Quinton de Kock - Another ODI century

Quinton de Kock made history today by scoring the third century in a row in an ODI.   In the process

*   he is the youngest player ever to achieve that feat;

*   he scored the highest number of runs ever by any cricketer in the world in a three match series;

*   he is the highest SA run scorer after 16 ODI games for SA beating players like Amla. Graeme Smith, AB de Villiers and Herschelle Gibbs with a batting average in excess of 50.

This guy stood firm while the wickets of Amla, Adams and Duminy fell and together with AB had a partnership of 173 runs for the fourth wicket.

Is he going to be the best SA batsman ever?    

Mozart

He was dropped twice - both difficult chances - but he made the century so what?  I know you do not like younger players in any code of sport and expected this response - but as per normal you obviously tried  to run down the achievements of the youngster whom the commentators lauded as phenominal.

By the way if you try to score at pace - there will be chances given to fielders.  It is better  in ODI's to try and achieve a reasonable run rate than to try and protect your wicket like Graeme Smith and Kallis has rather unsuccessfully tried to achieve in the latest ODI's they played in -  they played safe wasting balls bowled at them, goes out cheap and put massive pressure on lower order batters.   Would you rather have that in the game?

In any event for the record De Ko0ck has scored four centuries in ODI's in the past five weeks - so why do you refuse to recognise his talent?

He should have ben caught - but he was NOT.   Better scoring runs and go out than not scoring runs at an acceptable tempo like Smith and Kallis was doing recently in ODI's and going out early.

Lets see the progress in the ODI's since October.

Gulf State

*   1 ODI Pakistan - won by 1 run  -   Smith opened

*   2 ODI Pakistan - Lost badly      -   Smith opened

*   3 ODI Pakistan - Won easily     -   De Kock opened

*   4 ODI Pakistan - Won easily     -   De Kock opened - scored century

*   5 ODI Pakistan - Won easily     -   De Kock opened

Home

*   1 ODI Pakistan  - Lost badly    -    Smith opened, Kallis in 9both failed in batting)

*   2 ODI Pakistan  - Lost by 1 run -   Both Smith and Kallis failed in batting 

*   3 ODI Pakistan  - Won easily    -   De Kock opened Kallis failed in batting

India

*   1 ODI  -  Massive Win -  De Kock opened - scored century

*   2 ODI  -  Massive Win -  De Kock opened  - scored century

*   3 ODI  -  Rained out   -  De Kock opened -  scored century

The Proteas have a reputation of choking - but if you look at the choking you would find two names on the teamsheet that failed in run chase, score a few runs facing a large number of balls and putting pressure on the lower order.   The two players are Smith and Kallis.   If the opener scored sufficient runs at a suitable run rate - there will be no choking - if they fail the pressure is on the lower order to score at a high run rate. 

Much as I admire them as test playing cricketers Smith and Kallis should never ever be in the shortened versions of the game.   Another dubious selection is Adams - the latter has the distinction that in 3 ODI's played he made 3 runs.   At least Smith and Kallis is better than that one.      

 You wana talk about dropped catches. Ross Taylor scores 125 or so yesterday against West Indies. He is put down not once, not twice, not 3 times but a whopping 4 times! First dropped catch, a regulation 3rd slip catch, in the bread basket and Sammy grounds it whilst Taylor is in 0 runs!

Every time a kiwi batsmen gets runs it involves dropped catches. What has happened to the WIndies?? They are pathetic and let NZL get 200 runs more than they should have this innings!

Question is, how easy were the chances that were fluffed in De Kock's innings? Ross Taylor should have been out 4 from 4 and would have scored a duck against any other team in the world after edging off like he did!

boklogic

Not easy catches at all - De Kock hits balls hard and in one case the player had to dive to the left to try and make the catch, a very good fielder would have made the catch - but that type of catch is a 50-50 chance - no better.

The second catch was a skied ball and the fielder had to run backwards trying to get to the ball - he managed that, but despite the fact that he was one of the better Indian fielders - he missed the catch.   That type of catch is difficult to make and the preserve of good fielders - 50-50 chance as well. 

Mozart is basically using the missed catches as a reason to run De Kock down.  It must be born in mind that ODI's are presenting fielders with more chances to make catches than test cricket.   The reason for that is that players must maintain a higher run rate to ensure the team makes the required runs and they must not purely defend their wicket.

De Kock scores at a fast rate and when caught it is because he hit out to make boundaries - not because he is defending/protecting his wicket - a tendency shown by Smith and even Kallis.   He is not a player getting stuck in the 90's.   In two of the centuries he was on 92 and hit sixes to go to 98.   The last 12 runs from 88 to 100 in both games  came form 6 balls.

Every commentator raved about him - but the question was whether he should be in the test side.   Initially the opinion was not - because there were questions asked about his ability to protect his wicket.   That opinion changed after yesterdays ODI - and I am sure he will sooner rather than later be in the test side as well.  Likely to be against Australia in March - especially if Petersen and Smith fail again against the Indians.  

At 20 years of age probably the best batsman of that age in world cricket at present.