West Indies v South Africa, 2014-15
Wisden's review of the second ODI, West Indies v South Africa, 2014-15
15-Apr-2015
At Johannesburg, January 18, 2015. South Africa won by 148 runs. Toss: West Indies.
A. B. de Villiers's ferocious energy, set to a soundtrack of ever more emphatic cracks of willow on leather, was cinematic in scope and execution. Strolling to the crease in the 39th over, after wondering whether Miller should have gone in instead, he smashed the fastest century in one-day internationals, from just 31 balls, breaking the New Zealander Corey Anderson's record by five - also against West Indies, just over a year ago. "I had a lot of time to warm up in the dressing-room," said de Villiers. "I sort of played my knock before I got out there." In all, he faced 44 balls for his 149, mowing 16 sixes to go with nine fours; he had reached his half-century in just 16, another record. No one was spared, but six of the nine deliveries Holder bowled to de Villiers went for six; while the 49th over, from Dwayne Smith, cost 30. In a second-wicket stand of 192 in 11.1 overs, Amla made 39. As he and Rossouw had already reached centuries (their opening stand of 247 was then a national record for any wicket), the South African innings became the first in one-day internationals to contain three: their eventual total was behind only Sri Lanka's 443 against the Netherlands at Amstelveen in 2006, and one ahead of the South African record, scored on an equally memorable night here in 2006, when they overhauled Australia's 434. West Indies did their bit for the run glut by bowling short and wide; when it was their turn to score runs rather than concede them, they found the South African attack rather less charitable. Smith and Ramdin made sturdy half-centuries, but the credits had rolled as soon as Gayle was out for 19.
Man of the Match: A. B. de Villiers.
A. B. de Villiers's ferocious energy, set to a soundtrack of ever more emphatic cracks of willow on leather, was cinematic in scope and execution. Strolling to the crease in the 39th over, after wondering whether Miller should have gone in instead, he smashed the fastest century in one-day internationals, from just 31 balls, breaking the New Zealander Corey Anderson's record by five - also against West Indies, just over a year ago. "I had a lot of time to warm up in the dressing-room," said de Villiers. "I sort of played my knock before I got out there." In all, he faced 44 balls for his 149, mowing 16 sixes to go with nine fours; he had reached his half-century in just 16, another record. No one was spared, but six of the nine deliveries Holder bowled to de Villiers went for six; while the 49th over, from Dwayne Smith, cost 30. In a second-wicket stand of 192 in 11.1 overs, Amla made 39. As he and Rossouw had already reached centuries (their opening stand of 247 was then a national record for any wicket), the South African innings became the first in one-day internationals to contain three: their eventual total was behind only Sri Lanka's 443 against the Netherlands at Amstelveen in 2006, and one ahead of the South African record, scored on an equally memorable night here in 2006, when they overhauled Australia's 434. West Indies did their bit for the run glut by bowling short and wide; when it was their turn to score runs rather than concede them, they found the South African attack rather less charitable. Smith and Ramdin made sturdy half-centuries, but the credits had rolled as soon as Gayle was out for 19.
Man of the Match: A. B. de Villiers.