THE MIGHTY #
Amla and Du Plessis make merry as South Africa demolish Ireland by 201runs after record partnership for the second wicket
IRELAND have been singing a merry song all through this World Cup about how they belong at the main table and don’t want to be treated as though they are unwelcome guests at cricket’s biggest party.
But, part of being considered equals is to heed lessons from other’s mistakes. And one of the cardinal sins in international cricket is that you simply don’t drop Hashim Amla.
It is equal to committing cricket suicide, for Amla will ensure that the missed opportunity will haunt the perpetrator for months to come. Ed Joyce was the culprit last night at the Manuka Oval, and just to prove how long it sticks with a player, the left-hander still seemed to be flustered by his fluff when he came out to bat and was promptly dismissed for a duck. And to compound matters, it was Amla who held on to his edge off Dale Steyn at first slip to complete a miserable day for the Irishman.
But as forgettable it was for Joyce, it was memorable for Amla. After a slow start to the World Cup in the first couple of games, Amla found his groove against the West Indies in the previous match. Yesterday, he moved through the gears with the utmost of ease to provide the crowd with a batting exhibition and in the process become the fastest to post 20 OneDay Interantional centuries, eclipsing Virat Kohli’s previous mark of 133 innings by 25 matches.
It was not like AB de Villiers’ pyrotechnics of the other day at the SCG, but rather an innings that was built on all Amla’s traditional strengths of patience and placing. It was only after he had absorbed the early Irish pressure due to the loss of his opening partner Quinton de Kock, that Amla began to express himself like an artist with an open canvas in front of him.
John Mooney had delivered an impressive opening spell, with the Irishman gaining good movement off the pitch and through the air with the new ball. It was one of those deliveries that accounted for De Kock and Mooney could look back with a great deal of pleasure at a first spell that read: 5-2-9-1
But it was upon Mooney’s return to the attack in the second PowerPlay that he ran straight into the broad bat of Amla. Akin to the way De Villiers manhandled West Indies captain Jason Holder last Friday evening, it was now the turn of Amla to spray boundaries all around the park as Mooney was dispatched for 26 runs, which included three boundaries and two towering sixes in the over.
South Africa’s batting, though, is not dependent on just one individual. Faf du Plessis at No3, especially with De Kock’s current troubles, is a vital cog of the Proteas batting machine. He gets the engine running through the constant accumulation of runs by taking the least amount of risk. Du Plessis prides himself on performing this role to the best of his ability, and yesterday he was as close to perfecting it as possible.
Whereas at the SCG he left a century out there for the taking, yesterday he ensured he capitalised when afforded a second chance within the space of a few days and fully deserved the applause he received upon reaching his fourth ODI century.
Although both Amla and Du Plessis departed within a couple of overs of each other after their 246run record partnership, the platform had been set for the likes of De Villiers, Dave Miller and Rilee Rossouw to swing the arms.
There was only a short cameo from De Villiers (24 off nine balls) – much to the disappointment of the expectant crowd – but Miller (46* off 23 balls, 4x4, 2x6) and Rossouw (61* off 30 balls, 6x4, 3x6) ensured the Proteas posted a record total on Australian soil in consecutive matches.
Once South Africa went past 400, Ireland were never realistically going to add Canberra
to Bangalore and Kingston – venues of their previous landmark World Cup chases – and succumbed meekly to the pace and hostility of Dale Steyn (2/39) and Kyle Abbott (4/18).
The margin of victory would even have been greater, but De Villiers had one eye on future engagements already when he called on Farhaan Behardien, Du Plessis, Rossouw and himself to deliver a large chunk of the middle overs.
After last night’s emphatic victory, South Africa can look ahead with growing confidence.