On 19th December 2010, the Supersport Park witnessed history as Sachin Tendulkar scored an unparalleled 50th Test century. After a massive first innings total by South Africa in which they scored 620-4, India had a mountain to climb with the massive deficit of 484 runs in their second innings.
India needed a gargantuan effort to avoid an innings defeat. Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag scored 80 and 63 respectively to give India hope when Sachin Tendulkar walked out to bat. Sachin then went on to play an immensely gritty knock of 111 runs off 241 balls which included 13 fours and a six against one of the greatest pace bowling duo of Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn.
Speaking to Star Sports, Morne Morkel went down the memory lane to recall that iconic Test century in Centurion. He spoke about how it was a faultless innings and also was quite regretful about not sticking to their bowling plan.
“His bat was very big that day. As you saw in the video clip, it was almost like a faultless innings. Again the way he played the ball nice and late. When I see the footage, I don’t think we stuck to our bowling plan and gave him a lot of width. But again, to achieve that and on a wicket that offered a lot to the seamers shows that it was a spectacular knock,” Morne Morkel said.
Morne Morkel broke India’s defense with the ball
Even such an innings went in vain as South Africa restricted India to 459 and won the match by a huge margin of an innings and 25 runs. Sachin Tendulkar was left stranded at one end as he ran out of partners.
Morne Morkel was the wrecker in chief in that game for the South Africans as he took 5-20 in the first innings and picked further 2 wickets to destroy the Indian batting lineup. Regardless of the result , that Centurion Test will forever be immortalized in Indian and entire cricket history.
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