South Africa's Ryan Rickelton made history on Saturday by smashing his maiden Test double century during the second Test against Pakistan in Cape Town. It's a huge milestone – Rickelton is the first South African batter to reach this milestone in nearly a decade. The last Proteas batsman to do so was Hashim Amla, who scored a double century in 2016.
Rickelton hit 200 from his 266 deliveries. He was also involved in a large 235 partnership with him South Africa captain Temba Bavuma. This has now put the hosts in a commanding position at Newlands.
Rickelton's record-breaking shots
Opening the match with Aiden Markram, Rickelton showed patience and flair as he anchored the South African innings. His double century was a mix of calculated hitting and aggressive hitting, highlighting his growing stature in international cricket.
The milestone comes just a month after he registered his maiden Test century against Sri Lanka in December. His consistent performances have not gone unnoticed, with IPL franchise Mumbai Indians securing his services for INR 1 crore during the recent auction.
At lunch on day two, South Africa stood at 429/5, with Rickelton and Kyle Verreyne sharing an unbeaten 106-run stand. The hosts added 113 runs in the morning session, further piling the pressure on the visitors.
Pakistan's efforts continue
Pakistan's bowlers had a tough time finding breakthroughs on a pitch that offered little help. The second new ball, taken early in the session, didn't have much of an impact as Rickelton and Bedingham negotiated it with ease.
The visitors had a glimmer of hope when Mohammad Abbas dismissed David Bedingham for 36. Bedingham edged the delivery outside the off-stump, gifting a direct catch to the keeper.
However, Verreyne and Rickelton quickly dashed those hopes. After surviving a narrow LBW appeal, Verreyne countered with flair. He hit three sixes over the leg-side boundary and reached his half-century with a streaking boundary, sending the Cape Town crowd into a frenzy.
Rickelton hits 200
Rickelton's moment of glory came in the 91st over when he edged a ball through mid-on for four, moving to 199. He then took a quick single off the next delivery to bring up his double century, receiving a standing ovation from the Newlands crowd.
Despite the field showing signs of wear and tear, Rickelton and Verreyne continued to dominate. They played Salman Ali Aga's spin with ease and attacked pacers Mir Hamza and Aamer Jamal in the latter half of the session.
Verreyne, known for his aggressive style, launched two sixes off Jamal before hitting a straight boundary, raising the 50-run stand between him and Rickelton in just 12 overs.
South Africa's commanding position
With a commanding score of 429/5, South Africa have put themselves in a strong position in the second Test. The Proteas will look to push for a big early lead and put Pakistan under pressure on a pitch that is expected to deteriorate further.
Ryan Rickelton's double century marks a milestone for South African cricket. It ends a nine-year drought of double centuries in Test matches for the Proteas and highlights the team's resurgence in the longest format.
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