AMLA Leads South Africa to Number One
South Africa made sporting history on Tuesday evening after an 80-run victory over England in a one-day international at the Rose Bowl in Southampton made them the first team to be ranked number one in the world in all three forms of cricket.
The crushing victory not only took the Proteas to number one, it also ended a run of 10 wins on the trot in the one-day format for the hosts.
Leading the way, as he has done throughout South Africa’s tour of England, Hashim Amla also made it into the record books. With a man-of-the-match winning knock of 150 off only 124 balls, he became the fastest man to 3 000 runs in ODI history.
Bettered record
He bettered the record of the great Viv Richards, and it wasn’t even close. The West Indian legend reached 3 000 runs in his 69th ODI innings. Amla did it in 57 innings.
The two men represent a great contrast in batting styles. Richards, who never wore a helmet, simply blasted bowling attacks to all corners of the ground with a take-it-to-’em attitude. Amla achieves similar results, but in a vastly different manner, placing the ball with seeming ease, and using his wrists to create angles and runs.
By the end of the match, Amla, ranked number one in one-day internationals and number two in tests among batsmen, had scored 3 031 runs at the remarkable average of 58.28. His figures include 10 centuries and 18 half-centuries.
Highest score
Tuesday’s 150 was his highest score yet in ODIs and the sixth highest ever by a South African. The man on top of the list is Proteas coach Gary Kirsten with 188 not out against the UAE in the 1996 Cricket World Cup.
AB de Villiers (124), who contributed 28 runs to South Africa’s batting effort, became the fourth-fastest man to
Category: Africa News
