Emphatic SA bounce back with a bang against Windies

Times Media

TELFORD VICE, Sydney

SA needed an emphatic performance against West Indies at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Friday to reassure their supporters and, more importantly, themselves that their World Cup campaign was back on track in the wake of their underwhelming display against India last weekend.

Job done, and how. First SA recorded the highest total yet made in a World Cup match between two test-playing countries, a towering 408/5.

It was also the biggest pile of runs SA have ever assembled in the tournament, and the highest total any team have made in a one-day international in Australia.

AB de Villiers’ century, which came off 52 balls, was the fastest scored in ODIs in Australia and his eventual 162 not out shimmered with all the outrageousness South Africans have come to expect from him.

Then SA dismissed the Windies for 151 in 33.1 overs to win by 257 runs - matching the margin India beat Bermuda by in Port-of-Spain in March, 2007 as the record victory in World Cup history.

Imran Tahir, who roared off into the outfield to celebrate five times, played the biggest role SA’s surge to triumph. His haul of 5/45 represents the best figures by a SA spinner in a World Cup match.

SA were expected to win this game. But not like this. Bring on Ireland, who SA will play in Canberra on what is sure to be Tuesday, bloody Tuesday.

India? Who are they again? The memory of SA’s 130-run loss - their heaviest in World Cup history - to MS Dhoni’s team in Melbourne on Sunday faded a little more with each of the 17 fours and eight sixes De Villiers authored into the annals on Friday.

And not just the fact that he did, but the way he did: with increasing outrageousness and inventiveness. He survived two chances, both after reaching his century. But the crowd would have booed anyone who dared dismiss De Villiers.

His over-the-shoulder flick, which requires a semi-somersault worthy of Spiderman, was particularly in evidence. That and a booming drive. And a meatily muscled mow to midwicket. Ah, you name it; he played it. Not to mention a few not yet named.

That De Villiers is also SA’s skipper makes him at once an irrisistable and an impossible example to follow. But Rilee Rossouw tried anyway, and he damn near succeeded.

Rossouw replaced JP Duminy, who was ruled out with a side strain in one of three changes to the XI who played against India. Kyle Abbott and Farhaan Behardien were the other new faces. Vernon Philander’s hamstring kept him off the field, while wayne Parnell was dropped.

Not that Rossouw batted like someone who had just arrived. In fact, his shot to reach 50 was more audacious than any of De Villiers’. A short delivery from Jerome Taylor veered across the left-hander, who leapt into the air and had both feet off the ground when he made dabbed deliberately at the ball and sent it screaming into the seats beyond third man for six.

Rossouw and De Villiers added 134 after Faf du Plessis and Hashim Amla had put on 127. The main difference between the partnerships was that Amla and Du Plessis faced 23.4 overs together - almost twice as many as the 12.3 that Rossouw and De Villiers took to blitz their runs.

All of which paled next to the 3.2 overs that De Villiers and Behardien needed to rustle up 80 runs for the unbroken sixth wicket. Behardien’s contribution? Ten.

And then the Windies batted. Or, rather, Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels tried to reprise the world record stand of 372 they shared against Zimbabwe in Canberra on Tuesday - when Gayle scored 215 and Samuels made 133 not out.

This time, they were dismissed 13 balls apart - both by Abbott - for a combined contribution of three runs. Then West Indies were 63/7. Then, somehow, Jason Holder scored a defiant 56 off 48 balls. Then the game was over and SA knew they were back. And with a bang.