RILEE Rossouw thanked former South Africa teammate Dean Elgar for the “abuse” that inspired his magnificent 156 against Somerset at Taunton.

Elgar is playing for Somerset as an overseas player after turning down the sort of Kolpak deal Rossouw signed with Hampshire so he can continue his international career with the Proteas.

After setting a new career-best in his first one-day match after ending his South Africa career with a 50-over century against Australia, Rossouw revealed: “I’ve got to thank Deano. He’s not going to like this but I’m going to say it.

“He abused my when I was still on nought. It was like a switch that switched on and I started middling everything so thanks Deano for that 156!

“I’m not going to say what was said but it was something to do with the pound! From then on I just started hitting boundaries.”

Rossouw, who played 36 ODIs and 15 T20 internationals, showed he is worth every penny of his lucrative three-year Hampshire contract with yesterday’s 113-ball epic.

He was relieved to go one better than the 99 he made in his last innings against Middlesex three weeks ago.

“I really enjoyed that knock, I stayed in my bubble and didn’t let the chirps or the bowlers get to me,” he said.

“It’s one of my best and I’m just happy to eventually get my first century for the club.

"It was my day and I just carried on the momentum I had and seemed to have everything on my side.

“It was just a special knock and hopefully I’ll have another one like that. I really think it’s the start of great things to come for myself and the club.”

Rossouw lost opening partner Tom Alsop for a duck before putting on 114 in less than 16 overs with James Vince.

In an interview with Radio Solent, he continued: “Their bowlers just bowled two lengths at me, no-one stuck to a plan, they bowled to my strengths on a very good batting surface.

“Credit to our bowlers, we could easily have been chasing 320 but bowled really, really well.”

Somerset director of cricket Matt Maynard said: “I guess we were due an innings like that against us because we have had four ourselves in the competition, but that was a special knock.

“I think that the majority of players on both sides struggled a little bit because the wicket was a bit slower than it was against Surrey in our last game.

“We didn’t respect that and put a big enough total on the board. Having said that, the way that Rilee played I don’t think that 400 would have been enough.

“He was the one player who got the pace of the wicket early and dominated. He hit the ball superbly throughout.”