A.B. de Villiers grows in stature with his selfless enterprise.
On Sunday, the South African captain led from the front by scoring a magnificent unbeaten century and then helping his team defend a huge aggregate for a thrilling five-run win over India in the first One-Day International at the packed Green Park here.
This helped South Africa continue its domination by securing a 1-0 lead in the five-match series as M.S. Dhoni and his team struggled to cope with a crisis of reputation despite a valiant chase.
After electing to bat, the visitors banked on de Villiers’ explosive century to post 303 for five and restricted India to spoil century-maker Rohit Sharma’s effort.
Dhoni enjoyed good control over the proceedings when he employed the spinners on a slow-paced surface. Following a 45-run opening partnership, South Africa benefited from the pragmatism and application of Hashim Amla (37) and Faf du Plessis (62), who added 59 runs for the second wicket.
Amla ruled the offside with his wristy elegance while du Plessis, who survived a strong lbw appeal in the first ball he faced, played some handsome boundaries on both sides.
Amit Mishra breached Amla’s defence through a sharp googly to end the partnership.
du Plessis carried on his good work with de Villiers to put on 48 runs before a change of pace on Umesh Yadav’s return in the 34th over cut short the former’s innings.
Demolition act de Villiers took charge and guided his team to a respectable total before launching demolition act that he is so famous for.
On a hot summer day, his fireworks reminded one of his entertaining shows in the Indian Premier League (IPL). de Villiers’ greatness lay in the way he adapted and switched gears as per the requirement.
The Proteas’ skipper collected his first 50 runs off 57 balls and hammered his next 54 runs in just 16 deliveries in a ruthless manifestation of his timing, placement and power. de Villiers reached his 21st ODI century in style by hitting Yadav into the onside stands off the last ball of the South African innings.
Farhaan Behardien’s cameo (35) boosted the tourists’ total, who plundered 65 runs in the last five overs with Binny, Bhuvneshwar and Yadav bearing the maximum brunt.
A hapless India struggled as its trump card R. Ashwin, who had provided the breakthrough in his first over, remained in the pavilion for a considerable period of time.
He went off the field in the middle of the 32nd over due to a side strain caused by a diving effort.
He returned after the 38th over but the umpires did not allow Dhoni to utilise the off-spinner’s service immediately. Ashwin bowled one more over before retiring to the dressing room again.
Valuable stand India’s reply was not meek. Rohit Sharma showcased his effortless strokeplay to notch up his eighth hundred. He and Shikhar Dhawan began brilliantly to put the team on track before the latter was adjudged lbw in the eighth over.
Rohit and his Mumbai mate Ajinkya Rahane, a surprise inclusion in the XI, consolidated the innings with a valuable 149-run stand for the second wicket. Rahane (60) played a passive role and allowed Rohit to flourish.
Even as the duo ran hard between the wickets, Rohit disdainfully smacked the ball all over the park for 13 fours and six sixes to make the South African bowlers, including Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, look helpless.
After Rahane’s fall at 191, Rohit took India to the brink of victory before getting out innocuously.
Dhoni (31), the finisher, tried his best but could not find support from the other end.
Scoreboard
South Africa : Quinton de Kock c Raina b Ashwin 29 (33b, 5x4), Hashim Amla b Mishra 37 (59b 3x4), Faf du Plessis lbw b Yadav 62 (77b, 5x4, 1x6), A.B. de Villiers (not out) 104 (73b, 5x4, 6x6), David Miller st. Dhoni b Mishra 13 (22b), J-P. Duminy c Dhoni b Yadav 15 (17b, 1x6), Farhaan Behardien (not out) 35 (19b, 5x4, 1x6); Extras (lb-3, w-5): 8; Total (for five wkts. in 50 overs): 303.
Fall of wickets: 1-45 (de Kock), 2-104 (Amla), 3-152 (du Plessis), 4-197 (Miller), 5-238 (Duminy).
India bowling: Bhuvneshwar Kumar 10-0-67-0, Umesh Yadav 10-0-71-2, R. Ashwin 4.4-0-14-1, Amit Mishra 10-0-47-2, 0Stuart Binny 8-0-63-0, Suresh Raina 7-0-37-0, Virat Kohli 0.2-0-1-0.
India: Rohit Sharma c & b Tahir 150 (133b, 13x4, 6x6), Shikhar Dhawan lbw b Morkel 23 (28b, 5x4), Ajinkya Rahane c Miller b Behardien 60 (82b, 5x4), Virat Kohli c Morkel b Steyn 11 (18b), M.S. Dhoni c & b Rabada 31 (30b, 1x4), Suresh Raina c Duminy b Tahir 3 (3b), Stuart Binny c Amla b Rabada 2 (5b), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (not out) 1 (1b), Amit Mishra (not out) 0 (0b); Extras (lb-4, w-13): 17; Total (for seven wkts. in 50 overs): 298.
Fall of wickets: 1-42 (Dhawan), 2-191 (Rahane), 3-214 (Kohli), 4-269 (Rohit), 5-273 (Raina), 6-297 (Dhoni), 7-297 (Binny).
South Africa bowling: Dale Steyn 10-0-54-1, Kagiso Rabada 10-0-58-2, Farhaan Behardien 6-0-38-1, Morne Morkel 10-0-51-1, J-P. Duminy 4-0-36-0, Imran Tahir 10-0-57-2.
Toss: South Africa
Man-of-the-match: A.B. de Villiers.
South Africa won by five runs to lead series 1-0
