Form is temporary, class is permanent. 

That’s what they say isn’t it? 

Admittedly, this commonly used phrase in the wonderful world of sport is incredibly cliché but when describing the exploits of one of the many modern greats of South African cricket in a County Championship game between Surrey and Hampshire at the Oval this week, that saying seems rather apt. 

Ahead of this crunch match between two titans of English red ball cricket at the Kia Oval, Amla had suffered from an uncharacteristically poor start to the season, with the legendary South African number 3 batsman accumulating a paltry total of just 78 runs in his first 5 innings of the season. 

So, with this shaky start to the season in mind, you may be thinking that a showdown with arguably the most clinical seam attack in the country may not be the best tonic for a top order batsman who’s perhaps feeling a little fragile. 

Well if you were thinking that, as many of us mere mortals would have, you’re unfortunately wrong. As we all know, Hashim Amla is no ordinary top order batsman. 

Faced with the daunting prospect of Pakistan’s Mohammad Abbas, former Proteas teammate Kyle Abbott and shrewd left-arm off spinner Liam Dawson to name but a few, Amla nonchalantly strode out to the crease like a seasoned gladiator entering his Colosseum, prepared to take on anything and everything that would be thrown his way. 

And in typically imperious fashion, Amla did exactly that, absorbing the early pressure from Abbas, Dawson and Abbott expertly and dissecting the field of play with a sumptuous series of precise cut shots, impeccably timed drives and even the odd flick through mid-wicket. 

This was Hashim Amla at his majestic best. 

A masterfully crafted red ball innings characterised by sheer class, unwavering patience and ice-cool temperamentcombined with an eclectic mix of poise, precision and pure, unrefined elegance that had previously immortalised his place in the hallowed halls of South African cricketing history for millennia to come. 

After a mammoth 491-minute stint at the crease, Amla’s glorious vigil was unfortunately ended by an untimely injury, but by this point, the damage had already been well and truly done as the dominant Brown Caps batting line-up continued to rack up the runs with ease off of the back of this incredible 215 courtesy of the classy South African and ultimatelyamassed a truly gargantuan first innings total of 560/7 to put themselves in pole position for a vital victory in this contest. 

The Hashim Amla that we all know and love is back folks and I for one can’t complain in the very slightest.