BENONI, September 25 (ANA) – Temba Bavuma became only the second South African to score a debut century as the Proteas began their limited-overs season with a record 206-run win over Ireland in their one-off One-Day International (ODI) at Willowmoore Park in Benoni on Sunday.
Opener Bavuma, one of three players playing their first matches for the national team, struck a superb 113 (123 balls, 13 fours, 1 six) to help the hosts post a massive 354/5 after losing the toss and being asked to bat first.
The tourists, who play Australia in another one-off ODI at the same venue on Tuesday, offered little in response and were shot out for just 148 in 30.5 overs – JP Duminy collecting career-best figures of 4/16 in 4.5 overs.
The all-rounder will count himself extremely unlucky not to have won the Man-of-the-Match prize after also striking an unbeaten 52, although this was a win that was set up by Bavuma.
The 26-year-old began nervously when he was dropped in the second over, but grew in confidence as he shared in a 159-run opening wicket stand with the outstanding Quinton de Kock, who made 82 (66 balls, 8 fours, 2 sixes).
Their stand doubled the previous best opening stand – 75 by Morne van Wyk and AB de Villiers at Belfast in 2007 – against the Irish and was a venue record, going past the 155 of Herschelle Gibbs and Graeme Smith against Bangladesh in 2002.
Bavuma followed in the footsteps of Colin Ingram as the only other South African to score three figures on debut, the latter getting his ton against Zimbabwe in 2010.
There were also excellent contributions by Duminy, whose 43-ball innings included four fours and a six, and Farhaan Behardien (52 off 22 balls, 3 fours, 3 sixes). The half century from Behardien was also a venue record.
Ireland lost their captain William Porterfield for a second-ball duck to Kagiso Rabada (1/22) and they never recovered.
Duminy cleaned up the lower order after Wayne Parnell (2/36) and Aaron Phangiso (2/33) helped account for the top-order, with Dwaine Pretorius bagging 1/19 in his 5 overs on his maiden appearance for South Africa.
The third debutant, Andile Phehlukwayo, went for 22 in the four overs he was afforded, but it mattered little as the home side inflicted their biggest-ever win over Ireland, surpassing the 200-run triumph at the last World Cup.
South Africa will begin their five-match ODI series against Australia starting on Friday. – African News Agency (ANA)
