Gayle onslaught sends Proteas to drawing board
Chris Gayle came with a superb onslaught to derail the Proteas, setting up the series at 2-0.
The most important record and the one that counts was set up by the West Indies when they faced the Proteas in the international series.
In front of a packed crowd at Bidvest Wanderers the second KFC T20 International took place between the Proteas and West Indies at Bidvest Wanderers on Sunday January 11.
A string of records fell in a boundary-laden test, which saw the West Indies sealing the series with win to make it 2-0. The third KFC T20 and last will take place this coming Wednesday January 14.
West Indies won the match by setting up a record for the most runs in international T20, chasing a total.
The Proteas set the trend to better records, when Faf du Plessis’s 119 from just 56 balls was the highest score by a South African in a T20 international, and made him the first South African batsman – and eighth overall – to have notched up international centuries in all three formats.
It also saw him score the second fastest T20I hundred of all time, when he reached three figures in 46 balls, which helped South Africa amass 231/7 after they had been put in to bat.
Unfortunately South Africa were unable to contain Chris Gayle (90 off 41 balls), and this time he was aided by an on-song Marlon Samuels, who struck 60 in 39 balls as the pair put on 152 for the second wicket – the equal third highest partnership for any wicket in T20 internationals.
With West Indies’ strong middle order all chipping in, the tourists reached their target with four wickets and four balls to spare, giving them the record for the highest successful run chase in T20 cricket, as well as their highest score in T20 internationals.
With a perfect batting wicket and the thin air helping the ball to fly further, 12 sixes were hit in each innings, making this the joint second highest number of sixes hit in a T20 international.
David Miller hit the biggest of the day, when he smashed one straight out of the ground on his way to 47 from 26 balls, but his dismissal via a run-out ended a 102-run alliance with Du Plessis and the Proteas lost regular wickets thereafter.
The West Indies were always on track thanks to the stand between Gayle and Samuels, until David Wiese derailed them with three wickets in seven balls that sent both batsmen plus Kieron Pollard back to the shed.
Kyle Abbott and Aaron Phangiso chipped away at the West Indian middle order, but not before Andre Russell, Dwayne Bravo and Darren Sammy had all contributed cameos that kept the visitors up with the asking rate.
Sammy (20 not out from seven balls) finished the match in the fashion that it deserved, lofting a six high over midwicket to give the West Indies a 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
