‘I didn't spend too much time thinking about scoring 200’ – Faf du Plessis after getting out on 199 against Sri Lanka

Former South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis doesn’t want to make a fuss after getting out on 199 against Sri Lanka in the opening Test at the SuperSport Park in Centurion. In the third day’s play, the right-hander creamed the visitors’ bowling, hitting 24 fours at a strike-rate of 72.10. However, debutant Wanindu Hasaranga accounted for his wicket against the run of play.

Faf, who relinquished Test captaincy earlier this year, is more concerned about playing a match-winning knock rather than focussing on personal milestones. Faf’s knock put the Proteas in a commanding position as they racked up 621 runs in their first innings.

I was pretty tired at that stage, says Faf du Plessis

“Two hundred is something I didn’t spend too much time thinking about. When you get past 100 you start thinking about 200, but the biggest thing from today was that if a batter gets in, you want to make sure you cash in.

“That becomes a match-winning knock. It’s big hundreds you always strive for as a batting unit, to put the opposition under pressure,” Du Plessis was quoted as saying after the third day’s play.

In the quest to get to his double ton, Faf tried to take on Hasaranga and go for a lofted stroke over mid-on. But then, he holed out to Lankan skipper Dimuth Karunaratne, much to his grief and agony.

“I thought I would just pop him over his head. I tried to hit it, possibly a bit too straight. I feel it’s a shot I have played really well but the execution was perhaps not 100% there. I was pretty tired at that stage. I was not in the greatest position to try and hit that for six. It’s unfortunate. I worked extremely hard to try and get a 200 today,” he added.

As far as the match is concerned, the hosts, well and truly, are on the driver’s seat. The visitors are trailing by 160 in their second innings with eight wickets in hand. Kusal Perera and Dinesh Chandimal were in the middle at the close of play on the third day. South Africa will be looking for some early wickets and put pressure on the Lankan middle-order.