The significance of a Test century
A century scored on debut is a special achievement, doing it in India is even more impressive. Alviro Petersen become only the third South African to score a century on debut after Andrew Hudson (163 against West Indies at Bridgetown in April 1992) and Jacques Rudolph (222 not out against Bangladesh at Chittagong in April 2003).
Petersen came into the test team due to the injury to Mark Boucher. Ashwell Price dropped down the order to cover for Boucher, and Petersen opened the batting in place of Prince. Petersen’s century is a significant one, it ensured that this first class South African record of 1376 runs in the 2008-09 season in 15 matches, including six centuries was recognised, and it showed he has what it takes to step up to the pressure of Test cricket.
To put Petersen’s century as an opening batsman in perspective, consider this; In just this one innings Petersen has scored more runs than Prince has scored in his last nine inning (98). Prince has an average of 10.89 over those nine innings, and has not scored a half century in Test cricket in 11 months.
Ashwell Prince is more than likely playing in his last Test match, Mark Boucher will return to reclaim his position behind the wickets, I can’t see Prince boarding the plane to the Kingston, Jamaica when the Proteas take on the West Indies in a three match Test series.
Castle Test Cricket: Brutal batting
The South African batsmen have shown what they can do when they decide to come out and play cricket. In the South African innings of 651 there were three centurions in one innings, Ashwell Prince 150, Jacques Kallis 102 and AB de Villiers 163.
Ashwell Prince was promoted to opening batsman; He came out to bat in the last hour of the first day and played like a man on a serious mission scoring 37 runs from 36 balls in the last hour of playon day one. Returning to the crease on day two Prince scored his 11th test century from 152 balls. Ashwell Prince was eventually out having scored 150 off 249 balls with 19 fours and two sixes.
Stand-in captain Jacques Kallis scored his 31st test century, Kallis had to put up with some fearsome bowling from the Australian pace attack at the start of his innings.
AB de Villiers, having scored a century in the first Castel Test Match repeated his heroics in Cape Town top scoring in the South African innings with an impressive 163. De Villiers, began day three on 39, he got stuck into the Australian bowling attack as he earned his ninth test century, and his third against Australia, off 149 balls with ten fours and one six.
De Villiers then needed just 32 balls as he raced to 150 off 181 balls with 11 fours and seven sixes before he was eventually caught by Andrew McDonald off the bowling of Katich.
Not to be forgotten was the half century scored by Albie Morkel on debut from 59 balls, shared a fantastic seventh-wicket partnership of 124 off 120 balls with De Villiers before Morkel got out.
This brutal batting attack left one seriously wounded Australian bowler Bryce McGain. McGain is a leg spinner who made his debut in this Castle test match. McGain got hammered by all the South African batsmen ending his first bowling effort in test cricket with the following bowling figures:
18 overs, 149 runs, 0 wickets at an average of 8.27 per over
Castle Test Cricket: South Africa Dominant
| South Africa is in a dominant position at the close of play on the first day of the third and final Castle Test match at Sahara Park Newlands, Cape Town.
Ricky Ponting won toss and elected to bat first, perhaps not the best decision. A poor start in the field saw South Africa drop two catches, while the Australians moved on to 58/0. Imraan Kahn dropped a sitter and JP Duminy dropped Hughes off Paul Harris. Harris stepped up and took the wicket of Hughes two balls later to open the wicket taking. |
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One run later and Ricky Ponting was walking back to the Pavilion with a duck next to his name. The highest scorer for Australia was Katich who was out for 55 off 160 balls.
Jacques Kallis captained the team well and had the Australians all out for 209, an hour before the end of the day. Enter Imraan Kahn and Ashwell Prince, the expectation to score was high after scoring a big century and a double century respectively. Prince led the partnership scoring freely to take play to a close with South Africa on 57/0. Prince had scored 37 runs from 36 balls in a powerful batting display.
South Africa are 157 runs behind, if Prince picks up where he left off the Australians are going to be in trouble by lunch on day two.
All the rumors of unhappiness in the team have been put to rest by an inspiring batting performance, now we need to keep or heads and add 300 runs on day two to setup a powerful first innings lead.
Bowling performances from South Africa:
Steyn: 16 overs, 56 runs, 4 wickets
Ntini: 17 overs, 38 runs, 2 wickets
Kallis: 10 overs, 31 runs, 0 wickets
A Morkel: 12 overs, 44 runs, 1 wicket
Harris: 17 overs, 34 runs, 3 wickets
Imraan Khan scores century
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Imraan Khan scored his fifth century of the season today, ensuring that he wasn’t out done by Ashwell Prince’s 254 for the Warriors. Khan’s century came from 175 balls, he ended the day on 135 not out.
Both players were named in the squad to take on Australia in the third and final test match at Newlands. It seems that some players only need a sniff at a chance of playing for the Proteas to up their game. |
It’s great to see South Africa has depth, we’ll be expecting big things from these to players that seem to be in fine form.
Unfortunately there hasn’t been much to write about when it comes to bowling in Super Sport series, the only noticeable performance came from Yusuf Abdullah, taking 5 wickets from 63 runs in 19 overs for the Dolphins.
Ashwell Prince scores maiden double century
Ashwell Prince marched on and even managed to change up a gear as his magnificent innings of 254, taking the Chevrolet Warriors to 473 for five at lunch on the second day of their SuperSport Series match against the Nashua Titans at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Friday.
Prince, who began the day on 171 not out, was once again lord of all he surveyed, unruffled and clearly enjoying himself as he unveiled some marvelous strokes once he had reached his maiden first-class double century.
Prince gave voice to his frustrating treatment at the hands of the national selectors this week by hammering 28 fours and eight sixes off just 340 deliveries.
The flip side of his innings, however, is that if opening the batting prompts such a phenomenal response from the left-hander, maybe it should have been his position all along.
Prince reached his double century after eight hours at the crease off 301 balls, prompting a flurry of runs as he scored his next 49 off just 39 balls, with four fours and three sixes.
A ragged Titans bowling attack did manage to claim at least one wicket in the session, however, Albie Morkel snatching the prized scalp of Mark Boucher for 63.
Boucher was caught in the slips by Jacques Rudolph to end a fifth-wicket stand of 127.
But Johan Botha then joined Prince and was soon into his stride as he reached 29 not out with four boundaries.
With Prince, who has shattered Arno Jacobs’ record of 218 not out for the highest score for the Warriors, clearly taking a liking to the conditions and the bowlers, the visitors are set to pile on the runs after lunch in a push for a declaration.
Source: SuperSport
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