Herschelle Gibbs mixed the sublime with the uncertain in fashioning a thrilling 143 as South Africa reached 306 for six in their World Cup Pool B match against New Zealand at the Wanderers on Sunday.
Gibbs, who has now made 254 runs in this World Cup and averages 127 for the tournament, at times lacked his usual fluency in presenting the South Africans with their first century of the tournament. He was, nevertheless, the glue that held the innings together and New Zealand have been set a challenging target.
With New Zealand needing to win this match to give themselves a chance of going through to the Super Six stage, the stage has been set for a tense afternoon at the Wanderers.
The South African innings was built around a succession of solid parnerships, with Gibbs playing a leading role in each of them. Graeme Smith, who replaced the injured Jonty Rhodes late last week, was given his first game of the tournament as Gibbs’ opening partner and together the pair put on 60 for the first wicket.
Smith, in fact, looked the more comfortable of the two, hitting Shane Bond out of the attack as he took three successive boundaries off the New Zealand paceman’s second over.
But when Bond was brought back for his second spell he accounted for Smith with a delivery that climbed on the left-hander whose attempted pull flew off the top edge to be caught by wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum.
Smith’s contribution to the partnership had been 23 and he was replaced by Nicky Boje who helped Gibbs add 66 for the second wicket. The promotion of Boje, whose two one-day internationals were both score against New Zealand, pushed Gary Kirsten further down the batting order. As it transpired, the veteran left-hander eventually came in at number eight while Boeta Dippenaar was bot required to bat.
Boje made 29 off 37 balls before being bowled through the gate by Scott Styris and then it was the turn of Jacques Kallis to share in a partnership of 67 for the third wicket with Gibbs.
When Kallis was caught at extra cover by Lou Vincent off Daniel Vettori for 33 at 193 for three in the 39, Gibbs was still two short of his century. He duly moved to three figures with a single off Styris an over later and celebrated the achievement by hammering Vettori for a flat six over midwicket to bring up the South African 200 and a four through the covers.
Gibbs had started the day uneasily, particularly against Andre Adams who found both the inside and outside edges of Gibbs’ bat on several occasions.
As the innings wore on, however, his confidence and timing began to flow and after reaching his hundred he unleashed his full array of shots.
With Mark Boucher, who made just 10, 50 was put on for the fourth wicket and when he was finally caught at midwicket off Jacob Oram, he had faced 195 balls for his runs, hitting 19 fours and three sixes. There was a suspicion that the South African had started to cramp and he fell to a tired slog, but he has already justified pre-tournament predictions that he would be one of the players to watch at this World Cup.
Shaun Pollock (10), Lance Klusener (33 not out) and Kirsten (five not out) eventually took South Africa past the 300 mark in the final over of the innings.