Bavuma ton rescues Proteas in ODI slog against Aussies
Steve Barrett |
Temba Bavuma has defied leg cramps and a difficult Blomfontein pitch to will himself to an unbeaten 114 while steering South Africa to 222 in the first one-day international against Australia.
Bavuma single-handedly defied the Australian attack on Thursday (Friday morning AEST) to become the 13th opener and second South African – after Herschelle Gibbs in 2000 – to carry his bat in a completed ODI innings.
“It’s definitely not the wicket that we were expecting,” Bavuma said.
“I thought it was quite tough with the variable bounce out there.
“They bowled well, exploited those conditions, and there’s nothing that says we can’t do the same thing.”
Despite the pint-sized South African captain’s heroics, Australia will back themselves to chase down the total.
Josh Hazlewood (3-41) and Marcus Stoinis (2-20) set the tone with the new ball for the tourists.
The normally freeflowing Quinton de Kock, fresh off a bumper campaign in the inaugural Major League T20 in the United States, struggled for timing and fell for a painstaking 11 off 31 balls.
A horror mix-up spelled further doom with No.3 Rassie van der Dussen punching the ball to Stoinis at mid-off, running almost the entire way down the pitch only to realise Bavuma remained unmoved at the other end, then spinning around and failing to beat the throw to the keeper’s end.
Aiden Markrem fell for 19 before Heinrich Klaasen was castled for 14 by a low shooter from Stoinis, which spotlighted the variable bounce.
When dangerous David Miller departed to Hazlewood for a duck, the Proteas were 5-100.
The 162cm Bavuma finally found a willing ally in 209cm Marco Jansen and the pair combined for 57 for the sixth wicket before Jansen was bowled by Hazlewood.
Keshav Maharaj was skittled by a low skidder from Sean Abbott as South Africa’s lower order crumbled.
Bavuma was dropped on two by Ashton Agar, had an lbw overturned on 24 and was grassed by Carey on 88 – and he made the Aussies pay.
He farmed the strike expertly in a 37-run stand for the last wicket with Lungi Ngidi – who didn’t score – accelerating late and raising his fifth ODI ton by dispatching Adam Zampa for six and four.
AAP
