This revolution was televised. To AB de Villiers went the glory of the fastest century yet scored in one-day internationals. To Hashim Amla and Rilee Rossouw went the glory of SA’s highest stand for the first wicket. To West Indies went the inglory of defeat by 148 runs.
And to the Wanderers went the glory of hosting another outrageous match. SA’s most emphatic crowd have seen the 438 game and the 236 game, when the Windies chased down a world record target to beat SA in the second T20 on January 11.
Yesterday, they added the 439 game to their mantelpiece. That’s how many runs SA put on the board yesterday – just four runs short of the world record – for the loss of only two wickets.
The Windies’ reply was a comparatively measly 291 for seven wickets, which means SA would clinch the series with victory in East London on Wednesday.
For more than 38 overs, West Indies could do nothing about Amla and Rossouw plundering their limp attack with impunity.
Somebody should have called 911 as they dismissed short balls off wide deliveries with ease.
Amla got the party started by drilling the third ball of the match, bowled by Jerome Taylor, through the covers for four.
Taylor returned to end the partnership at 38.3 overs, when Rossouw plopped a half-volley pitched on his off-stump into the hands of mid-off and raised his bat to acknowledge the appreciation for his 128, a maiden century after 11 ODI innings.
Amla went on to record a new career best, a monument to class and control that took him to 153 not out.
But, as opening batsmen, Amla and Rossouw tempered their fine play with deference.
Such restrictions did not apply to De Villiers when he walked out to face already demoralised opponents and a ball almost 40 overs old.
Only six times in those first 38 overs did Amla and Rossouw add 10 or more runs per over to the total, and never more than 13. In the 12 overs in which De Villiers was at the crease, SA reached double figures 11 times and topped 20 four times.
De Villiers made his intentions clear immediately by nailing the first ball bowled to him – by Taylor – down the ground for four. He took two, one and one off the next three deliveries he faced before unleashing a flurry of four, six, four, six and six. Then Jason Holder travelled for six, six, six and four. The next over of Holder’s he faced, De Villiers reversed the sequence: four, six, six and six.
But the biggest over of the innings was yet to come. It was the 49th, bowled by Dwayne Smith. To start with, De Villiers went over midwicket, twice, with mighty heaves for six. Then he downgraded to a four, a yorker extracted and tickled to fine leg. Then another six flew over square leg. Then still another half-dozen were hammered over long-off. The over cost 30 runs.
The Windies then hoped Chris Gayle came off. But, in the fifth over, he tried to put Morné Morkel way over midwicket and fell to a smart catch by Farhaan Behardien.
And that was that; contest over.
Windies massacred by the dashing AB
And to the Wanderers went the glory of hosting another outrageous match. SA’s most emphatic crowd have seen the 438 game and the 236 game, when the Windies chased down a world record target to beat SA in the second T20 on January 11.
Yesterday, they added the 439 game to their mantelpiece. That’s how many runs SA put on the board yesterday – just four runs short of the world record – for the loss of only two wickets.
The Windies’ reply was a comparatively measly 291 for seven wickets, which means SA would clinch the series with victory in East London on Wednesday.
For more than 38 overs, West Indies could do nothing about Amla and Rossouw plundering their limp attack with impunity.
Somebody should have called 911 as they dismissed short balls off wide deliveries with ease.
Amla got the party started by drilling the third ball of the match, bowled by Jerome Taylor, through the covers for four.
Taylor returned to end the partnership at 38.3 overs, when Rossouw plopped a half-volley pitched on his off-stump into the hands of mid-off and raised his bat to acknowledge the appreciation for his 128, a maiden century after 11 ODI innings.
Amla went on to record a new career best, a monument to class and control that took him to 153 not out.
But, as opening batsmen, Amla and Rossouw tempered their fine play with deference.
Such restrictions did not apply to De Villiers when he walked out to face already demoralised opponents and a ball almost 40 overs old.
Only six times in those first 38 overs did Amla and Rossouw add 10 or more runs per over to the total, and never more than 13. In the 12 overs in which De Villiers was at the crease, SA reached double figures 11 times and topped 20 four times.
De Villiers made his intentions clear immediately by nailing the first ball bowled to him – by Taylor – down the ground for four. He took two, one and one off the next three deliveries he faced before unleashing a flurry of four, six, four, six and six. Then Jason Holder travelled for six, six, six and four. The next over of Holder’s he faced, De Villiers reversed the sequence: four, six, six and six.
But the biggest over of the innings was yet to come. It was the 49th, bowled by Dwayne Smith. To start with, De Villiers went over midwicket, twice, with mighty heaves for six. Then he downgraded to a four, a yorker extracted and tickled to fine leg. Then another six flew over square leg. Then still another half-dozen were hammered over long-off. The over cost 30 runs.
The Windies then hoped Chris Gayle came off. But, in the fifth over, he tried to put Morné Morkel way over midwicket and fell to a smart catch by Farhaan Behardien.
And that was that; contest over.
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