One for posterity

Shaun Pollock knew he'd have to bat really well, given that he'd decided not to bowl in this tournament and that this African side was without some star batsmen, but this was something else: a maiden hundred in the first of three Afro-Asia matches played in humid Indian conditions, on a lively un-Indian pitch against quality bowling.

Mention Shaun Pollock and one word comes to mind: relentless. He's been running in with the ball for the past decade - though the pace has gone down some - and has proved to be a reliable hitter before. He took it a significant notch higher this time: it was a classy, nerveless innings under pressure.

What was most remarkable about Pollock's hundred was that it was so beautifully simple. In these slam-bang-thank-you-ma'am times, he played good old-fashioned cricket. There was nothing fancy about his batting, no scoops or shuffles, just orthodox shots from an orthodox batsman.

"Up the order, we already have good options, and No. 7 is my normal batting position," a relaxed Pollock said after the match. "Today we had [Justin] Kemp and [Mark] Boucher, but unfortunately they didn't quite get in. Personally, it was nice to play up the order."

The game appeared to be all over when he walked in at 31 for 5 but he had other ideas. The second ball he faced from Mohammad Asif he drove with textbook precision through the covers. Great shot but how long could this last, many were tempted to ask. Mashrafe Mortaza came on and Pollock took him for three fours. Now it seemed like the proverbial hit-out when all is lost. However, Pollock had other intentions. Partners came and went but he batted on with a fluidity that put most of his team-mates to shame and that too on a lively surface with plenty of bounce, one Pollock termed "the new face of Indian cricket".

Against New Zealand at Wellington back in 2003-04, Pollock nearly clinched victory with three sixes in Kyle Mills' horror of a final over. He again ended up on the losing side but can take plenty of satisfaction from his maiden hundred. "Yes, it definitely felt good to contribute a hundred in this game. I enjoyed performing with the bat after not bowling. It was something I'll never forget."

Did it get to him that the main batsmen failed? "We had lost a few quick wickets early on, but still thought that if we took our time and played our natural game we had a chance. We lost a few good batsmen, but Elton [Chigumbura] and [Thomas] Odoyo played really well. I didn't have to protect them from the strike, and they played their roles very well. They helped me a lot in my own batting."

No exaggeration there. Chigumbura and Odoyo added 67 and 103 respectively with Pollock: the young Zimbabwean allrounder and the Kenyan veteran made full use of a platform intended more for them than the big names in the side.

Both captains paid tribute to Pollock. "We all know what Pollock can do," said his captain Justin Kemp. "He's always been a good batsman, but today he really showed tremendous character."

For someone who had to watch the game almost slip away from him, Mahela Jayawardene admitted his anxiety: "I always knew Pollock could bat but he was really patient to begin with and then played some attacking shots at the end. And importantly, he got good support from the others. I always knew it was going to be tough."

Tough it was, but that's what you get when Pollock is out in the middle.