Kagiso, AB put SA in driving seat
DE VILLIERS: GUIDES SA INTO POLE POSITION ON DAY 3
Rabada once again at his fiery best as he faces possible two-match ban.
AB de Villiers’ fabulous century provided a handy advantage for his bowlers to attack the Australian batting with as South Africa ended the third day of the second Test at St George’s Park in a powerful position on Sunday.
De Villiers marshalled the lower-order to perfection and still managed to unveil an array of dazzling strokes in conditions that all other batsmen have found tricky, finishing with 126 not out, a record sixth century for South Africa against Australia, as the Proteas reached 382 all out, a first-innings lead of 139.
As much as De Villiers sparkled, the innings was also a triumph for the lower-order, who responded by helping the master batsman add 199 runs for the last four wickets, with Vernon Philander (36) and Keshav Maharaj (30) making particularly valuable contributions on Sunday.
South Africa were all out at the stroke of lunch and Kagiso Rabada was then once again a handful for the Australians in their second innings, taking 3/38 in 16 overs as they were reduced to 180/5 at stumps, effectively 41/5. It will be an uphill struggle for the visitors to avoid defeat on the penultimate day.
For De Villiers, his stunning innings was about proving his motivation to still play Test cricket and, amazingly, that he still has a contribution to make for a Proteas team that should be forever grateful for his genius.
“I was very motivated, I always am against Australia, and I wanted to prove I should keep my spot in the team. Basically I really want to be part of a very successful Test team, I’ve always seen Test cricket as the ultimate format and I just love it.
“It felt like 10 out of 10 to get my hundred, it was right up there with one of my best, and I was very nervous in the 90s. I told Vern I was struggling to breathe and my legs went numb. But I told myself that it wasn’t about myself, it was about doing it for the team, and that helped,” De Villiers said.
It would be a sad waste if South Africa don’t go on to grab a series-levelling victory after two of their world-class stars, first Rabada with his burst of 5/13 on the first day, and then De Villiers with a sensational century, provided two of the most memorable performances in the Proteas’ history.
But Rabada then built on De Villiers’ brilliance in a top-class display with the ball. A superb delivery castled David Warner for 13 (but a screaming celebration in the batsman’s face could yet get the fast bowler in more trouble), a masterful display of swing bowling then removed Shaun Marsh for a single in the first over after tea, and Rabada then won a leg-before-wicket decision against Usman Khawaja, who had scored a tenacious 75, shortly before stumps.
Mitchell Marsh is on a defiant 39 not out, but with Rabada probably copping a two-match ban in his late-night disciplinary hearing after making physical contact with Steven Smith in the first innings, he will be extremely anxious to bow out of the series with a match-winning performance with the ball today.