Centurion: Quinton de Kock (178, 113b, 16×4, 11×6) hit a dazzling century to lead South Africa to a six-wicket win in the first ODI against Australia at the SuperSport Park here Friday night.
The left-handed De Kock thrashed the Aussie bowlers to all parts of the ground as South Africa made a challenging target of 295 look easy. The hosts won with 13.4 overs to spare.
“He (De Kock) was magnificent,” Australian captain Steve Smith said. “It was a 370-380 wicket if you look back at it now. Someone (for Australia) had to get a big hundred like Quinton did.”
De Kock and stand-in fellow opener Rilee Rossouw (63, 45b, 10×4, 1×6) put an inexperienced Australian pace bowling attack to the sword in an opening partnership of 145 off 104 balls before Rossouw missed a reverse sweep against the first ball bowled by leg-spinner Adam Zampa and was leg before wicket.
De Kock was in imperious form virtually from the start of his innings, hitting a six off John Hastings in the second over. He reached 50 off 38 balls and reached his 11th ODI century off 74 balls when he pulled Daniel Worrall for his fourth six.
It took him only 27 more balls to reach 150 with his eighth six, hit off Zampa, which he celebrated by hitting the next two balls for six as well.
“During the evening the ball comes on nicely,” said De Kock. “Me and Rilee didn’t have to do anything extravagant.”
In a match in which the pace bowlers of both teams took heavy punishment, 20-year-old medium-pacer Andile Phehlukwayo had figures of four for 44 in Australia’s innings of 294 for nine. He was hit for 16 runs in his first over by Aaron Finch (33), but came back strongly.
He had Finch caught at backward square-leg and Smith leg before wicket in his second over. He followed up with the wicket of Mitchell Marsh, caught by a diving wicket-keeper De Kock.
George Bailey (74, 90b, 7×4, 2×6) and John Hastings (51, 56b, 6×4, 2×6) dug Australia out of a hole with a 79-run stand after they had been in danger of not batting out their overs when they slipped to 192 for six in the 29th over.
Associated Press
