Du Plessis heroics in vain as West Indies win run-fest

Tuesday, 13 January 2015 00:07 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Gayle leads West Indies in record chase JOHANNESBURG (Reuters): Faf du Plessis blasted the second fastest century in Twenty20 internationals but it was not enough for South Africa as West Indies produced a record chase in a run-fest to win by four wickets at The Wanderers on Sunday. The tourists were set 232 for victory and passed that mark with four balls remaining as Chris Gayle bludgeoned 90 from 41 balls to set up their series-clinching win. It is the highest successful run chase in Twenty20 international cricket, beating India's 211 against Sri Lanka in 2009, with 467 runs scored in under 40 overs. Du Plessis smashed 119 from 56 balls with 11 fours and five sixes to record the highest score by a South African in the shortest format of international cricket, taking his side to 231 for seven in their 20 overs. He missed the record for the fastest hundred in Twenty20 cricket by a single ball as he took 46 to reach his ton, one more than compatriot Richard Levi against New Zealand in 2012. The visitors were well on course for the win as Gayle punished the helpless home bowling along with Marlon Samuels (60 from 39 balls) as the pair took the score to 171 for one before the former was out in the 14th over. That sent the jitters through the West Indies dugout as they lost four quick wickets, but Darren Sammy clubbed 20 from seven balls to carry the tourists to victory as they finished on 236 for six from 19.2 overs. The visitors have an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, with the final contest to be played in Durban on Wednesday.

40 overs, 44 fours, 24 sixes 68 Number of boundaries scored in this match, the most ever in a T20I. There were 44 fours and 24 sixes in this match. The previous record was 66 boundaries, including 43 fours and 23 sixes, scored by Australia and England in Southampton in 2013. 467 Total runs scored in this match, the highest for any T20I. The previous record was 457, scored in a T20I between England and Australia in 2013. 236 Runs scored by West Indies, the highest ever in a successful chase and fourth highest in a T20I. The 231 runs scored by South Africa is their second highest in a T20 and fifth highest by any team. 119 Runs scored by Faf du Plessis, the highest in a T20I loss. The only other hundred scored in a loss came in a T20I between the same teams at the same venue (Johannesburg), when Chris Gayle scored 117 runs in 2007, a match where South Africa easily achieved their target of 206. 1 Number of captains who had made a century in T20Is prior to du Plessis in this game. Tillakaratne Dilshan had scored 104 runs against Australia in Pallekele in 2011. 68 Runs conceded by Kyle Abbott, the most by any bowler in a T20I. Abbott returned figures of 1 for 68 from his four overs. The second-most runs conceded by a bowler in T20Is is 64, by James Anderson (2007) and Sanath Jayasuriya (2007). Jayasuriya also conceded these runs in Johannesburg, against Pakistan in 2007. 87 Sixes hit by Chris Gayle in T20Is, the joint-most in T20Is, with Brendon McCullum. However, McCullum has played 70 T20Is while Gayle has only played 45. Gayle hit seven sixes during his innings of 90 in this match. 2 Number of times that Gayle has been dismissed in the 90s in T20Is. England's Alex Hales is the only other player to have also been dismissed in the 90s on two occasions. Gayle has scored only one T20I century. 86 Runs scored by West Indies in the Powerplay, the most in a T20I between two top-eight sides, and the third highest in any T20I. The record is 91, scored by Holland against Ireland in a World T20 match in 2014. 8 Number of batsmen who have scored hundreds in all three forms of international cricket. They are du Plessis, Gayle, Dilshan, McCullum, Suresh Raina, Mahela Jayawardene*, Martin Guptill and Ahmed Shehzad.