Cricket-De Kock provides calming influence for in-form South Africa

FILE PHOTO: Cricket - ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 - South Africa v Bangladesh - Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, India - October 24, 2023 South Africa's Quinton de Kock in action REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas/File Photo

(Reuters) - Quinton de Kock’s fourth century of the Cricket World Cup guided table-topping South Africa to an emphatic 190-run win over New Zealand on Wednesday, but his influence on the side stretches well beyond runs in the middle.

The tournament is De Kock’s swansong in the 50-over format having announced his retirement from One-Day Internationals prior to the start, and he is certainly going out with a bang.