‘Weird one’: Rejuvenated Renshaw’s admission after epic knock rescues Aussies
After failing to take advantage of his Test recall in 2023, Matt Renshaw was left wondering if he’d ever get another chance in the baggy green.
Three years on, the big left-hander has produced one of the great overseas Test centuries by an Australian in recent memory.
Matt Renshaw celebrates his fighting century. Getty Images
After resuming on day two of the first Test of the South Africa series on 46, Renshaw carried on to reach triple figures just before lunch.
And he cashed in after getting to his ton in Durban, piling on almost another century in an epic innings of 190.
The Australians were in strife at 6-124 when Beau Webster was caught behind 42 overs into day one.
Renshaw, and to lesser extents captain Pat Cummins and tailender Nathan Lyon, pulled the visitors out of a deep hole.
The Australians were eventually bowled out for 390.
“It’s a weird one,” Renshaw, 30, said at stumps on day two.
“I never thought I’d be here this long.
“I think once it sort of took a few years out of the team, had an opportunity in 2023 and didn’t take it, you probably think that you’re never gonna get this opportunity again.”
Renshaw brought up his century with only 10 boundaries to his name and 204 balls faced.
By the time he was walking off the field to a standing ovation from the travelling Aussie party after off-spinner Simon Harmer had him caught at slip, he had hit 22 boundaries, faced 397 balls and spent just shy of eight hours in the middle.
Renshaw and Lyon combined for a partnership of 134 runs, the highest ninth-wicket stand at the venue and Australia’s best ninth-wicket partnership against South Africa.
Renshaw now has two Test centuries to his name. His first came way back in January 2017, when he chalked up 184 of the best against Pakistan at the SCG.
Almost a decade on, he’s played only 16 Tests.
“When I hit the ball [to reach my century], I was screaming at it, ‘Go, go, go’, and it just sort of all hit me at once,” he smiled.
Matt Renshaw and Nathan Lyon embrace after the former reaches his century. AP Photo/Themba Hadebe
“You add Nathan at the other end and it was pretty emotional.
“So it was pretty special.”
His century justifies the decision from the Australian hierarchy to place him in the middle order and deal with South Africa’s spinners, even if the call to play Nic Maddinson at the top was outrageous – a view held by many.
Australian great Jason Gillespie had high praise for the rejuvenated Renshaw.
“This could be the game-defining partnership, without a doubt. It’s been absolutely brilliant,” Gillespie said on ABC radio.
“These types of partnerships from a fielding and bowling perspective are really painful.”
South African legend Shaun Pollock said Renshaw deserved a double century.
“It was an old-fashioned knock, just sublime, he was in full control,” the former superstar all-rounder said.
Lyon eventually fell for 27 when he was trapped lbw by Marco Jansen.
Australia only had a short period to bowl at the Proteas but made the most of it, with Ryan Rickelton playing a wild drive from his third ball and nicking to Webster in the slips off Josh Hazlewood’s bowling.
South Africa was 1-27 before bad light stopped play for the second day in a row.
