Kallis, De Villiers steer South Africa to victory
Chris BURNES
Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers shared a century partnership to set
up a comfortable 25-run win for South Africa in the third one-day
international against Australia at Newlands on Thursday.
Kallis (70) and De Villiers (80) laid the foundation for a South
African total of 289 for six, putting on 114 off 131 balls for the third
wicket.
Australia made a reasonable start, reaching 66 for one before their
innings stalled against the slow bowling of Johan Botha and Roelof van
der Merwe.
They slumped to 114 for five and were effectively out of the game
with less than 20 overs remaining.
But Callum Ferguson (63) and James Hopes (63 not out) gave their
innings respectability with a sixth wicket stand of 97 before Australia
finished with 264 for seven.
The win gave South Africa a 2-1 lead in the five-match series, which
continues in Port Elizabeth on Monday.
Kallis was solid in making his 70 off 87 balls before a powerful pull
off Brett Geeves picked out Hopes at midwicket.
De Villiers batted with flair but had some luck with three edged
boundaries just wide of the wicketkeeper as he made his 80 off 87 balls
before he fell to Johnson in the first over of the final power play.
South Africa had only scored 233 after 45 overs at the end of their
power play but some powerful hitting by Albie Morkel and Mark Boucher
enabled them to add 56 in the last five overs. Smith ended a streak of
seven successive losing tosses against opposite number Ricky Ponting. He
had no hesitation in batting on a ground where the side batting second
under lights has often struggled. Fast bowler Mitchell Johnson was
outstanding for Australia, taking four for 34 in his ten overs.Usually
it has been the seam bowlers have done the damage but this time it was
the spinners who undid Australia.
Off-spinner Botha ended a promising innings of 20 by Ponting before
left-armer Van der Merwe took the wickets of Michael Clarke and Mike
Hussey in one over.
Van der Merwe, in his second one-day international, took three for
37.
Part-time off-spinner Duminy had David Hussey caught at long-on as
Australia’s hopes were effectively extinguished.
Ferguson, playing in only his seventh one-day international, made his
third half-century and his second in successive matches. He scored his
63 off 68 balls before he was caught at wide mid-off to give Van der
Merwe his third wicket.
Hopes equalled his career-highest score, making his unbeaten 63 off
60 balls.
A floodlight failure when Australia were on 194 for five after 43
overs delayed play by 22 minutes but South Africa were not to be denied.
CAPE TOWN, Thursday (AFP) |