Blistering AB is glad to be back and piling up the runs
“IT’S great to be back. I was quite nervous. I felt like it was my first game. I enjoyed my break. It was, like, my first off-season in 13 seasons. I got to see my second son grow.”
These were the reflections of one of the greatest batsmen in the world, in the wake of his destructive 176 off only 104 balls, which played a large part in setting up a 104-run victory ODI victory over Bangladesh in Paarl yesterday.
And if AB de Villiers is glad to be back, South African fans are exultant that he is back at the crease. Perhaps even more than for the fact that the three-match series has been clinched 2-0 with one to play.
It was the perfect setting, given a feeble Bangladeshi attack that has taken a pounding on this tour, for De Villiers to begin his journey to the 2019 World Cup.
Much has been made about De Villiers’s absence from the national team across various formats over the past two years due to injury and a sabbatical, but to doubt his talent and prowess with willow in hand was simply foolish.
Relieved of all leadership responsibilities, handed over to his good friend Faf du Plessis, who he believes “could become one of our best ever”, De Villiers expressed his new-found freedom in a manner that made even the opposition’s supporters stand up and applaud.
And there certainly were plenty of them present to see their Bangladeshi heroes in the flesh. But instead of being entertained by Tamim Iqbal or Shakib-al-Hasan, they were treated to a masterclass from De Villiers, who struck a blistering hundred. Back in tandem again with his long-time run-scoring partner Hashim Amla, the pair joined forces as if they had never been separated as they put on 120 for the fourth wicket, with Amla cruising to 85 off 92 balls.
“I missed being part of the team. I wanted to get back and am glad that I could contribute. I worked on few technical things too. We had lost a couple of wickets. I was nervous, so I told Hash that we needed to get a partnership going again and it was great to be out there with Hash again.”
De Villiers’ innings supplied the sort of scoreboard pressure that would affect teams anywhere and was always likely to prove terminal to the opposition.
The pitch stayed true but the asking rate was relentless. Imrul Kayes (68 off 77 balls) and Sunday’s centurion Mushfiqur Rahim (60 off 70 balls) at least kept their fervent fans warm as the temperature dropped in the afternoon, but a successful run-chase was always going to require someone to play an innings of far greater substance.
It was not forthcoming with Imran Tahir also once again deadly in the middle overs. There is no bowler in the world that strikes more regularly during overs 20-40 than the Proteas veteran leg-spinner. He duly delivered the twin scalps of Shakib and Imrul Kayes in successive overs that eliminated any chance of an upset. He added the wicket of Sabbir Rahman later.
Young all-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo certainly did not mind Tahir softening up the Bangladeshi top-order for him to pounce and collect career-best figures of 4/40 to end any further resistance.