AB top South African player at IPL

AB de Villiers was not part of the team that won the Indian Premier League (IPL). Neither did he top the tournament averages, the run-scoring charts nor the list of strike rates.

But, on May 10, he lit up this year’s event more spectacularly than anyone before or since with an undefeated 133 for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Mumbai Indians, who were crowned champions on Sunday.

De Villiers’s effort, which flew off 59 balls, was the highest score at this year’s IPL. He also made two half-centuries to finish as the fourth-highest run-scorer.

The next South Africans in those terms were JP Duminy, who was 11th, and, two places lower, Faf du Plessis.

Duminy was also fourth in the bowling averages, while his 4/17 for Delhi Daredevils against Sunrisers Hyderabad were the fourth-best figures.

Just seven bowlers in the tournament took more wickets than the 16 claimed by Bangalore’s David Wiese, South Africa’s leading IPL scalper. Delhi’s Imran Tahir was one behind him.

Quinton de Kock shook off some of the poor form that dogged him in the World Cup to score two half-centuries in the three innings he was granted by Delhi Daredevils.

David Miller scored as many 50s for Kings XI Punjab, but from 13 trips to the crease.

Morne Morkel will be proud to tell people that he was not once dismissed in his seven games for Kolkata Knight Riders. He might be less forthcom- ing about the fact that he batted only once, scoring an unbeaten four. Morkel also took 10 wickets.

Rilee Rossouw played just two games for Bangalore, but that was one more than Mumbai’s Marchant de Lange and Rusty Theron of Rajasthan Royals.

Kyle Abbott, South Africa’s best bowler at the World Cup, did not earn a single outing for Chennai Super Kings.

And then there was the curious case of Dale Steyn, who played just six of Hyderabad’s 14 games and claimed only three wickets.