Dazzling Du Plessis downed by back injury as SA pile up record total

Faf du Plessis’ march to a century for South Africa was halted when he left the field on David Miller’s back during the third one-day international against Bangladesh in East London on Sunday.

Du Plessis collapsed at the crease and clutched his lower back after turning for a second run in the 41st over.

On-field medical treatment failed to resolve the issue, and South Africa’s captain was piggybacked by Miller — himself out of action with a groin strain — over the boundary and up the stairs to the dressingroom.

Team management said Du Plessis has suffered an acute lower back strain and would take no further part in the match.

It was an inelegant end to the elegance of Du Plessis’ 91, which flowed off 67 balls with 10 fours and a six.

Du Plessis’ day started well enough when he won the toss for the first time in the five matches Bangladesh have played on their tour and made the sensible decision to bat on what duly turned out to be a willing pitch. 

That set up South Africa’s 369/6, their highest total in the 21 ODIs they have played against Bangladesh and the highest by any side in the 22 ODIs at Buffalo Park.

The home side also broke the ground record in the second match of the series at Boland Park in Paarl on Wednesday, where they piled up 353/6.

Sunday’s runglut was started by Temba Bavuma — who replaced the rested Hashim Amla — and Quinton de Kock, who shared 119 off 107 balls in a bustling stand for the first wicket.

Both were caught trying to force the pace and both fell to off-spinner Mehidy Hasan, Bavuma at long-on for 48 and De Kock by the bowler for 73.

Du Plessis and Aiden Markram, who came in for JP Duminy and made his debut in the format, put on 151 off 114 deliveries before Du Plessis’ mishap.

In fact, neither was dismissed by Bangladesh’s anaemic bowling — five balls after Du Plessis left the scene Markram was run out by Imrul Kayes’ superb direct hit from midwicket trying to take two.

Markram, who scored a fluent 66, was also run out, for 97, on his test debut against the Bangladeshis in Potchefstroom last month.

AB de Villiers, who scored a career-best 176 in Paarl, seemed set for more pyrotechnics when he hammered 20 off 14 balls — including a towering six over extra cover off Mashrafe Mortaza.

But he sliced the next delivery he faced, which was bowled by Rubel Hossain, into the covers and was caught.

South Africa lost five wickets for 52 — Du Plessis’ included — before Farhaan Behardien and Kagiso Rabada righted them with an unbroken stand of 34 off 18 balls.

Behardien scored a steady 33 not out with Rabada ripping three fours and a six, all of them with strokes straight out of the coaching manual, in his unbeaten 23.

Wiaan Mulder, who came in for Dwaine Pretorius, also makes his debut.

De Villiers regains the captaincy reins he relinquished to Du Plessis in August.