This week in cricket we have three interesting matches that genuinely deserve a mention. With so many cricketers plying their trade week after week, it is tough to single out one option from the other and no matter how much we try, some good performances will always get left out. For example, in this week’s performances, David Warner with his scintillating innings of 97 in just 100 balls in the first Test against South Africa and Usman Khawaja in his 97 under pressure in the second innings are worth a mention but miss out from the list.
Asela Gunaratne of Sri Lanka misses out too, despite his century in the second Test against Zimbabwe and so does Dimuth Karunaratne, who scored a century against Zimbabwe in the second innings of the first Test to set up a brilliant win. Vernon Philander misses out on the list too, despite contributing with bat and ball to South Africa’s come-from-behind victory against Australia in the first Test at Perth. However, we are sure, the five performances we picked will be as much to your liking.
Special Mention
Ishan Kishan, the former U-19 skipper, deserves a special mention this week for his breathtaking 273 for Jharkhand against Delhi at Thumba in a Ranji Trophy Group B match. His 418-minute vigil took Jharkhand from 80-4 to 493 as he was the last batsman out. That he scored the mammoth double hundred as a wicket-keeper batsman makes his performance even more laudable.
Kishan added 116 with Ishank Jaggi and then 120 and 88 with Kaushal Singh and Shahbaz Nadeem respectively to propel Jharkhand to a strong position.
#5 Dhananjaya de Silva
Silva saved Sri Lanka plenty of blushes as the visitors were reduced to 112-4 on the first day of the second Test against Zimbabwe. Silva added 143 with Upul Tharanga and then 87 more with Asela Gunaratne, who scored a 193 ball 116 propelling Sri Lanka to an impressive total of 504. By stumps on Day 2, Zimbabwe posted a strong reply with 126-2, showing that the pitch was quite good for batting.
His innings, therefore, was quite vital to ensure Sri Lanka are on target to protect their lead in the series taken in the first Test. Silva’s 127 came off 245 balls and included 14 fours.
#4 Dean Elgar
Elgar’s gritty brand of cricket held South Africa in good stead as he scored 127 in a 474-minute vigil at the crease, seeing his team to safety as openers should. Elgar held his own even as Duminy was blazing away on the other end in the second innings of the first Test against Australia at Perth. When he was eventually out, South Africa were in more than a formidable position at 324 for 4. This was the 29-year old’s 5th century in 27 Tests although his overall average of 38 needs some improving.
#3 JP Duminy
Although Rabada walked away with the Man of the Match, it was Duminy, who laid the foundation of a strong South African second innings score. Trailing by just two runs, South Africa were in early trouble at 45-2 in what was effectively a second innings shoot-out. But Duminy played free flowing cricket with some classy drives early on adding 250 for the third wicket with Dean Elgar. In the process, Duminy scored a 225-ball 141 at a strike-rate of 62, bringing up his 5th Test century.
That mammoth partnership ensured South Africa managed a colossal 540 in their second innings, setting Australia a near impossible fourth innings target of 539. The southpaw’s innings was studded with 20 fours and a six.
#2 Graeme Cremer
Performing for a weak team, especially when the chips are down, is what deserves great praise. Graeme Cremer of Zimbabwe did exactly that when he scored an unbeaten 102* against Sri Lanka in the first Test at Harare. Sri Lanka posted 537 and Zimbabwe were 139 for 6 in reply and in deep trouble.
However, Cremer played a captain’s knock, adding 132 for the seventh wicket with wicket-keeper, Peter Moor who scored a quick-fire 84-ball 79. Creamer then added 92 with Donald Tiripano ensuring Sri Lanka’s eventual lead was 164. Cremer had also taken 4 wickets in the first innings to make it an all-round performance, albeit on the losing side.
#1 Kagiso Rabada
Rabada is all of 21 years but has just notched up his 4th five-wicket haul in 9 Tests. That is some start to his Test career. The South African wonder-boy gave a Man of the Match performance to inspire his team to a win against Australia in Perth. Rabada picked up a couple of wickets in the first innings but it was in the second that he tormented Australia to ensure there won’t even be a semblance of a chase from the Kangaroos.
Australia set a target of 539, floundered against Rabada’s penetrative bowling as he picked up the important wickets of opener Shaun Marsh, skipper Steve Smith and then Adam Voges, Mitchell Marsh, and Mitchell Starc. Australia were bundled out for 361. Rabada’s 5-92 gave him a match haul of 7 wickets just inching ahead of Vernon Philander who picked 5 wickets in the Test.
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