Dewald Brevis ready to ride the Proteas rollercoaster after record-breaking T20I ton

EVER since Dewald Brevis first stole the spotlight when he topped the run-scorers charts at the ICC Under-19 World Cup he’s had to live with the moniker “Baby AB” in reference to Proteas legend and his childhood hero AB de Villiers.

But three years later on a balmy night in Darwin, in the Northern Territory of Australia, Brevis lifted the immense weight of expectation off his shoulders to become his own man through an innings for the ages.

Brevis eclipsed everything De Villiers achieved in a Proteas T20I shirt – and in fact anyone that’s ever worn it – by booming an undefeated 125 not out off 56 balls (12X4, 8X6) to power the Proteas to series-levelling 53-run victory over Australia. 

“I've always believed that this is where I need to be and where I will be,” he said.

“So, I never had any doubt. It's all about cricket, how things work out. It is a roller coaster, you have your ups, you have your downs, and yeah, I’ve never ever doubted myself. This is just for me the start.”

Records aplenty were left in the dust at the Marrara Stadium. Brevis is now the holder of South Africa's highest individual T20I score, having surpassed Faf du Plessis’ 119 not out against the West Indies a decade ago, the second-fastest T20I hundred off 41 balls and the youngest South African to hit a century in the shortest format.

The beauty lies in the simplicity of Brevis’ batting. He hits the ball long and hard, has quick feet, quicker hands and an uncomplicated method which comprises largely drives and pulls of equal ferocity.

Ironically, the first time he attempted anything out of De Villiers’ 360° manual off the first ball after he reached three-figures, he promptly fell over in a mess attempting a ramp shot.

Sixty-six runs were struck straight down the ground – with a half dozen sixes blasted in the ‘V’ – and when the Australian seamers tried to go short, he had enough good fortune on the night to top-edge a few more boundaries over the wicket-keeper’s head. 

“To be honest, I think that's just my natural way of hitting,” Brevis said, about his trademark head down pose after striking the ball.

“I've hit thousands of balls and I just want to go out there, enjoy it and have fun and just watch it and then if it's there, it happens. So, I don't try to do it, I'm just trying to be myself and have fun.

“I always knew I was happy if spin arrived, so I would have just watched it and maximise every single ball, but in a way I felt like I'm happy with the seam because the wicket was nice.

“I enjoyed it. I was just in the moment to be honest. I was happy with whatever bowler it was. If it was pace on seam or spin or anything.”

Brevis formed a 126-run partnership with Tristan Stubbs (31 off 22 balls) that set up the Proteas’ highest-ever T20I score against Australia, and was grateful to have his more experienced partner feed him the strike to maintain the momentum through his innings.

“Stubbo played very well, he's a boundary hitter as well. He could have easily have just striked as well, but he's been on this level quite longer and he's got experience, so I think he really identified that moment,” Brevis said.

The Proteas’ bowlers backed up Brevis’ pyrotechnics show with another promising Proteas young talent Kwena Maphaka claiming 3/57 to follow up his 4/20 from the previous game, while Corbin Bosch bounced back with a career-best 3/20 to bowl out Australia for 165. 

The series decider will be in Cairns on Saturday.

Second T20I scores

South Africa: 218/7

Brevis 125*, Stubbs 31, Dwarshuis 2/24

Australia: 165 all out

David 50, Carey 26, Bosch 3/20, Maphaka 3/57

South Africa won by 53 runs to level series level 1-1