In Cape Town, Ryan Rickelton breaks records against Pakistan and becomes the first South Africa Test opener to reach 250 at home

After Graeme Smith, who scored two double hundreds in England in 2003, Rickelton became the second overall and the first Proteas opener to reach 250 or more in a Test match at home.

Against Pakistan at Newlands in Cape Town on Saturday, Ryan Rickelton became the first South African opener to score 250 or more runs at home.

Rickelton’s marathon, which lasted more than two days, began when South Africa chose to bat first and lasted his 17th Test innings. Alongside hundreds from captain Temba Bavuma and Kyle Verreyne, the 28-year-old concluded the first day with his second century at 176. He also dominated the second session on Day 2 and smashed 100.After South Africa easily defeated a vain Pakistani attempt to reach 550, Rickelton reached his double hundred off 266 balls and advanced to 250 off 336 deliveries. In doing so, Rickelton became the second player overall after Graeme Smith, who scored two double hundreds in England in 2003, and the first Proteas opener to score 250 or more in a Test match at home. He is just the eighth South African batsman to reach the 250-run milestone in a Test innings; Hashim Amla, who went undefeated in 2012 against England at the Oval, is still the only triple-centurion.The left-hander miscalculated a trudge down the ground, ultimately scoring 259 off 343 deliveries. In his innings, he hit three sixes and 29 fours.The only players to hit more Test runs for South Africa at home than Rickelton are Gary Kirsten (275) and Graeme Pollock (274).

Fascinatingly, Rickelton gained almost as many runs from his most recent appearance as he had from his 16 innings played. Rickelton, who made his Test debut against Bangladesh in 2022, amassed 357 runs at a 25.50 average in his past 16 innings, including a single century against Sri Lanka in Gqeberha last month. With an average of more than 43, the double hundred has helped him surpass 600 in 10 Tests.