Rex Clementine in Johannesburg
South Africa’s former captain Hashim Amla joined a handful of players by becoming the eighth man in Test cricket to make a century in his 100th Test match. Among the South Africans only Graeme Smith had achieved the milestone before Amla.
Amla had struggled for runs throughout the series and nicked Suranga Lakmal early in his innings (5). But Dhananjaya de Silva at gully failed to hold onto the chance.
“The element of fortunate is very important. When you get dropped, you think you are going to bat on. That’s part of the game and these things happen,” Amla told journalists after his unbeaten 125 lasting for five hours.
“When I got dropped, I remembered the game against New Zealand at this same venue in 2006-2007. I think I was on two. I had got a nick and that was dropped and I went onto get a hundred. Like this that was on a testing wicket. I tried to play the next ball, build partnership and then the ball gets softer and you get momentum. When I first got in, they bowled well to us. As a right-hander they seemed to get the line better for me. Had a bit of fortunate too and yes things just started happening.” Amla added.
Amla had struggled for runs before Thursday’s knock having not made a half-century in his last ten innings. “I have been not scoring runs in the last few innings and my focus was on getting back to runs. I wanted to have a quiet build up to this game. Kind of felt that there’s a bit of frustration that I have been out of touch and not contributing to the team’s success.”
When Amla made his Test debut in Calcutta in 2004, former South Africa great Barry Richards questioned his place in the side remarking that his technique wasn’t good enough for Test cricket. Since he has gone onto prove his critics wrong. This was his 26th Test hundred. Amla is the only South African to make a triple hundred in Test cricket.
“I am really grateful to reach 100 Test matches. I remember playing in A.B. de Villiers’ 100th match and Graham Smith’s 100th match. Today was a special moment for me.”
Prior to the game, South African captain Francois du Plessis had raised concerns that given huge interests on mushrooming T-20 cricket leagues in the world, Amla would be the last South African to play 100 Tests.
However, Amla believed that if players had desire they could go onto achieve the landmark of 100 Test matches.
“If they have the desire to play Test cricket they will get there. First you have to have the desire to play Test cricket. To play for the Proteas is an absolute honour. Francois made that call because scheduling, other tournaments are there, fatigue is a factor and there are other issues. Test cricket for me is the best thing. Players who have that vision to play 100 Tests will eventually get there.”
At the start of his innings, Amla was struggling, but J.P. Duminy looked positive putting the loose balls away. They added 292 runs for the third wicket. “He took the pressure off the team. For me I try to stay in my zone whether I am getting runs or not. JP when he is on song, he is a beautiful to watch. His judgment is great, his timing is immaculate. Everyone is very happy that he has got a hundred. He got a hundred in Australia too.”
