'Century means a lot after lots of ups and downs'
Sunday 3 January 2016 18:23, UK
Jonny Bairstow described day two in Cape Town as "probably the best day of my life" after he clubbed a maiden Test century and shared a record sixth-wicket stand with an on-fire Ben Stokes.
The England star was unbeaten on 150 from 191 balls when Alastair Cook declared on 629-6 against South Africa, having shared a staggering partnership of 399 with Stokes (258) from 352 balls and cut a visibly emotional figure after reaching three figures with a boundary.
"It was probably the best day of my life, I reckon, and one I will never forget," Bairstow, the son of the late former England wicket-keeper David Bairstow, told Sky Sports.
"It was probably the best day of my life and one I will never forget."
"There have been a lot of ups and downs so it is a special day, not just for myself but the people and my family that have helped me along the way.
"It was always going to be [emotional], with my grandpa passing away last year and it approaching the anniversary of my dad's death, so I am delighted to score my century in the New Year's Test.
"It's great to play Test cricket - it tests you all the way through, so to come out with 150 is hopefully the start of a long career."
Bairstow, recalled to the England side during the Ashes following a series of sparkling performances for Yorkshire, failed to stump AB de Villiers in the opening Test in Durban, which the tourists won by 241 runs.
Nasser Hussain feels the 26-year-old's difficulties behind the stumps and the personal issues he has had to endure make his inaugural Test century, the first by an English wicketkeeper since Matt Prior at Auckland in 2013, one to savour.
"It was a very personal battle for Jonny, with what he has been through," said Hussain. "He has dropped catches, missed stumpings, been in and out of the side, and lived in the shadow of Prior and Jos Buttler for a while.
"With the sad passing of his dad, it was very emotional - the look to the sky after he got his hundred said it all. It was completely different to Stokes, whose innings was about the team, the match situation, and the crowd."
Watch day three of the second Test between England and South Africa from 8am, Monday, Sky Sports 2.
