Faf du Plessis saves South Africa again

As I watched the heart-pounding final overs of the first Test at Johannesburg between South Africa and India on TV in the early hours of Sunday morning, my mind went back to the Adelaide Test between Australia and South Africa in November 2012.

The saviour for South Africa in both these Tests was their young batsman with nerves of steel, Faf du Plessis.

The Johannesburg Test last week was a classic. It had so many twists and turns that to determine the winner was impossible until the very end.

When India’s quickie Mohammed Shami bowled the final over of the Test, all four results were possible; a win for either team, a draw and even a tie.

South Africa needed 16 runs to win, India wanted the scalps of three tail-enders.

Dale Steyn played two dot balls. Then there was a bye. Three balls to go and the home team needed an impossible 15 to go up 1-0 in the series.

A four and two sixes would do it. Impossible? Steyn did hit a six off the final delivery and the match was drawn, South Africa falling eight runs short of an undreamt of victory after being set 458 runs to win.

The Test seesawed on all five days with India ahead on the first four and half days but the home side with former schoolmates Faf du Plessis (135 in 395 minutes) and AB de Villiers (103) putting up an incredible 205 runs on the final day for the fifth wicket.

And out of nowhere, South Africa came close to a sensational victory.

India’s Virat Kohli was adjudged man of the match after his masterly 119 and 96 but Faf du Plessis deserved it more as he swung the match around from a certain defeat to a near win.

There were many other heroes apart from Virat, Faf and AB.

Cheteshwar Pujara scored a masterly century in the second innings adding 222 runs with Virat Kohli.

Also fast bowler Vernon Philander gave an all-round performance grabbing 4 for 61 and 3 for 68 and scoring 59 and a gallant 25 not out at the pulsating end.

Peaks and valleys summed up batting of both the teams in the first innings. India lost her last five wickets for 18 runs, South Africa her last four scalps for 18.

No one expected South Africa to scale the ‘Mount Everest’ of 458 runs as 418 is the record fourth innings total to win a Test.

This was by the West Indies against Australia at St John’s in 2002-03 when they lost seven wickets before reaching the victory target.

On the final day, they needed 320 runs to win on a pitch with cracks with their consistent batsmen Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla dismissed.

Hats off to Faf and AB to bring their team so close to a victory.

Now to the Adelaide Test between Australia and South Africa in November 2012. The first Test in Brisbane was drawn despite an unbeaten 259 by skipper Michael Clarke.

In terrific form Clarke also hit 230 in Adelaide as Australia amassed 550.

The visitors totalled 388 thanks to debutant Faf du Plessis top-scoring with 78.

Wisden 2013 described him as “calm, collected, compact and versatile.”

Clarke set South Africa 480 runs to win in 148 overs and they were on their knees at four down for 45. At stumps on Day 4, the visitors were 4 for 77 with the former schoolmates Faf and AB de Villiers together.

Media had proclaimed that Australia will win in the second session. But Faf had other ideas. He added 89 with AB for the fifth wicket and 99 for the sixth wicket with Jacques Kallis.

Eighth wicket fell at 240, still 240 more runs to win but the gritty Faf kept batting until the end remaining 110 not out and the Test was drawn with SAf 8 for 248.

The debutant Faf was made the man of the match.

In Jo’burg on Sunday he must have remembered his Adelaide initiation 13 months ago.

Australia will be touring South Africa in February when the Ashes winners will encounter the number one Test nation.

Only then we will be able to judge how good the confident Australian team is.