Hashim Amla's tests of greatness

And after coming off a bad year, during which he averaged 23.36 in 10 Tests before Pakistan arrived, Amla has turned things around, averaging 52.25 across three Tests and 53.50 - at a strike rate higher than Faf du Plessis, Reeza Hendricks and Rassie van der Dussen - in five ODIs against a Pakistani bowling attack that is one of the best in world cricket.He's clearly still got it, whatever 'it' is, and Amla has, over the next few weeks, the opportunity against a wounded Sri Lankan side to continue playing himself back into the sort of form that has brought him so many past glories. If it was possibly another season where Hash would have struggled then maybe next season I would have said something different, but not this season, no."As if to remind everyone, if it was necessary, of how successful his career has been, Amla added another ODI milestone to his name with a 27th hundred in the format in the first ODI against Pakistan - the quickest ever, in terms of innings, to the mark, beating Virat Kohli's record by two innings.A little of the gloss is taken off that particular ton by its circumstances, South Africa having pulled up short to register a dissonant 266 for 2, which appeared a scoreline from another age and indeed was the lowest ODI total for a side batting first and only losing two wickets since 1992. His knock, 108* off 120 balls, was in danger of making Amla look similarly anachronistic, and though he registered another fifty three innings later in the series, that likewise came in a match South Africa lost.It's not the way he usually does things: 24 of his 27 ODI tons have come in South African wins, and his average when South Africa triumph in ODIs shoots up from a shade under 50 to 63.20.Those are the sorts of returns South Africa will need from Amla if they are make a serious attempt at World Cup glory in three and a half months' time. But for the runs he has scored this season, for his 18,418 international runs across formats, for his contribution as one half of the most prolific South African ODI batting pair in history, for his record in England (where he averages 56.73 in ODIs), Amla is a vital part of South Africa World Cup plans.