Internet Desk : South-African opener Quinton de Kock scored 178 and the second-highest score by a proteas in one-day internationals to help beating number one side in ODI, Australia by six wickets in the first of five ODIs on Friday at Centurion.
De Kock’s 11th ODI century was the best innings by any South African batsman against Australia in the 50-over format and second-best ever for the Proteas after Gary Kirsten’s 188 not out against UAE during the 1996 Cricket World Cup.
De Kock hit 11 sixes along with 16 fours to send South Africa to 295-4 at SuperSport Park, overtaking Australia’s 294-9 with more than 13 overs to spare.
During the process of surpassing Herschelle Gibbs’ 175, the previous best by a South African against Australia, De Kock broke what he said was his favorite bat.
“A bat’s a bat. Wood’s wood. But it was quite a nice bat,” he said. “It was a good wicket. Hopefully we’ll get a couple more wickets like this in the series.”
He is sixth at South Africa’s all-time list of century-makers in ODIs, going ahead of former captain Graeme Smith with his innings on Friday.
De Kock’s match-winning performance followed new fast bowler Andile Phehlukwayo’s 4-44, which reined in a fast-starting Australian batting lineup.
George Bailey was the highest scorer for Australia with 74. But his seventh-wicket partnership of 79 with John Hastings, who scored a career-best 51, was needed to prop up Australia after the visitors went out hard against the South African bowlers and found themselves in trouble at 192-6 after 29th over.
Even with the recovery from Bailey and Hastings, wasn’t nearly enough, with South Africa at their home.
“(It was) probably a 370, 380 wicket if you look at it now,” Australia captain Steve Smith said. “A lot of guys got starts and didn’t go on with it. We just weren’t disciplined enough with the bat to go on and make a big total.”
De Kock finally fell with South Africa 15 runs short of victory, the second of two wickets in an over for Scott Boland, who led Australia’s bowlers with 3-67.
Australia has little time to stew on the defeat, with the second game in Johannesburg on Sunday.