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South Africa’s Ryan Rickelton created history on Saturday by smashing his first Test double century during the second Test against Pakistan in Cape Town. It’s a huge milestone – Rickelton is the first South African batsman to reach this milestone in almost a decade. The last Proteas batsman to do so was Hashim Amla, who scored a double century in 2016.
Rickelton reached his 200 off 266 deliveries. He also featured in a mammoth 235-run partnership with South Africa captain Temba Bavuma. This has now put the hosts in a commanding position at Newlands.
Rickelton record innings
Opening the batting with Aiden Markram, Rickelton showed patience and flair as he led South Africa’s innings. His double century was a mix of calculated knocks and aggressive shots, highlighting his growing stature in international cricket.
The milestone comes barely a month after he registered his maiden Test century against Sri Lanka in December. His consistent performances have not gone unnoticed, with IPL franchise Mumbai Indians securing his services for INR 1 crore during the recent auction.
At lunch on Day 2, South Africa were 429/5, with Rickelton and Kyle Verreyne sharing an unbeaten 106-run stand. The hosts added 113 runs in the morning session, further increasing the pressure on the visitors.
Pakistan’s struggles continue
Pakistan’s bowlers struggled to find breakthroughs on a pitch that offered little assistance. The second new ball, received early in the session, failed to have much impact as Rickelton and Bedingham negotiated it with ease.
The visitors got a ray of hope when Mohammad Abbas dismissed David Bedingham for 36. Bedingham edged a delivery outside off stump, gifting a simple catch to the keeper.
However, Verreyne and Rickelton quickly extinguished those hopes. After surviving a close appeal from LBW, Verreyne fought back in style. He hit three sixes over the leg-side boundary and reached his half-century with a streaky boundary, sending the Cape Town crowd into a frenzy.
Rickelton reaches 200
Rickelton’s moment of glory came in the 91st over when he drove a ball past mid-wicket for four, moving to 199. He then took a quick single off the next delivery to achieve his double century, receiving a standing ovation from the Newlands crowd. .
Even though the pitch showed signs of wear, Rickelton and Verreyne continued to dominate. They performed Salman Ali Agha’s turn with ease and attacked pacers Mir Hamza and Aamer Jamal in the last half hour of the session.
Verreyne, known for his aggressive style, hit two sixes off Jamal before hitting a straight boundary, raising the 50-run gap between him and Rickelton in just 12 overs.
South Africa’s dominant position
With a commanding score of 429/5, South Africa have put themselves in a strong position in the second Test. The Proteas will look to push for a big first innings lead and put pressure on Pakistan in a pitch that is expected to deteriorate further.
Ryan Rickelton’s double century marks a significant moment for South African cricket. It ends a nine-year drought of double centuries in Test matches for the Proteas and highlights the team’s resurgence in the longer format.
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