Share

De Kock v Biff: What the numbers say

Cape Town - Quinton de Kock's masterclass at SuperSport Park on Tuesday ensured that the Proteas stayed alive in their ODI series against England. 

With two matches to play, England lead the series 2-1 and Friday's 'Pink' ODI in Johannesburg is now a massive affair. 

De Kock was just as good - and maybe even better - than he was in Bloemfontein in the series opener when rain ruined any chance the Proteas had of pulling off an unlikely 400-run victory chase. 

It was the 23-year-old's fourth ODI century in six innings, and he has become South Africa's danger-man at the top of the order. 

It was also De Kock's 10th century in just his 55th ODI

To put that into perspective, former Proteas captain and fellow opener Graeme Smith finished his career with 10 ODI hundreds in the 197 matches he played for South Africa.

De Kock's conversion rate is also impressive. He has passed 50 on 15 occasions, and gone on to three figures 10 times leaving him with a 66.6% conversion rate. 

Meanwhile, Smith's 47 ODI half centuries leave him with a conversion rate of 17.5%

Smith finished his ODI career with 6 989 runs while De Kock currently boasts 2 288.

But a simple calculation reveals that, if he continues scoring at this rate, De Kock will have scored around 8 193 runs by the time he has played as many matches as Smith did. 

Given the form that De Kock is currently in, one would expect his already healthy average of 44 to keep rising, so he could actually pass Smith's total at an even quicker rate.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1137 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1313 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2011 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE