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Ryan Rickelton hits scintillating 259: All the numbers
It was the joint seventh highest Test score recorded by a South African.
South Africa’s Ryan Rickelton celebrates after scoring 250 runs during the second day of the second Test between South Africa and Pakistan at Newlands on Saturday. Picture: Rodger Bosch / AFP
South Africa opener Ryan Rickelton scored a fabulous 259 runs in his team’s first innings of 566/7 at tea on day two of the second Test against Pakistan at Newlands in Cape Town on Saturday.
It was the 28-year-old’s second Test century in his 10th Test, after scoring 101 in Gqeberha in early December, against Sri Lanka.
After starting day two on Saturday on 176 not out, Rickelton went on to score his 200 runs in the morning session, off 266 balls, having hit 24 fours and one six.
His 250 came in the afternoon session, from 336 balls. Rickelton was eventually caught in the deep by Mohammad Abbas with MIR Hamza the bowler.
The Proteas, with Temba Bavuma (106), Kyle Verreynne (100) and Marco Jansen (57 not out from 49 balls at tea) also contributing big scores, looked to bat on after the tea break on Saturday.
Here are all the important numbers of Rickleton’s knock.
The opener’s 259 runs is South Africa’s joint seventh highest Test score, equalling Graeme Smith’s 259 scored against England in London in 2003. Hashim Amla’s 311 not out, scored against England at the Oval in 2012, is the highest score.
Rickelton’s 259 runs in the second Test against Pakistan came from 343 balls, with 29 fours and three sixes.
The opening batter’s score is the second highest Test score recorded at Newlands. New Zealand’s Stephen Fleming holds the record at 262 runs (scored in 2006). In third place is Ben Stokes (258, from 2016’s Test).
The double hundred is the first recorded by a South African in nearly eight years, almost to the day. The last score of 200 or more before Rickelton’s score on Saturday was the 201 scored by Hashim Amla, also at Newlands, against England, on 2 January 2016.
The 28-year-old batted for 131.4 overs, after opening the batting on day one of the Test, on Friday, taking over from the injured Tony de Zorzi.
Rickelton shared important partnerships in the innings with Aiden Markram (61), Temba Bavuma (235), Kyle Verreynne (148) and Marco Jansen (86).
UPDATE: South Africa were all out for 615 in their first innings.
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