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Faf du Plessis’s teammates stand in solidarity after he agonizingly fell short of a ton (Gallo Images)
- While he compiled his highest score in test cricket, Faf du Plessis believes his 199 in the first test between the Proteas and Sri Lanka isn’t necessarily the best hundred he’s made.
- Their reasoning is quite simple and justified: it was made against a visiting attack that at one point had only one front-line bowler operating.
- Du Plessis was a bit disappointed to miss out on his double century, something he continues to dream of as a player.
While there is no doubt that he will enjoy crafting the best test shot of his career relatively late in his career, Faf du Plessis does not believe his 199 was the best overall internationally.
The 36-year-old Proteas stalwart lit up a dominant day for the Proteas on the third day of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Centurion on Monday with a splendid effort of 276 balls, though soured somewhat by a compromised visiting attack. which, at one stage, only had one top-of-the-line bowler in available form.
“I think match situations play an important role in qualifying for a hundred. I certainly feel that there are better hundreds to be done, when the attacks are stronger and the conditions are tougher,” Du Plessis said at the close of playing.
“I don’t think this effort comes very close to any of those hundreds.”
Instead, this entry was more of a triumph in terms of him proving certain skeptics wrong about his age.
For most of the year, Du Plessis has had to answer questions about his true worth to the national cause since he resigned from the captaincy last season, a process that was not helped by an indifferent form once he returned to the team as a senior player. . .
“This entry was more about making a statement in a timely manner, just to make sure I could tell people who doubted my ability that it hasn’t changed for just a nonchalant season or two,” he said.
“I’m constantly trying to improve my performances. I guess the questions about my selection come with the territory.
“Higher peaks tend to get more wind, so when as a team we did not do well against England last season, as captain, my performances also came under scrutiny.
“But I had a good offseason with Covid and that allowed me to plan ahead, put myself in the best possible position to play high-level cricket. Like I said before, I still think I have a lot to offer in all formats.”
Du Plessis was reasonably silent about his painful dismissal.
Having had little trouble throughout his authorized entries, he meekly lifted leg spinner Wanindu Hasaranga in the middle to miss a double century that he sincerely admits remains a proverbial bucket list item.
“They brought the field up and I thought I would just throw the ball over the fielder’s head, but possibly I hit it too straight,” Du Plessis said.
“I felt the shot was okay, as I tend to play it very well. The execution wasn’t that good and I was a bit tired, so maybe my intensity wasn’t where it should have been. Maybe I should have gone for a six.
“I worked really hard to get to 200, it’s something I always wanted to achieve and being that close was obviously not ideal.”
