JP Duminy went 11 Test innings without getting a half-century, but that period was spread over two long years due to injuries, washed-out games and being left out for a few as well.
So his 88 in the ongoing second Test against New Zealand at Centurion would’ve been even sweeter than usual, and he agrees that it was “a long time coming”.
Duminy spent eight minutes short of four hours at the crease, but still scored at a reasonable rate of 55.69 as he got his runs off 158 deliveries, with 13 boundaries.
The 32-year-old has been in and out of the Proteas Test team over the last eight months, and being dropped for his favourite New Year’s Test at Newlands against England would’ve hurt.
But it was also a measure of just how far off his game he was in the five-day game, having last scored a hundred against Sri Lanka in Galle in July 2014. His average had dropped into the low 30s as well, and there was talk that the Newlands omission may see him quit Test cricket.
Duminy, though, went back to the Cape Cobras and scored a double hundred in the Sunfoil Series immediately after the England game, and he was recalled for the final Test at Centurion in place of the equally-struggling Faf du Plessis.
He didn’t capitalise, scoring 16 and 29, and he had to wait for seven months for the next Test against New Zealand in Durban, where he again failed with 14 in his only innings.
Duminy’s career was on the line in the second Test, and he came up with the goods to give him a chance of holding on to his spot when regular captain AB de Villiers returns from injury for the Australian tour in November.
Perhaps batting at No 4 was part of the reason for his success, as that has always been his preferred position since he first made his name as a prolific schoolboy at Plumstead High.
“I would’ve liked to have got three figures, but very happy with the performance. It was one of those wickets where you just never felt in – a typical Centurion wicket, always something in it for the bowlers. So I was pretty happy with that performance. It was a lot of hard work and very, very rewarding,” Duminy told SuperSport TV ahead of the third day’s play at Centurion on Monday.
The classy left-hander played some wonderful shots during his innings, none better than a few beautiful straight drives.
Asked by interviewer Shaun Pollock whether he is at his best when he is hitting the ball down the ground, Duminy said: “I definitely think so. And it’s something that I’ve been working on for a long period of time! Yes, we haven’t played Test cricket for six months, but it was a long time coming. And hopefully this is the start of great things to come.”
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