WI vs SA: Quinton de Kock reveals the reason behind his unique century celebration
Quinton de Kock had a roller-coaster of a year in 2020 and the early part of 2021. Thrust into captaincy initially in the limited-overs formats and then the Tests, the wicketkeeper-batter endured a dip in form which also coincided with Proteas’ blip in all the formats. Now, relieved from the leadership burden, the southpaw announced himself with a bang on the West Indies tour in the first Test.
He smashed his sixth hundred in the format and dedicated it to a friend who lost his finger in Afghanistan and to rhino conservation in South Africa. De Kock celebrated both his fifty and hundred by his bat in such a manner that the name of Rockwood, an organization battling to save the endangered rhino and also prominently showed a hand gesture holding the ring finger of his right hand down and thereby spreading the other three fingers.
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The helmet comes off as Quinton de Kock scores his 6th Test century and what a knock it’s been! It’s taken 148 balls and includes 11 fours and 3 sixes#WIvSA #ThatsOurGame pic.twitter.com/AohnRlQPe7
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) June 11, 2021
The southpaw scored his first century in the Caribbean island and put his team in a position of strength against West Indies in the first of the two-match Test series.
“It’s just a friend group I have back home,” de Kock told the host broadcaster. “A couple of people know I am doing this initiative with the rhino thing and one of my friends got his fingers shot off in Afghanistan, and I said I will salute to him.”
De Kock’s interesting story of century celebration
When quizzed further Quinton de Kock further revealed how he decided to dedicate a century with a finger celebration. “I am doing Rockwood and the Rhino conservation and it’s a whole group of us. The one night we had a braai and we started talking and I said his finger being shot off is quite a limelight in our group of friends so I said I will do that as an accolade for him. I couldn’t believe it happened first time. I am sure my phone with the boys’ group is going to be buzzing.”
Clearly taking the captaincy burden off him and a well-deserved timely break has made De Kock got back his form which augurs well for South Africa in a crucial phase of re-building the team.
