Cricket News - by Craig Hill

Twenty20 South Africa - Cricket News

South Africa Defeat Australia In Second Twenty20

March 31st 2009 08:51

Johan Botha led his team from the front to guide South Africa to a 17-run victory over Australia in the second Twenty20 international in Pretoria.

The Proteas captain took 2-16 runs and was given good support from debutants Yusuf Abdullah (1-16) and Roelof van der Merwe (1-30), while Johann Louw (2-36) also chipped in as the visitors were limited to 8-139.

Van der Merwe also made a useful contribution with the bat, slamming 48 from only 30 deliveries as the hosts posted 5-156.

In response, the tourists raced to 37 from only four and a half overs before they were pegged back by Albie Morkel, who managed to outfox David Warner walking down the wicket and yorked him for 20.

One run later, Abdullah sent a slanting delivery across Ricky Ponting, tempting him to drive, but he only managed to edge behind to Mark Boucher.

Botha brought himself on and, after going for only two in his first over, came back and bowled Michael Clarke going for a powerful sweep with the first ball of his second for 27, before hesitation between new man Callum Ferguson and David Hussey led to the former being run out.

Needing 92 from 54 balls, Hussey briefly threatened to emulate his 88 from 44 balls at the Wanderers on Friday before he was eventually out for 27.

The score was 101 at the time and only five more runs were added before the fall of the next wicket - Cameron White slogging a Botha delivery straight to JP Duminy on the boundary for 23.

Louw then came in to bowl the final over with Australia needing 27 to win and he struck with his second ball - James Hopes miscuing a slower ball to Morkel at mid-wicket for 18.

Nathan Bracken (nought) then top-edged his fifth ball, leaving Brad Haddin unbeaten on 16 and Australia 17 runs short of victory.

Earlier, Titans all-rounder Van der Merwe's innings proved the highlight in front of his home crowd at Supersport Park, thumping four sixes and two fours in his 30-ball innings to help the South Africans post a decent total after they were kept in check by the Australian bowlers.

Shane Harwood (2-21) and Hopes (1-26) were largely responsible for that after Ponting had earlier won the toss and decided to bowl.

Gibbs and Robin Peterson, who was promoted to open the batting, made a decent start, taking the score to 22 before the former was out for 20.

Seven balls later, another debutant in Ben Laughlin struck in his first over of international cricket when De Villiers went hard at a wide delivery but only managed to pick out White at short cover for a duck.

Peterson and Duminy began to build nicely thereafter with a 47-run partnership before Peterson gave himself too much room on the leg side and was bowled by Hopes for 34.

Duminy then walked across his stumps looking to paddle-sweep but completely missed the ball and was bowled by Harwood for 23.

Morkel (14 not out) and Boucher (nine not out) tried their best to up the tempo but were restricted by the Australians.

Vote

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Craig Hill - Category: Twenty20, Australia, South Africa

Email this Post to a Friend

South Africa Defeat Australia In First Twenty20

March 29th 2009 08:30

Australian captain Ricky Ponting was happy with the overall performance in the four-wicket loss to South Africa in the first Twenty20 international against South Africa, but not as pleased with the result.

The Aussies looked likely to win the match when the hosts needed 84 from 47 balls with only five wickets remaining.

However, Australia couldn't get the wickets it needed and South Africa won a thrilling encounter with just four balls to spare.

"I'm disappointed to lose the game, because we certainly got ourselves into a position in which we probably should have won," he said.

"That's what's the disappointing thing about it. If we hadn't gotten ourselves into that position then I wouldn't have been too disappointed."

"You want to win every game you play and we wanted to win tonight. We've trained well the last couple of days."

"We were a long way off our best cricket tonight, but the satisfying thing is that we had a very good chance to win the game."

Australia had several unfamiliar names in its team tonight, including Shane Harwood and Brett Geeves - who conceded 83 runs between them in 7.2 overs - and Ponting is hoping they can learn from the experience.

"Geeves and Harwood playing tonight, a couple of guys that have been the best performers in domestic cricket back in Australia, they deserved the opportunity to play," he added.

"Both would have learned a lot from the experience, they're bowling to good players on good wickets."

"It just goes to show in this game you've got to execute everything, almost perfectly as a bowler or you're going to go around the park."

"So, they'll learn a lot from that and the more games we can get into the younger guys, it's a chance for them to learn and for us it's a chance to learn more about them and the better off we'll obviously be."

Proteas captain Johan Botha was full of praise for Mark Boucher and Albie Morkel after they helped South Africa snatch the unlikely victory at the Wanderers.

