IN AUSTRALIA, they call Mike Hussey "Mr Cricket". In South Africa they should call AB de Villiers "Meneer Cricket".
Even in this part of the world, with its many expats from South Africa, the Afrikaans vernacular should be understood: a "meneer" is someone who is "blerrie good" at what he does.
De Villiers is still new to the job of captaining the South African limited-overs cricket teams. In fact captaincy of any team is still something of a novelty. He has achieved almost instant success on tour in New Zealand.
It did not start auspiciously, losing the first Twenty20 international, but since then he has led the Proteas to five wins in a row - two T20s to wrap up the series 2-1 and three one-day internationals, sweeping the board on Saturday with another emphatic victory over the Black Caps.
De Villiers has also led by example, scoring 222 runs in the T20s and ODIs for an average of 111.
In the ODIs alone he does not even have an average because he was not dismissed in an innings of 106 not out, 31 not out and, on Saturday, nine not out after hitting a six that won the game and the series 3-0. In all three forms of the game, he has scored 10917 runs at an average of 46.25 with a strike rate of 70.19. Here is De Villiers's record:
ODIs:
Runs: 4998. Top score: 146. Average: 49.00. Strike rate: 93.19
Test matches:
Runs: 5239. Top score: 278 not out. Average: 49.22. Strike rate: 54.44
Twenty20:
Runs 680 (from 36 matches). Top score: 79no. Average: 24.28. Strike rate: 119.92.
In ODIs, where the strike rate is the vital statistic, he is ahead of South Africa's top four - Graeme Smith, Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis. Only Amla comes close with a strike rate of 91.43, but the opener has a better average of 56.49.
An opening batsman such as Amla who has an average of more than 50 and a strike rate in the 90s is unheard of. Greats of the ODI don't come close.
As for De Villiers, he not only leads and bats, but keeps wicket too. Overall he has taken 99 catches and had three stumpings.
Prolific De Villiers leads by example
IN AUSTRALIA, they call Mike Hussey "Mr Cricket". In South Africa they should call AB de Villiers "Meneer Cricket".
Even in this part of the world, with its many expats from South Africa, the Afrikaans vernacular should be understood: a "meneer" is someone who is "blerrie good" at what he does.
De Villiers is still new to the job of captaining the South African limited-overs cricket teams. In fact captaincy of any team is still something of a novelty. He has achieved almost instant success on tour in New Zealand.
It did not start auspiciously, losing the first Twenty20 international, but since then he has led the Proteas to five wins in a row - two T20s to wrap up the series 2-1 and three one-day internationals, sweeping the board on Saturday with another emphatic victory over the Black Caps.
De Villiers has also led by example, scoring 222 runs in the T20s and ODIs for an average of 111.
In the ODIs alone he does not even have an average because he was not dismissed in an innings of 106 not out, 31 not out and, on Saturday, nine not out after hitting a six that won the game and the series 3-0. In all three forms of the game, he has scored 10917 runs at an average of 46.25 with a strike rate of 70.19. Here is De Villiers's record:
ODIs:
Runs: 4998. Top score: 146. Average: 49.00. Strike rate: 93.19
Test matches:
Runs: 5239. Top score: 278 not out. Average: 49.22. Strike rate: 54.44
Twenty20:
Runs 680 (from 36 matches). Top score: 79no. Average: 24.28. Strike rate: 119.92.
In ODIs, where the strike rate is the vital statistic, he is ahead of South Africa's top four - Graeme Smith, Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis. Only Amla comes close with a strike rate of 91.43, but the opener has a better average of 56.49.
An opening batsman such as Amla who has an average of more than 50 and a strike rate in the 90s is unheard of. Greats of the ODI don't come close.
As for De Villiers, he not only leads and bats, but keeps wicket too. Overall he has taken 99 catches and had three stumpings.
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