Birthday special: Dean Elgar – Top 3 performances in Test cricket
The retirement of former South African skipper and opener Graeme Smith left a massive void in the Test team. But a gritty left-handed batter from Welkom, Dean Elgar, has done a valiant job for the red-ball side ever since his debut in the longest format of the game. On his 36th birthday, we list some of his most memorable knocks for the South African team.
141* against Australia, 2018
South Africa’s third Test match of the series against Australia in Cape Town will always be remembered for the ball-tampering scandal that shook the entire cricketing world. However, amidst all the chaos, there was some marvellous performance by the home side, especially with the bat. The surface at Newlands is renowned for assisting the fast bowlers and the Australian pacers tried the utilise the conditions to their advantage in the first innings. However, they came up against a resolute Elgar, who compiled defiant 141-run innings, carrying his bat to take the hosts to a competitive total. Buoyed by his fighting century and a brilliant bowling performance by Morne Morkel, South Africa blew away the Aussies in the controversial fixture.
140 & 89 against New Zealand, 2017
Faf du Plessis’ South Africa travelled to Dunedin to take on hosts New Zealand in the Test series opener. The visitors, who batted first in the contest, were in a spot of bother after losing three of their top four batters inside the first hour of the match. However, Dean Elgar held the fort from one end, receiving valiant support from the likes of du Plessis and Temba Bavuma. The burly opener went onto a secure healthy total for his side after compiling a brilliant innings of 140 runs. While his first-innings heroics was matched by opposition skipper Kane Williamson’s fluent century, Elgar registered a solid 89 in the third innings.
199 against Bangladesh, 2017
It turned out to be a mismatch of great proportions when Bangladesh took on hosts South Africa in the first Test match at Senwes Park. The home side batted first in the contest and made a rollicking start on the back of a 196-run opening stand between Dean Elgar and Aiden Markram. While Markram fell just three short of a brilliant ton, his opening partner continued to pile the misery on the Bangladeshi bowlers. However, the determined southpaw missed his maiden double-century by a whisker after being dismissed for 199 in the first innings. His glittering knock laid the foundation for South Africa’s comfortable victory in the Test series opener.
