South Africa’s Ryan Rickelton made history on Saturday by smashing his first-ever Test double century during the second Test against Pakistan in Cape Town. It’s a huge milestone — Rickelton is the first South African batter to reach this landmark in nearly a decade. The last Proteas batter to do so was Hashim Amla, who scored a double century in 2016.
Rickelton reached his 200 off 266 deliveries. He was also involved in a mammoth 235-run partnership with South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma. This has now put the hosts in a commanding position at Newlands.
Rickelton’s Record-Breaking Innings
Opening the batting with Aiden Markram, Rickelton showcased patience and flair as he anchored South Africa’s innings. His double century was a mix of calculated strokes and aggressive shots, highlighting his growing stature in international cricket.
The milestone comes just 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 stood at 429/5, with Rickelton and Kyle Verreyne sharing an unbeaten 106-run stand. The hosts added 113 runs in the morning session, further piling pressure on the visitors.
Pakistan’s Struggles Continue
Pakistan’s bowlers had a tough time finding breakthroughs on a pitch that offered little assistance. The second new ball, taken early in the session, failed to make much of an impact as Rickelton and Bedingham negotiated it with ease.
The visitors had a glimmer of hope when Mohammad Abbas dismissed David Bedingham for 36. Bedingham edged a delivery outside off-stump, gifting a straightforward catch to the wicketkeeper.
However, Verreyne and Rickelton quickly extinguished those hopes. After surviving a close LBW appeal, Verreyne counter-attacked with flair. He struck 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-off for four, moving to 199. He then took a quick single off the next delivery to bring up his double century, receiving a standing ovation from the Newlands crowd.
Despite the pitch showing signs of wear, Rickelton and Verreyne continued to dominate. They played out the spin of Salman Ali Agha with ease and attacked pacers Mir Hamza and Aamer Jamal in the final half-hour of the session.
Verreyne, known for his aggressive style, launched two sixes off Jamal before hitting a straight boundary, bringing up the 50-run stand between him and Rickelton in just 12 overs.
South Africa’s Commanding 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 Pakistan under pressure on a pitch 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 longest format.
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