ODI Cricket: Australia claim 5th ODI

The final game of a long summer of cricket was played at the Wanderers on Friday night. South Africa had already secured the series victory with most players looking onwards to the IPL. Australia had only pride to play for.

Captain Graeme Smith won the toss and asked the Australians to bat first, which was a bit strange because the wicket looked a belter. Almost immediately the ball was flying to the boundary, Brad Haddin and Clarke butchered the bowlers scoring 127 runs off 115 balls. The fall of the openers did nothing to the run rate as they pushed on, at one point 340 was on the cards.

The seam bowlers had been smacked all over the Wanderers, so Graeme Smith turned to his spinners. JP Duminy stepped in for Johan Botha, taking the pace off the ball seemed to work. Van der Merwe and Duminy pulled the Aussies back from what was looking like a massive total. Duminy returned figures of 10 overs, 48 runs taking 3 wickets, Roelof van der Merwe picked up 2 wickets for 44 runs. Dale Steyn got plundered for 78, as did Ntini. An impressive 303 was the score set by Australians.

There was only one man that could have taken South Africa to victory, Herschelle Gibbs. When Herschelle scores big South Africa wins, it’s simple. He opened the batting in style scoring freely, but at the other end Smith again failed to score runs, out for 20. Herchelle continued without his opening partner eventually getting trapped LBW top scoring with 82 runs. Kallis and AB de Villiers pushed on and maintained what Gibbs had started, but once they left the crease there was simply no resistance. The ‘new ball’ was introduced and it helped Australia claim 8 wickets for 68 runs, a dramatic collapse. The South Africans need to think about the introduction of this ‘reconditioned ball’, there’s more to the game then simply going out to score runs.

The Australian fielding was superb; Ben Laughlin’s amazing catch on the boundary to dismiss Albie Morkel sealed the game for Australians. Australia won the game by 47 runs, and moved up to number 2 in the ODI rankings, South Africa end the summer ranked number in ODI cricket.

ODI Cricket: Forever Proteas

Asked and answered. Herschelle Gibbs was under pressure to score runs to retain his spot in the Proteas side and boy did he do it in style, scoring 110 runs from 116 deliveries. The century from Gibbs and the 84 runs from AB de Villiers lead South Africa to a massive 317/6 and a series victory. The Australian team was unsure of themselves going into the fourth MTN ODI at Sahara Oval St. George’s in Port Elizabeth on the back of two comprehensive losses. The Aussies showed their hand before the game by including Shane Harwood (35) making his debut as the third oldest Australian to make the ODI team.

A further sign of the lack of confidence came when Australian captain Ricky Ponting won the toss and choose to field first, unsure of what a good total was.

Smith and Gibbs started the innings in a nervous and unsure manner, both played at balls that should have been left alone with Gibbs chasing the ball on almost every occasion. Luck was on Gibbs’ side as he made it through the first ten overs though, Smith unfortunately departed early for just 20 runs. The further departure of Kaills (17) brought AB de Villiers and Herschelle Gibbs together.

The pure class of Gibbs started to show, with AB putting in a fine performance at the other end. The Australian bowlers had no answer to the onslaught during the pairs 136-run third-wicket partnership. Gibbs, Morkel, de Villiers lost their wickets between the 38th and 42nd overs, JP Duminy and Mark Boucher ensured that they lower order played a significant role with Duminy scoring 40 runs from 25 balls.

Chasing a total of 318 for victory it was always going to be a huge task, but as usual the Aussies were up for a fight. Michael Clarke and Brad Haddin put in an opening stand of 129; Ricky Ponting was also on a mission with the bat, knocking four fours off Dale Steyn in one over before he was caught by Albie Morkel for 53. The bowling of Roelof van der Merwe must again be applauded for turning the game as he took the wickets of Clarke, Ferguson and Michael Hussey within five overs. Dale Steyn took the key wickets of Ponting and David Hussey, ending the innings with four wickets. Australia was all out in the 46th over for 256.

Over the home and away ODI series South Africa have won 7 and lost 2, with the ODI No. 1 ranking changing a few times. South Africa has now won three ODI series in a row against Australia and retains the ODI No. 1 ranking. Onwards to the ICC World T20… Forever  Proteas.

ODI Cricket: Legendary bowling seals it for Proteas

1,5,8,1,3 what is that? It’s the scores from the Australian batsmen in the second MTN ODI at SuperSport Park Centurion. On what was a beautiful autumn day in Centurion the Australians came out to bat first. Dale Steyn opened the wicket taking bowling Brad Haddin for 1 run, his leg wicket flying out of the ground, Wayne Parnell in only his second ODI got into the action in his first over as well claiming Pointing caught behind.

After opening with a maiden wicket over, Parnell then trapped Michael Clark lbw for 5 runs. At this point the Aussies were in trouble, but it got deeper, quickly. In the next over Steyn got David Hussey caught behind, the tourists were reeling at 19/4. The Aussies were on the run as the Protea’s continued to hunt them down through the bowling of Steyn and Parnell, both claiming another wicket to have the Australian side staring one of the lowest totals in the face at 40/6.

The 20 000 strong crowd at this point wanted Australia to score some runs and make a contest of it. Ferguson and Johnson came together for a 50 run partnership but the damage was already done, the Australians were bowled out for a poultry 131 from 40.2 overs.

Chasing down the runs was no problem for the South Africans, only Gibbs failed to rack up some runs, g, out for 2from another poor shot directly to midwicket.

After the thorough whipping last Friday evening the Protea’s made some strategic changes to the team leaving out Amla, Morne Morkel and Makaya Ntini. Jacques Kallis returned from injury, Roelof van der Merwe made his debut and Wayne Parnell ensured that he’ll be playing in the next game. The Protea’s answered their supporters call delivering an inspiring victory.

The two South African fast bowlers finished with the following figures:

Dale Steyn: 9.2 Overs, 0 maidens, 27 runs, 4 wickets
Wayne Parnell: 8 Overs, 4 maidens, 25 runs, 4 wickets

Castle Test Cricket: South Africa Dominant

South Africa is in a dominant position at the close of play on the first day of the third and final Castle Test match at Sahara Park Newlands, Cape Town. Ricky Ponting won toss and elected to bat first, perhaps not the best decision. A poor start in the field saw South Africa drop two catches, while the Australians moved on to 58/0. Imraan Kahn dropped a sitter and JP Duminy dropped Hughes off Paul Harris. Harris stepped up and took the wicket of Hughes two balls later to open the wicket taking.

One run later and Ricky Ponting was walking back to the Pavilion with a duck next to his name. The highest scorer for Australia was Katich who was out for 55 off 160 balls.

Jacques Kallis captained the team well and had the Australians all out for 209, an hour before the end of the day. Enter Imraan Kahn and Ashwell Prince, the expectation to score was high after scoring a big century and a double century respectively. Prince led the partnership scoring freely to take play to a close with South Africa on 57/0. Prince had scored 37 runs from 36 balls in a powerful batting display.

South Africa are 157 runs behind, if Prince picks up where he left off the Australians are going to be in trouble by lunch on day two.

All the rumors of unhappiness in the team have been put to rest by an inspiring batting performance, now we need to keep or heads and add 300 runs on day two to setup a powerful first innings lead.

Bowling performances from South Africa:

Steyn: 16 overs, 56 runs, 4 wickets
Ntini: 17 overs, 38 runs, 2 wickets
Kallis: 10 overs, 31 runs, 0 wickets
A Morkel: 12 overs, 44 runs, 1 wicket
Harris: 17 overs, 34 runs, 3 wickets