Relaxed De Zorzi takes missed Test ton on the chin: 'I maybe got greedy'

The scene was set for Tony de Zorzi.

He had moved serenely to 85, undoubtedly enticed by the prospect of converting his first Test score of over 50 - in just his third innings - into a triple-figure milestone on what was then an easy-paced surface at the Bullring.

Natasha, his mother, was belatedly granted the opportunity to sit in her customary seat on the Memorial Stand and watch her son, a rare occurrence nowadays since Tony left for Cape Town and Western Province.

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And then he got "greedy", launching a booming drive off West Indies left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie, playing inside the delivery and getting castled.

"Obviously, it was a good opportunity. Dean [Elgar] and Aiden [Markram] gave me a nice basis to work from at No 3 and allowed me to play the way I did. I was disappointed not to get over the line, I was probably a bit greedy with the delivery that got me out," said De Zorzi.

Yet the 25-year-old left-hander isn't going to dwell on his missed chance. 

"At the end of the day, I'm happy to contribute towards the score and the team's performance."

Instead, De Zorzi just focused on enjoying a day where he took a significant step towards establishing himself as an international player.

"There were a couple of friends present and a few who called themselves friends, but I've never seen them in my life," he said. 

"It's nice to have my mom watching because she doesn't get a lot of chances to do that. This was nice. She usually sits in the same place, so I knew where she was. Hopefully next time she comes, she'll see a century."

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