Ashwell Prince’s return century was also an innings of defiance, not so muchagainst a limp Australia attack but against the shabby way he had beenhandled by the selectors
Brydon Coverdale in Cape Town20-Mar-2009
Ashwell Prince slipped easily into the unfamiliar role of Test opener © Getty Images
So that’s two consecutive Test centuries for Ashwell Prince. Rememberthe first, back when he used to be part of the South Africa middleorder? Back when he was the team’s vice-captain and was treated likeit? Back when he wasn’t messed around by the selectors, droppedunfairly and then told if he was going to return it was only in theunfamiliar role of opener?Last time Prince batted in a Test he came in at his usual No. 5 andmade an unbeaten 162 against Bangladesh at Centurion. It was late November and it would have been sheer madness to suggest that he would be dropped and wouldn’t play his next Test until March, when he wouldface the new ball.But a broken thumb on the tour of Australia, combined with theglittering start to JP Duminy’s Test career, left Prince without aplace for the home series. His magnificent 150 on his return to theteam highlighted exactly why Prince should have played the first twoTests. Prince has always been the kind of batsman who makes his bigscores when the team is in trouble, precisely what was required inJohannesburg and Durban.His return century was also an innings of defiance, not so muchagainst a limp Australia attack but against the shabby way he had beenhandled by the selectors. When Prince was named as the replacement forthe injured Graeme Smith in both captaincy and opening ahead of thisTest, he felt that as the skipper he should determine the battingorder. It’s not an unreasonable expectation. When told again that hewould open, he rejected the captaincy.”I’m at peace with it,” Prince said of his new opening role. “It goeswithout saying that I would have liked to come back in the middleorder. I have stated that myself. But this is the cards that I havebeen dealt and I don’t want to talk about batting in the middle orderanymore, I just want to be positive about my new role.”And positive he was. He raced to 37 at stumps on the first day andcontinued to play his shots on the second day. Prince was especiallypowerful pulling the fast men and driving through cover and when thelegspinner Bryce McGain eventually came on, when Prince already had93, he welcomed him immediately with three consecutive fours,including a loft over mid-off that took him to triple-figures.The Newlands crowd rose to cheer and Prince kissed his helmet and hisbat, and in a powerful pose stuck both arms in the air and lookedtowards the dressing room. It was his 11th Test century but clearlyone that was extra special. He was congratulated by Jacques Kallis, with whom Prince shared a 160-run partnership.It was a fascinating combination; the man who was the acting captainand the player who was offered the same job but declined. Theimpressive thing for South Africa was that both led from the front.Kallis reached his hundred late in the day and his celebration -before being ruined by umpire Asad Rauf – looked more like that of aman scoring his first Test century than his 31st.The most positive thing about the performances of Prince and Kallis was that these were both men strongly affected by the off-field selection shenanigans over the past week and a halfKallis leapt in the air and swung his bat enthusiastically, a far cryfrom the languid leader who stood at slip on the first day. Anincorrect leg-bye call interrupted his party as his score reverted to99 but it was quickly fixed and Kallis was in triple figures for thefirst time in a Test in 11 months.”His celebrations said a lot, it showed a man who is still very hungryto do well,” Prince said. “He probably wasn’t too happy with theumpire signalling leg-bye at the time but I think he’s a class playerand having been through a period where he hasn’t scored a hundred fora while, obviously you could see that joy today when he got there.”The most positive thing about the performances of Prince and Kalliswas that these were both men strongly affected by the off-fieldselection shenanigans over the past week and a half. That both men putit all aside and did what the team asked was a step forward for theSouth Africans, who haven’t been at their most united through thisseries.Unfortunately after this match they have no more Test cricket untilDecember. Fortunately, Prince is again an incumbent in the battingorder. South Africa are a stronger team when he is playing.
