Duminy smashed his sixth Test hundred and second 150-plus score during his 293-minute innings in which he managed 19 boundaries at an average of 70.13 from 221 balls to help South Africa to an overnight score of 338/3.
“What we have noticed with JP is that when he is on song‚ he is a beautiful player to watch‚ his judgment is great‚ his timing is immaculate and he is always a pleasure to bat with.
“Everybody is happy with the way he has played in the last couple of matches‚ he has found his consistency and he is playing really well‚” he said.
- Amla joins esteemed group of players who have scored a century in their 100th testThere's a thing about class batsmen like Hashim Amla and making sure that timing is everything.
Amla and Duminy shared a record South African third-wicket partnership of 292 runs in their 72.2 overs as they punished the Sri Lankan bowlers who struggled with their lines for most of the opening day.
In the build-up to the Test‚ Proteas captain Faf du Plessis said that Amla would possibly be the last South African player to reach a century of matches in this format‚ but he shared a different view on the matter.
“Whoever wants to play Test cricket has to have the desire to go all the way. Faf made the call that I may be the last player to reach 100 Tests for South Africa because of the heavy scheduling.
“But Test cricket for me has always been the pinnacle and I think… a youngster out there who has the vision will get there‚” said Amla.
- I am just glad to have played this match: AmlaHashim Amla’s brilliance caught up with him as his unbeaten century on his 100th Test led to him having to face the media he avoided in the build up to the match at the stumps press conference at Wanderers Stadium on Thursday evening.
Amla‚ who became only the eighth player to score a hundred on his 100th Test match‚ also thanked the people who supported him during his recent lean spell where he struggled with the bat.
“I have had games where I got in and out quickly but on Thursday I managed to get through and I felt that I was batting well.
“When we got back from Australia‚ which was not a good tour for me‚ I touched base with Russell Domingo‚ who I refer to as my coaching buddy‚ and we did a little bit of work and these are runs to thank him and all the guys who sent messages of support.”
Amla joined an esteemed batting group of Colin Cowdrey (104)‚ Javed Miandad (145)‚ Gordon Greenidge (149)‚ Alec Stewart (105)‚ Inzamam-ul-Haq (184)‚ Ricky Ponting (120 and 143*) and Graeme Smith (131) as willow-wielders who graced their landmark games with equally important milestones.
- TMG Sport
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