Chasing 166, the Proteas looked well out of the game at 5-83 with just under eight overs remaining, before the pair put on 58 in five pulsating overs to edge the hosts closer to victory.

Morkel was eventually out for 37 off just 19 balls with the score on 141, but Boucher finished unbeaten on 36 to hand his side a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.

Speaking afterwards, the captain was full of praise for his wicketkeeper, who has come under intense pressure in recent months following his lack of contribution with the bat.

But Botha said: "He's done it many times before and he just showed us again tonight that he's probably our best finisher with Albie."

"He deserves his place in the team and has a lot of input off the field as well which makes him very valuable."

Reflecting on Morkel's performance, he continued: "I think he showed us all summer how good he can be."

"With 62 off 30, a lot of teams will think they're out of it, but with our two guys that were still in, we knew we were still in it."

"They showed that at the end and Albie's bowling too is important. He's a world-class all-rounder."

Botha admitted that the victory, only their second in a total of five against the Australians, was very pleasing.

"It was a really good win tonight," he added. "It got a bit tight, but with those two out there we had hope.

"That's what they get paid for, the big bucks, because they do it under pressure and they did it again tonight. But with those two in and with a long way to go, we knew we still had a chance."

The two sides have a day's rest before doing battle again on Sunday (SA time) at SuperSport Park.

Vote

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Craig Hill - Category: Twenty20, Australia, South Africa

Email this Post to a Friend

Wayne Purnell Debuts For South Africa

January 12th 2009 11:17

Wayne Parnell will make his debut after he was named in South Africa's starting line-up for Tuesday night's second KFC Twenty20 match against Australia at the Gabba.

The 19-year-old left-handed all-rounder will take the place of Lonwabo Tsotsobe who made his debut in the first T20 match on Sunday night at the MCG.

In two other changes to the Melbourne side, Hashim Amla takes the place of Jacques Kallis and Morne Morkel replaces Makhaya Ntini.

"It was always our plan to give every player in the squad at least one match," explained coach Mickey Arthur.

Wayne Parnell South Africa

"We will certainly need to continue rotating the bowlers at the least in the ODIs."

"There is a lot of cricket coming up when we get home for the return series against Australia and we must take the anticipated workload of the bowlers into account and make sure that they are fresh and ready to go."

AB de Villiers, who suffered severe bruising of the thigh in Sunday night's match as a result of a Shaun Tait thunderbolt, has been included in the starting line-up, but team physiotherapist Shane Jabaar indicated that he might be required to undergo a fitness test.

South Africa starting XI
Johan Botha (capt), Hashim Amla, Mark Boucher, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Herschelle Gibbs, Albie Morkel, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Dale Steyn, Vaughn van Jaarsveld.

Vote

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Oracle of Delphi - Category: Twenty20, South Africa

Email this Post to a Friend

South Africa's Johan Botha An Inspiration

January 11th 2009 09:04

All-rounder Johan Botha had a Test debut many would rather forget. What should have been a career high turned into a nightmare.

Not only did his team lose to Australia in Sydney three years ago but his bowling action was cited by the ICC and he was subsequently banned.

On Sunday, Botha will play his first match in Australia since his baptism of fire.

Testament to the courage and strength he showed while correcting his bowling action - and effectively saving his international career - Botha will return as captain of his country in the absence of the injured Graeme Smith.

A promising international career hit a premature halt in January 2006 when Botha, on Test debut at the SCG, was reported for a suspect bowling action.

Testing at the University of Western Australia showed his arm exceeded the 15-degree bend permitted under ICC laws and he was forced out of the game.

Despite remodelling of his action, he was still unable to bowl within the rules in September 2006.

It was not until two months later that he was cleared by the ICC and October 2007 that he next represented his country.

Far from be haunted by the whole chapter, Botha said it changed his career for the better.

"I think what happened last time, like I always said, it had to happen. And it was probably good for me in the end," he said.

"Cricket strengthened me. Now I've been happy with my bowling in the last year or so."

It was during Botha's fight to save his career when coach Mickey Arthur first saw the player's leadership qualities.

"I think it just shows the work ethic and the amount of hard work and amount of sacrifice that Johan has put into his cricket in the last 18 months," said Arthur, the man who originally encouraged Botha to abandon his pace bowling in favour of spin.

"He's come back a far stronger person after that. Any guy who comes back from something like that has to be really mentally strong."

"I'm really glad that he's stepped up, he's come through all his trials and tribulations and he's come back a much stronger player and he's come back a leader of men which is fantastic to see."

