The questions about where Quinton de Kock should bat in the order grew louder after his 95 off 128 balls took the Proteas from 111/5 to 245/7 on day one of the Boxing Day Test, writes Naeemah Benjamin.
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There’s a bit of divided opinion on where De Kock should bat.
Many have called for the wicket-keeper batsmen to possibly drop the gloves and move up the order to number four.
De Kock constantly continues to silence the arguments with his performances at No 6, but the cries for him to move up the order gets louder with every game.
He’s effective and such an important player down the order for the Proteas and has proved that once again on day 1 of the first Test match against England at Centurion.
When most players looked uncomfortable and were dismissed early, he came to the crease with the Proteas in a spot of bother and did the rescuing job well with the help of Dwaine Pretorius and Vernon Philander.
He played his “natural” game and never once looked to go into defensive mode.
Although it’s been a bit of weird and risky innings where he should’ve been out to Joe Root on three occasions, he got through it as he does and went on to bring up his 18th Test fifty.
A valuable in knock. One, the Proteas desperately needed. Luck was certainly on his side.
After being 111-5, the Proteas clawed their way back in this match to go to the tea break on 187-5 thanks to a brilliant 76-run stand between De Kock and Pretorius.
They continued their hard work after the interval before the latter fell for 33.
De Kock was joined by Philander who supported him well at the other end but Sam Curran (4/57) eventually got his man and dismissed him for a brilliant 95, just 5 runs short of a well deserved century.
Two more wickets fell before the end of the day’s play, Keshav Maharaj falling to Jofra Archer who struggled to find his best form throughout the day and Kagiso Rabada falling to Stuart Broad.
Philander put in a good effort to see out the day. He ended on 28 off 76 balls.
The Proteas ended on 277/9.
Photo: Catherine Kotze/BackpagePix
