Faf du Plessis hits maiden century of SA20, lights up Wanderers

Johannesburg, Jan 25 (SocialNews.XYZ) Joburg Super Kings captain and former South Africa white-ball skipper Faf du Plessis entered the record books when he struck the maiden century of the inaugural season of SA20, the six-team franchise T20 League operating under the auspices of Cricket South Africa.

It was a scintillating innings that lasted only 58 balls but yielded 113 electrifying runs at the Wanderers on Tuesday evening. It included eight boundaries and eight sixes.

Du Plessis was the star of the Bullring as he tore into Durban's Super Kings bowling attack.

Du Plessis had Reeza Hendricks as company for the majority of the innings with the opening pair putting on 157 for the first wicket. Hendricks was very much a supporting act though with the Proteas opener compiling 45 off 46 balls.

The partnership was the perfect platform for the Super Kings to chase down the Super Giants' 178/6 with Du Plessis striking the winning runs with five balls remaining. The eight-wicket victory reignited the Super Kings SA20 campaign as they leapfrogged MI Cape Town into fourth place.

Unfortunately for the Super Giants, their chances of qualifying for the playoffs are now slim as they remain at the foot of the table. Quinton de Kock's team had given themselves hope through Heinrich Klaasen's 65 off 48 balls and a pair of 28s from West Indian duo Kyle Mayers and Jason Holder at the top and bottom end of the innings.

Maheesh Theekshana (3-30) and Gerald Coetzee (3-21) ensured the Super Giants did not run away entirely. However, the thousands that streamed into the Wanderers once again would remember this special evening as the night Du Plessis struck the first century of the SA20.

Source: IANS