AB de Villiers rates Port Elizabeth Test century against Australia as his best

Sport360 staff 19:52 19/08/2018
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  • AB de Villiers rated his Port Elizabeth Test century as his best.

    AB de Villiers says his best ever international century was for South Africa in the Port Elizabeth Test against Australia earlier this year.

    The 34-year-old called quits on his South Africa career in May, 14 years after making his debut for his country in 2004.

    During that time, he scored 22 centuries in 114 Tests and 25 in his 228 ODIs as he established himself as one of the world’s best batsmen.

    His last international series came against Australia in May, where he scored an unbeaten 126 in the second Test to help South Africa level the series which the hosts would later go on to win.

    The all-rounder rated that knock as his best in South Africa colours.

    “I think my most memorable knocks have always been in the longer version of the game – Test cricket – and none better than that last hundred that I scored in PE (Port Elizabeth) against the Australians,” he was quoted as saying by the Daily Telegraph.

    “That was the most enjoyable series in my life. I had doubts that I would come back, I always wanted to just come and play for another season or two.

    “I wasn’t 100 per cent sure that I’m going to finish after the Australian series, but the plan was to come back, and I’m really proud of the fact that I could come back and played two of my best series for my country.”

    AB de Villiers excelled in all formats

    AB de Villiers excelled in all formats

    In a career spanning 14 years, de Villiers admitted he would not played for so long if he didn’t have the passion.

    “I’ve had that from a very young age, and I don’t think it’s something you can teach a youngster – it’s just a deep desire and a hunger and a love for something that you’re never going to give up,” he said.

    “So I was always going to try as much as I can, as hard as I could, to become the best player in the world.”

    The batsman is only a handful of cricketers to excel in all three formats and he insists it’s all down to having the same fundamentals.

    “I base my plan on the same fundamentals and the same basics in all three of the formats that I play in,” he added.

    “I’ve never changed that. The only thing that changes is my mindset a little bit at times.

    “I’ve always kept it very simple. I’m a big believer that basics stay the same for all the formats. I don’t overthink things.

    “I want my mind to be 100 per cent clear so I try not to think about too many things.

    “I’ll have a bit of a pre-ball routine. I’ll make my mark, and then once I switch on and the bowler’s coming in, I try and think of absolutely nothing.

    “I try and make sure that I see the ball coming out of the bowler’s hands, and then my technique and my body take over. I clear my mind and see the ball out of the bowler’s hand – that’s all I think about in all three of the formats.”

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