19 April,2016 08:33 AM IST | | Satish Viswanathan
Opening batsman Quinton de Kock reveals how he paced his match-winning ton for Delhi Daredevils to stun Royal Challengers Bangalore on Sunday
Delhi Daredevils' wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock celebrates his century against Royal Challengers Bangalore on Sunday. Pic/AFP
Bangalore: A strike-rate of over 200, that is more than two runs a ball, 15 handsome boundaries and three big sixes. That's the statistics behind Quinton de Kock's century at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday and if you believe the young man, there was no thought whatsoever behind the innings, no plan as such, nothing, not even long net sessions as he revealed.
Delhi Daredevils' wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock celebrates his century against Royal Challengers Bangalore on Sunday. Pic/AFP
"I haven't been practicing much and have been relaxing more," was his refreshing reply when asked what he attributed his furious starts to, be it for country or franchise.
'Wasn't thinking much'
"I wasn't thinking much, just standing there and playing the ball as I saw it and playing the ball on merit," was how De Kock chose to explain this particular destructive innings, one that finally turned the partisan Bangalore crowd into cheering him.
De Kock did hit the first ball of the chase to the boundary but it all mainly started in the second over, that too after his opening partner Shreyas Iyer had fallen to a now familiar and yet spectacular combination catch at the long on fence from Shane Watson and David Weise.
Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli had tasted success against the left-handed Shikhar Dhawan by using offie Parvez Rasool upfront and he decided to use the ploy yet again. Rasool for his part, just before he sent down his first delivery, walked up to Kohli and asked for an extra fielder in the ring on the onside, a request Kohli agreed to by moving the extra fielder from the point area.
The next three deliveries were all creamed, in full style, to the very exact point and cover point region, for successive fours. Later De Kock would play the cut from middle stump too, showing full control over his art. "I knew the wicket was really good. Upfront you just had to stand tall and hit through the line," he explained.
'Enjoyed chasing'
So simple in thought and deed was De Kock on the night. And to think just a little earlier he had said: "I haven't done it (chasing) often. So to do that, I enjoyed it quite a lot." He did enjoy himself but the RCB bowlers most certainly didn't.
