Sports

Jean-Paul Duminy was identified very early on as a potential international player, but having made his ODI debut in 2004 against Sri Lanka, it was another three years before he cemented a regular place in the team.

Partly that was down to South Africa’s strong battling line-up and partly due to his own inconsistency, failing to live up to high expectations. However, when his Test chance came, through an injury to Ashwell Prince, he launched his career in a manner bettered by few players.

On his test debut he helped guided South Africa to a successful chase of 414 in Perth with an unbeaten 50, then he followed that with a serene and well composed 166 in Melbourne to rescue to his team from the prospect of a huge deficit. Those two innings confirmed him as an integral part of South Africa’s future. His batting is elegant and graceful, with a silky cover-drive and a strong square cut. He has few problems when the ball is short, either, and like a lot of left-handers likes to whip deliveries through midwicket.

With Indian tour to Pakistan cancelled, the interest in South Asian Cricket was now in the Bangladesh v Sri Lanka, Tri-series final in Mirpur.

A pulsating low-scoring game nearly went Bangladesh’s way, but hopes of a tournament triumph were dashed by Muttiah Muralitharan, who was the unlikely saviour with the bat as Sri Lanka recovered from 6 for 5 to edge a two-wicket win in Mirpur. Bangladesh were in control of the game after Shakib Al Hasan’s double-wicket maiden left Sri Lanka needing 39 off 36 balls with two wickets in hand. Murali, though, had other plans, blasting a 16-ball 33, including 32 off two Rubel Hossain overs, to break Bangladeshi hearts. Although the home team lost, the spectators were kept enthralled.