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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Theunis de Bruyn makes timely hundred, a week before heading Down Under with Proteas

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Johannesburg — It’s fashionable to lament the players not in the national squad for Australia, but for those who are, like Theunis de Bruyn, scoring runs before boarding the flight on Thursday is crucial.

De Bruyn did just that with a polished century at the Wanderers on Saturday, the 16th of his career, for the Multiply Titans in their Four-Day Series match against the DP Lions.

Since his call up for the Australia tour, De Bruyn hadn’t done anything of significance with the bat, while Ryan Rickelton, who wasn’t considered for that series, notched up two centuries, including one in this match.

It would have pleased De Bruyn and the national selectors that he justified their faith in him, with a good innings that featured lots of drives down the ground and a couple of powerful pulls that went for sixes.

While he scored at better than a run a ball, it never felt like De Bruyn was in a rush. He had an intriguing battle with Wiaan Mulder, who found the outside edge of the bat twice in a row, with the ball flying past the lone slip to the boundary on both occasions.

De Bruyn’s call up for the Australian side was somewhat surprising, given he’s not been an outstanding batter recently in the four-day competition, although the Proteas interim head coach Malibongwe Maketa has seen him perform well for the SA A team.

He played the last of his 12 Tests in India three years ago. He played in two Tests in the infamous 2018 series against Australia, and was at the crease in Gqeberha when the winning runs were hit in the second Test. He missed the “sandpaper” match at Newlands, but described his involvement in that series as a career highlight.

Where De Bruyn bats should he be picked in Australia remains to be seen. Keegan Petersen’s absence because of a hamstring tear means there is a spot open at No 3, but Rassie van der Dussen has also made a return from injury and would be a candidate for that spot too. Van der Dussen batted at No 3 for the Lions in their first Four-Day match last week, but opened the innings against the Titans this week at the Wanderers.

He was dismissed by a peach of a delivery from Simon Harmer on Saturday, that pitched about 30cm outside off stump and spun back past Van der Dussen, hitting the top of middle and leg.

In Gqeberha, Marco Jansen picked up six wickets in the match for the Warriors, as they claimed a third successive win to cement their spot atop the competition’s log. Matthew Breetzke made a first innings century followed by 91 in the second knock as the Warriors beat the North West Dragons by 239 runs. Jansen, who missed last week’s match for personal reasons, took 3/40 in both innings, suggesting he will be a threat on the quick and bouncy pitch at the Gabba, which hosts the first Test from December 17.

@shockerhess

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