopefully I can build on it in PE.”
If that statement doesn’t put a few additional bums on seats at St George’s, then perhaps little else will.
On his curtailment, by and large, of skied strokes, De Villiers said: “Part of my game-plan is to work the ball into gaps and not over-hit; that’s when I play at my best. Lots of ones, twos and fours … that worked well today.”
And how.
Kudos must go to the team’s brains trust, too, for getting their XI spot-on for Newlands, despite some earlier fears in some circles about leaving out the likes of power-hitters Albie Morkel and Herschelle Gibbs: their presence could hardly have bettered 354, could it?
The Proteas also surprised a bit, before the start, by leaving out Charl Langeveldt on his home paddock, although the injection of Wayne Parnell and a particularly fire-and-brimstone Morne Morkel worked wonders in both revitalising the bowling and giving it greater variety.
Cape Town – To say he "couldn’t buy a run" would be stretching it a little, but AB de Villiers had certainly battled previously to impose himself in one-day internationals against England.
Not any more.
The Proteas batsman chose Friday not only to end a strange personal jinx against these opponents but also register his fourth and easily most hurricane-like century in this format.
De Villiers truly wowed the majority of a buxom Newlands crowd of some 17 000 with his 121 off 85 eventful balls – he reached three figures off just 75 – as South Africa imperiously levelled the MTN ODI series 1-1 with two to play.
The right-hander looked in gorgeous nick from ball one as he unleashed the full repertoire of strokes – although interestingly he saw little need to go aerial on a Cape Town outfield as speedy as one has seen it – en route to a personal plunder which, quite simply, took the game away from England.
The Proteas went past a humungous 350, not exactly an everyday occurrence at this venue, and this made De Villiers’ player-of-the-match mantle especially fitting.
As Andrew Strauss, the visiting captain, ruefully admitted afterwards: “300 would have been a more interesting chase, definitely.”
England made a rollicking start in pursuit of the strenuous requirement, but wickets in hand were always likely to be a problem, especially under lights when the Newlands pitch does spice up a little.
Experienced bowlers like Stuart Board and James Anderson were reminded afresh of De Villiers’ prowess on the cover drive – he has seldom, you would think, have played this particular stroke as majestically.
But he was also full of cheeky dabs, paddles and nudges against all comers that played havoc with Strauss’s field placement and vividly reminded everyone why the Titans player is so accomplished with just about any sporting implement in his hand, be it a golf club, tennis racquet or whatever else.
This was De Villiers’ second highest ODI score, well behind the 146 he registered as an opening batsman against hosts West Indies at St George’s, Grenada, during the 2007 World Cup, although his strike rate of 142 at Newlands way eclipsed the 112 on that occasion.
His other two centuries came in successive ODIs, 107 against modest Zimbabwe at Harare in 2007 and then 103 not out against Pakistan in Lahore two months later.
He had gone 37 knocks without a century before Friday’s one, although there have been plenty of scores around and well over the half-measure variety, and this was a gratifying statement in only his fourth innings this summer as his country’s intended new No 3 henceforth in ODIs.
And he has finally “arrived” against England’s ODI attack, having had a strangely pallid record against them in 12 previous encounters: he had amassed only 182 runs from 11 innings at an average of 16.6 and a highest score of 42, also at the 2007 World Cup when the Proteas blew away the English in a Super Eights fixture at Bridgetown.
Compare that with his average against trend-setting Australia, for instance, which stands at a lofty 51.35.
But now De Villiers is making up lost ground in earnest against this nation, and moves to Port Elizabeth for Sunday fuelled, in addition, by the fact that his last ODI performance in the Friendly City was 84 against the Aussies last summer.
Asked afterwards if his maiden century against England had hurtled straight to the top of his “favourites” pile in the format, De Villiers replied, probably with delicious under-statement: “Ja, I had a really good time out there; it’s always nice playing in front of the Newlands crowd.
“Good wicket, and our captain and Hashim (Amla) set us up nicely so I could come out and play with a bit of freedom from ball one. The base was set. Things just went my way today and hopefully I can build on it in PE.”
If that statement doesn’t put a few additional bums on seats at St George’s, then perhaps little else will.
On his curtailment, by and large, of skied strokes, De Villiers said: “Part of my game-plan is to work the ball into gaps and not over-hit; that’s when I play at my best. Lots of ones, twos and fours … that worked well today.”
And how.
Kudos must go to the team’s brains trust, too, for getting their XI spot-on for Newlands, despite some earlier fears in some circles about leaving out the likes of power-hitters Albie Morkel and Herschelle Gibbs: their presence could hardly have bettered 354, could it?
The Proteas also surprised a bit, before the start, by leaving out Charl Langeveldt on his home paddock, although the injection of Wayne Parnell and a particularly fire-and-brimstone Morne Morkel worked wonders in both revitalising the bowling and giving it greater variety.