Botha will lead a South African side, in rebuilding phase, in two KFC Twenty20 matches and five Commonwealth Bank one-day internationals against Australia.

Arthur said the Proteas, ranked No.2 in the world in one-day cricket, were already looking ahead to the 2011 World Cup on the subcontinent.

But the Proteas' one-day side, development-wise, was two years behind its Test colleagues.

"We're probably nowhere near the finished article in one-day cricket," Arthur said.

"Obviously our goal in one-day cricket is to be that in two years time when the World Cup comes about."

"I see it as a very exciting phase for us. I see it as an exciting challenge for our younger players."

The Proteas have finalised their XI for Sunday's clash at the MCG, naming five players who were not part of the history-making Test series win earlier this summer.

While Herschelle Gibbs, Botha, Albie Morkel are no strangers to international cricket, paceman Lonwabo Tsotsobe and batsman Vaughn can Jaarsveld will be making their debuts for South Africa.

The Australians will select their side on Sunday.

South Africa: Johan Botha (c), Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, Jean-Paul Duminy, Vaughn can Jaarsveld, Mark Boucher, Albie Morkel, Makhaya Ntini, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Dale Steyn

Vote

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Oracle of Delphi - Category: Twenty20, South Africa

Email this Post to a Friend

South Africa Captain Graeme Smith Thrills Australians Crowds

January 7th 2009 12:54

Heroic South African skipper Graeme Smith has told how he was forced to bat in a borrowed pullover stained with hamburger juices after being dressed by team-mates in a desperate bid to halt Australia's late surge for victory in the 3 Mobile Test at the SCG.

Smith, who broke his left hand in the first innings and was also nursing an injured right elbow, courageously batted at No.11 as the Proteas went within 10 balls of pulling off one of the greatest escape acts in world cricket.

The captain, along with tailender Makhaya Ntini (28 not out), held Australia at bay for 29 minutes before he was bowled by Mitchell Johnson in the penultimate over of a dramatic game.

South Africa Captain Graeme Smith Thrills Australians Crowds

Smith revealed he had not planned to bat at all but was swept up in the emotion of his team's gutsy rearguard campaign.

"I didn't really expect to go out. Deep inside I didn't really want to get out there," he admitted after Australia's thrilling 103-run win.

"I probably decided 25 overs out, 26 overs out (that I was going to bat)."

"I arrived here without any kit and had some pants I'd shoved into my cricket bag to protect my bats."

"I stole a shirt off Jacques (Kallis) and a pullover off 'Harry' (Paul Harris) that still had his hamburger stain on the front left side of it."

"I had Morne (Morkel) dressing me and putting my shoes on and pads."

"I decided I was going to give it a go and give it my best shot and if I got a first baller or whatever at least I tried."

"Obviously there's a lot of pain. Once one ball hit the bat I thought 'okay, that's one out the way'."

"(I told myself) 'just keeping watching the ball and hoping that it hits the bat the whole time."

"It was about getting out there and doing the best you can."

Australian captain Ricky Ponting was full of praise for his opposite number, saying his decision to take to the crease 'showed a lot of character'.

"I guess that's what every team looks to from their leader, is to show that sort of fighting spirit and to stand up when they're needed and get out there and do a job no matter how sore or tired or whatever you might be," Ponting said.

"Graeme's been carrying his elbow (injury) right through the Test series, you could see that."

"But to come out with a broken finger today - I'm sure it would have been pretty numb - and I'm not sure how much feeling he had in that (left) hand today, there would have been a few injections in it I'd imagine."

"But just to come back out and try and do the best for his team was a great effort."

Smith and Ntini looked to have done enough to stave off defeat before Johnson got one to jag back and bowl the Proteas captain six minutes from stumps.

Smith refused to use his injuries as an excuse.

"He probably would have got me if I had both arms available," he declared.

"It cut back off a crack (and) Mitchell has bowled superbly all series."

"I saw they were having a little group meeting just before that over and I was hoping that they were going to give the ball to someone else."

South Africa took the series 2-1 following victories in Perth and Melbourne and Smith conceded Sydney was one that got away.

"We had our opportunities in the game early on," he said.

"We dropped our catches for the first time in a long time and it probably cost us the game."

"It was part of a great series, this finish, and it sets up a terrific home series in South Africa."

Vote

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Oracle of Delphi - Category: Twenty20, South Africa

Email this Post to a Friend

[ Cricket News Home ] [ Create A New Post ]