There is no denying that South African Cricket has produced some of the finest cricketers in cricket history, be they bowlers, batters, fielders, all-rounders, or wicket-keepers. Since cricket gained popularity, we have witnessed some of the best innings played by their cricketers. The depth & resilience of the team made others their favorites. They had not only won matches but the hearts too. They have given exceptional results at the times when the team needed their support the most. After all, this is the beauty of this game. One over, you’re all set in the game, about to win & another over, the opposition gains momentum. In this article, we look at their top 10 match-winning innings.
1. Herschelle Gibbs (2006)
March 12, 2006, New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg. It was the day when the world witnessed a record-breaking chase by Herschelle Gibbs. Gibbs scored a massive 175 off 111 balls with 21 boundaries & 7 sixes in the ODI match against Australia. He led the team from the front foot, beautifully handling the team to reach the target of 438 runs, the highest ODI score. For Australians, it would have been heartbreaking, but Gibbs won hearts, making it one of the best & finest chases in cricket history.
2. Gary Kirsten (1996)
In their opening match of the 1996 WC, Gary Kristen set a new world cup record by becoming the first South African cricketer to score a ton in a WC match. They placed a target of 321 on the scoreboard at the end of fifty overs for UAE. During the innings, Kirsten scored 188* runs with four boundaries & 14 fours off 159 deliveries. His knock remains the third-highest knock by any player in the WC history. With the help of his innings, South Africa won by 169 runs.
3. AB de Villiers (2005)
The first thing that comes to mind when we hear ABD is his 360-degree hitting. Mr. 360 slammed 149 runs off 44 balls scoring 247 runs with his partnership with Hashim Amla, hitting nine boundaries & 16 sixes against West Indies. He also scored the fastest ODI ton ever in just 31 balls, making his innings a treat to everyone’s eyes. Although he missed one run, creating a world record for the fastest ODI 150 ever in the match but chased down the humongous score of 439 & made his country win. Once a legend, always a legend!
4. Jacques Kallis (2007)
It wasn’t easy to face the Pakistan team with their pacers like Md. Asif, Umar Gul, & Abdur Rehman in complete action mode. But for Jacques Kallis, it was no less than any other match he played. He scored a match-winning inning of 155* off 201, with great timed, well-composed & brilliant shots.
5. Graeme Smith (2008)
Very few people know that Graeme Smith scored his first four centuries, out of which 3 of them were his double hundreds. Smith slammed 154* runs & continued to show his love towards Edgbaston. He was a young & inexperienced captain then, but he surpassed this with his unbeaten ton in the second innings that helped the South African team to clinch a 5-wicket win in England.
6. Faf du Plessis (2016)
What would give someone more satisfaction than scoring a ton on your debut match? It was Faf’s debut match against the Aussies & he did wonders. The 28-year-old debutant scored 110* off 376 balls against Australia at home in Adelaide. His innings were a perfect blend of control, patience, class, temperament, determination & dedication, & at last, making his team in the dugout full of pride. Aussies only left with a full four days of exhaustion! The match was a draw, but it felt like a win.
7. Hashim Amla (2012)
He thrashed Australian bowlers with a massive score of 196 off 221 balls with a strike rate of 88.96 with 21 fours in the test match at Perth. He played fearlessly with those extensions of the arms & punches in the backfoot with a wide range of orthodox shots and golden timing. That is obvious why people lauded him with Monk-like patience & warrior-like spirit!
8. AC Hudson (1996)
Hudson scored 161 runs off 132 balls against the Netherlands, his third-highest score for his country. He slammed 13 fours & 4 sixes with a strike rate of 122.90 in 1996 WC at Rawalpindi, contributing to his team winning by 160 runs.
9. David Miller (2015)
David Miller tops the list of the fastest T20 century against the match with Bangladesh, along with Rohit Sharma & Sudesh Wickramasekara. He scored half a century in 23 balls, but it only took 12 balls to turn half a century into a century. What a killer batting by David Miller!
10. JP Duminy (2008)
He thrashed a score of 166 runs off 340 balls on the scoreboard against Australia. He played, if not the best, but one of the best innings of his career when the South African team was under pressure. His innings had beautifully placed the shots & perfectly timed drives.
