 Hashim Amla smashed his second century of the ODI series against West Indies to propel his side to a 4-0 lead in the series. To go with his two centuries in
the four games, he has also made a 92 and a 35 and that has given him one of the
purplest patches in the game currently.
In the first ODI of the series, the South African side had got off to a good
start thanks to a Hashim Amla century, who had gone on to smash a 109-ball
102. South Africa had scored 280/7 in their fifty overs and had easily won the
game by 66 runs.
In the second ODI of the series, South Africa scored 300/5 in their fifty overs,
which was possible thanks to Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis, both of
whom missed their centuries narrowly. Amla made a 92 whereas Kallis scored 85,
as West Indies replied with a 283 all out with 11 balls to spare.
The third game was a relative failure for the South African opener, as he made
only 34, but took 28 balls to score those runs and ensured that the quick start
will allow the West Indian side to at least 224. As it turned out, Amla's 34
was the second highest total of the entire game.
However, the best innings of the series for Amla was reserved for the fourth
game, in which, not only did he make a quick-fire 115-ball 129, but also ensured
that the South African side won the game. the visitors were chasing the total
for the first time in the series and needed to get to 304 to win the game, which
they did off the last ball of the innings thanks to the Amla-knock.
But, it is not only Amla who has been in this kind of a form. There is another
batsman of South Africa who has been batting like a champions, but has
almost gone unnoticed, AB de Villiers.
De Villiers started off the series with a century in the same game that Amla
scored his century. In fact, both of them scored a 102 apiece. In the second
ODI of the series, AB de Villiers followed it up with a 41 to his name, but
soon followed it up with a 70 and an unbeaten half century in the fourth ODI
to seal a win.
It does look like the tussle for the man of the series will see both of them
perform even better in the fifth and the final ODI.
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