Ken Borland

Quinton de Kock was again in great free-scoring form, but Rilee Rossouw said “watch me!” as he plundered a magnificent century to set South Africa up for a formidable score of 205/5 in their T20 World Cup match against Bangladesh at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday.

Rossouw proved his world-class credentials with 109 off just 56 balls, an innings of sheer class, skill and power, with the left-hander hitting seven fours and eight sixes. Coming in to bat in the second over, Rossouw found fifth gear quickly and showed his boundary-hitting prowess as well as some clever innovation on the touch-shots.

Having won the toss and elected to bat – surprisingly, given the rain around – South Africa lost Temba Bavuma (2) at the end of the first over. The embattled captain shaped to come down the pitch to Taskin Ahmed, but then just fended at an away-swinger and was caught behind.

De Kock and Rossouw hardly skipped a beat though as they added 163 in 13.3 overs, the second-highest partnership in T20 World Cup history, just behind the 166 the legendary Sri Lankan pair of Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara put on against the West Indies in Bridgetown in 2010.

De Kock blazed 63 off just 38 balls in another thrilling display, showing more of the surgeon’s touch as he stroked seven fours and three sixes, and used a variety of sweeps to great effect.

At 170/2 with five-and-a-half overs left when De Kock lofted off-spinner Afif Hossain to long-off, one would have expected South Africa to post at least 230. You can forgive Rossouw for taking fewer risks as he approached his century, becoming the first batsman from a Full Member nation to score back-to-back T20 International hundreds, something not even Chris Gayle managed.

But valuable momentum just leaked from the innings, with the pitch also slowing down and Bangladesh fighting back superbly with the ball. Just 35 runs were scored off the last 33 balls as the Proteas also lost Tristan Stubbs (7) and Aiden Markram (10), neither of whom were able to score at more than a run-a-ball.

David Miller and Wayne Parnell were the batsmen at the crease at the end of the innings and they could only score two runs off six deliveries.

Left-armer Mustafizur Rahman was superb, conceding just 25 runs in his four overs, while Hasan Mahmud and left-arm spinner Shakib al-Hasan were also excellent at the death.

Devon Conway made a free-scoring 78 not out, whilst most other batsmen struggled, to see the bizhub Highveld Lions to 258 for seven and victory by four runs over the Unlimited Titans in a thrilling Momentum eKasi Challenge at Dobsonville Oval on Friday.

The Lions had elected to bat first and had started solidly, Gulam Bodi (44) and Rassie van der Dussen (21) taking them to 80 for one after 19 overs. But the introduction of off-spinner Eden Links would see a collapse as the hosts slipped to 123 for five.

Conway and Dwaine Pretorius (32) revitalised the innings as they added 51 for the sixth wicket off 64 balls, before Links returned to trap Pretorius lbw in the first over of his second spell.

The left-handed Conway completed the recovery, however, batting through to the end of the 50^th over as he faced just 73 balls and hit seven fours and two sixes.

Wicketkeeper/batsman Nicky van den Bergh (17) also proved a reliable partner as he helped Conway add 51 off 52 balls for the seventh wicket.

Crucially, Conway scored 20 runs in the final over, hammering left-arm seamer Vincent Moore for three fours and a six.

Links was outstanding, obtaining sharp turn and varying his pace well as he took four for 35 in 10 overs, while fellow spinner Roelof van der Merwe bowled the in-form Temba Bavuma, playing in front of an expectant crowd made up largely of children from half-a-dozen local schools, with a superb delivery that pitched outside leg and hit off, while conceding just 30 runs in his 10 overs.

The Titans were in awful early trouble as they slumped to 28 for three and opener Heino Kuhn had to retire hurt with a hand injury.

But Farhaan Behardien (60 off 76 balls) and David Wiese (94 off 102 balls) added 113 off 131 balls for the fourth wicket and it looked as if the crowd would go home disappointed.

But Pretorius, coming off a poor 2013/14 season, changed the complexion of the game by having Behardien caught at wide mid-on.

The Titans went into the last 10 overs on 197 for four, needing just 62 runs, but they suffered a mortal blow in the 41^st over as Wiese was run out trying to take a second run to Eddie Leie at deep backward point.

Heinrich Klaasen, who had played second fiddle to Wiese during their stand of 58 off 56 balls, went on to score 43 not out off 47 balls on his franchise debut, but he was unable to find the boundary during the tight closing overs from Hardus Viljoen and Pretorius.

The Titans needed 22 to win from the last three overs, but the 48^th over, bowled by Pretorius, went for just four runs and Viljoen conceded only five in the penultimate over.

Fast bowler Viljoen was the best of the Lions bowlers, taking one for 29 in his 10 overs and proving a handful throughout.