South Africa 439/2
West Indies 291/7
South Africa won by 148 runs
The Wanderers - At 247/1 in the 39th over, the West Indies could not have imagined they’d be chasing 440 to win this match. No-one would, except possibly AB de Villiers.
The West Indies were dishing out tired ‘high fives’ after breaking a methodical opening stand between Hashim Amla and Rilee Rossouw.
They may have felt themselves unfortunate not to have taken a wicket earlier – certainly Rossouw initially looked very scratchy – and maybe some of them may have been quietly muttering to themselves about new skipper Jason Holder’s decision to bowl after he’d won the toss was wrong. But there was relief in their camp too – it didn’t last very long.
After Rossouw left to a standing ovation having made his first one-day international century, nothing could have prepared the tourists for the havoc about to be wrought.
Jerome Taylor delivered a low full toss as a gift for De Villiers’ first ball which was duly dispatched for four. There was no stopping him thereafter. De Villiers would go on to achieve more in those 58 minutes at the crease than most do in a week.
Three world records followed – fastest 50, fastest century and a record number of sixes (16) for an ODI innings – all off just 44 deliveries, three of which were dot balls, another two were leg-byes.
The crowd of 22000 cheered themselves hoarse.
“The plan,” De Villiers said afterwards, “was to be nice and aggressive. I had pushed to get David Miller to go in so that he could take on Sulieman Benn in the last 10 overs, but Russell (Domingo) was adamant that I should bat at No3.”
If the national coach demanded compensation for his insistence that De Villiers go in, he deserves a significant portion of the Man of Match rewards the South African captain picked up later.
It was mesmerising stuff. Never mind the straight drives off balls delivered at 140km/h plus, what about the leg-side flick, while down on one knee against fast bowler André Russell? De Villiers performed that trick twice.
At one point there was a three-man consultation involving Holder, the bowler Taylor and Benn before De Villiers took strike. They shifted the field, and De Villiers bashed a six.
When Holder bowled the next over from the Corlett Drive End there were arms being waved, fielders moved hither and thither and De Villiers hit six again. He did so 16 times. It seems incredible to look back now and reflect on the fact that he also faced three dot ball.
“Ja, that irritated me, those three dots. I don’t like facing dot balls.”
At the other end the sedate Amla, was almost a forgotten figure – except for the times when he decided to take a single to get De Villiers back on strike, the crowd cheering each time.
But by the last three overs he too was sharing in the fun, swatting the ball through and over the covers. He contributed 39 runs to the stunning second wicket stand of 192, that lasted all of 68 balls.
It was breathless stuff – South Africa smashed 163 runs in the last 10 overs, with the 50th going for just three runs leaving the home team four runs short of the highest ODI total.
“I had no pressure on me. I could free up nicely, knowing that there are quite a few guys still to come. So credit to Rilee and Hash for laying the foundation,” said De Villiers.
The opening pair had put on 247, with Amla ever so cool in posting an 18th century, while Rossouw was the complete opposite, screaming out as he achieved the landmark. Rossouw’s international career has featured more ducks than scores over 30, so that relief was understandable.
The West Indies weren’t able to match the South Africans – in any of department. Where Rossouw and Amla had batted until the 39th over, they lost their star, Chris Gayle in the fifth, and any outside chance of a win, went with him.
On a heavenly day for batting, Dale Steyn stood out among the bowlers conceding 29 runs off his 10 overs, his naked aggression and control just too overwhelming for the West Indies. It helped off-set the short-comings in other areas – JP Duminy, Imran Tahir and Farhaan Behardien all copped a beating.
The biggest beating, was handed out by De Villiers, however.
“It’s all about the momentum. You don’t often come in and have momentum with you right away, you’re more often than not have to work for it. Today was an exception. “
It most certainly was.
The Star