De Kock becomes first Proteas batter to score 500 runs in a single World Cup

Quinton de Kock’s merrymaking tour de force through India continued at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Wednesday in front of a packed crowd that revelled in another glorious display of his prodigious talent.

He really will retire from the ODI format after this World Cup, but wants to make sure that by the time that happens he’s sated his thirst for runs in this format. The rhythmic chants of “Quin-ton de Kock!” built around this open arena in the same way they did a week ago, when he blasted 174 against Bangladesh in Mumbai.

Here, De Kock (114) had a fine assistant in Rassie van der Dussen, who notched up his second hundred of the tournament (133) with another workmanlike effort in which he showed greater intent than was the case in Chennai last Friday, where he failed to muster a single boundary.

There were 14 of them for him on Wednesday, five sixes and nine fours, as he played his part in South Africa’s 357/4 total.

Together, he and De Kock shared a partnership of 200 that was built in what is now becoming characteristically rhythmic fashion.

Van der Dussen, during his astute prematch media interaction, joked that he, De Kock and Temba Bavuma made their middle-order teammates rich by providing a foundation from which Aiden Markram, David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen can blast sixes and pick up the IPL and T20 League paydays.

However, on Wednesday it was two of the top order who cashed in.

Van der Dussen made another point on Tuesday about the strong ties between the players in this squad. They needed to form tighter bonds amid the drama that exploded around the sport in South Africa. Those bonds are strengthened further by many of them having played together for a long time, often away from the glare of the international arena.

“You can find some sort of connection somewhere. If you look at the batters, we've been batting together for a long time. If you look at, for example, Quinny [De Kock] and KG [bowler Kagiso Rabada], they've been playing together since they were young,” Van der Dussen said.

“Same with Temba, same with myself and Reeza. So I think there's definitely something different in this team. I think we're blessed in a sense that we're in a great space now.

“We've had to deal with quite a lot of controversy over the last three years. So that's really put us in good stead.”

That strength was illustrated here. After the early dismissal of Bavuma for 24 — another innings filled with rich promise that wasn’t fulfilled — De Kock and Van der Dussen built patiently. Occasionally, when New Zealand offered something loose, De Kock would unleash a pull or, in one case involving Van der Dussen, a slog sweep for six against Rachin Ravindra’s left-arm spin.

Otherwise, it was largely conventional batting against disciplined New Zealand bowling. The wisdom of Kiwi captain Tom Latham’s decision to field after winning the toss can only be judged once the match concludes, but it did seem strange to hand South Africa an advantage. Bavuma said he wanted to bat first.

Once the pair had become accustomed to the conditions — a slightly sluggish pitch — they quickly accelerated the scoring rate. De Kock peppered the leg-side and when the ball merited such, he and Van der Dussen were clinical with the reverse sweep.

De Kock became the first Proteas batter to score 500 runs in a single World Cup, then brought up his fourth hundred — another record for a South African batter — in the competition, pulling Jimmy Neesham over fine leg for six.

When he was out after an innings that featured 10 fours and three sixes, Van der Dussen picked up the slack, also reaching his century — his second of the tournament — with a boundary, also off Neesham through fine leg.

The usual fireworks followed, only this time Van der Dussen, who top-scored, also played his part as the Proteas scored 119 runs in the last 10 overs, with David Miller making 53 off 30 balls.