CSA salutes Faf, Proteas for epic fightback
Cricket South Africa on Monday congratulated the Proteas Castle Lager squad on its magnificent rearguard action and, in particular, Faf du Plessis for his phenomenal performance on debut to earn a draw in the second test match at the Adelaide Oval.
The Nashua Titans batsman became the first South African to score a century and a half-century on his debut. His aggregate of 188 was the second best for the Proteas after Jacques Rudolph who made 222 from one innings against Bangladesh in 2003. His innings lasted 16 minutes short of eight hours and enabled the Proteas to bat out time on the last day.
The match also produced yet another statistical landmark for Jacques Kallis, who has now scored 50 or more runs in a test innings on 100 occasions.
“Faf played with great skill, determination and pride, and the hallmark was the calmness he displayed, particularly in guiding the tail-enders through an extremely difficult last hour,” commented CSA Acting CEO Jacques Faul.
“These are all the characteristics that have made our test side such a world-class unit over the past few years and demonstrated just how hard they are to beat.
“Faf’s performance in this match was world-class by any standards but to do it on debut in an away test against Australia was absolutely phenomenal.
“There is a great skill involved in playing match-winning innings but playing match-saving innings can often be even more difficult. This performance was right up with the best we have seen since unity in this respect and is certainly comparable with Jacques Kallis’s maiden century in his seventh test match against Australia at Melbourne where he defied Shane Warne on the last two days for six hours; Gary Kirsten’s double century after we had been forced to follow on against England at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead; and Jacques Kallis's unbeaten century at the Bourda Oval in Guyana when the Proteas also followed on after trailing by more than 300 runs on the first innings.
“Faf was by no means a one-man band in saving this match and we congratulate everybody for the way they knuckled down to complete a job well done.
“This has been an engrossing series of test cricket to date which underlines the greatness of the five-day format, and all South Africans will be looking forward to another keen encounter at Perth from Friday.
“This will incidentally be our 200th test match since unity and I am sure the Proteas will be aiming to make it a very special occasion.”
