ADELAIDE — Faf du Plessis scored 100 on debut to help South Africa draw the second cricket Test against Australia at the Adelaide Oval in tense fashion on Sunday.
Report by Reuters
Du Plessis and De Villiers resumed the final day after grinding their way through day four and while de Villiers was dismissed early, it was Du Plessis who dug in deep and score an unbeaten 110 off 376 balls to take the Proteas to safety as the visitors drew the test by finishing on 248 for eight on day five.
South Africa were set a target of 430 by Australia, but they got their chase off to a shaky start, losing four quick wickets on the penultimate day with Graeme Smith, Alviro Petersen, Hashim Amla and Jacques Rudolph all falling cheaply as the Proteas stuttered in their final innings.
Du Plessis was handed two lifelines in the morning session on day five, having two decisions which were given out by the on field umpire over turned, both off the bowing of Michael Clarke. First he was given out leg-before, but upon review the impact was outside the line and the decision was overruled immediately.
The second was also given out leg before, but upon review it showed that the ball had hit the bat and du Plessis was handed more reprieve.
The Australian bowlers looked somewhat deflated throughout the morning session and were perhaps surprised that the pitch didn’t break up as expected.
Du Plessis’ efforts earned him a man of the match award and the debutant was understandably delighted, he also credited the tail and the efforts of De Villiers and Kallis for helping him along with his knock.
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“It was a fantastic effort from the boys and there were so many emotions going through me through that innings. I had had goosebumps all through the nineties and I can’t actually put into words how I feel,” Du Plessis said.
“The plan was to take the game session by session and if we could get to the final session and still had wickets in hand, we believed we would be okay. It took a tremendous effort from the tail to come in at the end and show such character facing a ball which is reversing, it’s not easy out there.
“AB and Kallis have probably been South Africa’s best batsmen for a while now and they both helped me tremendously, especially Kallis. He kept me calm and if it weren’t for them, that knock wouldn’t have been possible.”
Skipper Smith was delighted with his charges and said he felt proud to be a Protea as the team fought back in what looked like a dead and buried game on day four.
“That was something special, it was a long day in the change room and it was terrific to watch how the guys played.
