Duminy And Van Der Merwe Restrict Australia To 303

Duminy And Van Der Merwe Restrict Australia To 303

South Africa celebrated seven wickets to give themselves a chance of a 4-1 series win.

©REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko (SOUTH AFRICA). Picture Supplied by Action Images

Australia 303-7 (Clarke 66, Haddin 62, Duminy 3-48) v

South Africa
Scorecard
Fifth One Day International, Johannesburg
By John Pennington

Spinners Roelof van der Merwe and JP Duminy shared five wickets as Australia failed to capitalise on a second consecutive opening stand of over 100, reaching 303 for seven in the fifth and final One Day International against South Africa in Johannesburg.

Put in to bat on the same track as the famous '438' game in 2006 at the New Wanderers Stadium, Australian openers Brad Haddin (62) and Michael Clarke (66) allowed themselves a short period of settling in before they went on the attack, forcing South African captain Graeme Smith to chop and change his bowlers to try to keep the run rate under control.

Haddin pummelled seven fours and one six while Clarke hit ten fours, taking their side to 70 without loss after ten overs when the first Power Play ended.

The second Power Play slowed Australia down but both men completed their half-centuries before the innings began to unravel. Haddin sliced Albie Morkel's first delivery to JP Duminy in the deep, succumbing to pressure built up by a rare maiden by brother Morne and Clarke lobbed Roelof van der Merwe to Duminy at deep midwicket.

Ricky Ponting (40) and Callum Ferguson (41) guided their side past 150, Ponting hitting two fours and one straight six off of Duminy. Attempting another maximum over midwicket one ball later, he found only van der Merwe and shortly after Ferguson punched the slow left-armer straight to AB de Villiers at short cover.

David Hussey was then brilliantly stumped down the leg-side off of Duminy by Boucher and a superb run out by de Villiers saw the end of James Hopes, both men departing for three. Mike Hussey, dropped by a flying de Villiers off his first ball, pushed Duminy to de Villiers' right at short cover, set off for the single, but de Villiers' direct hit, a fine effort considering he was off the ground when he threw the ball, left Hopes well short.

More Duminy brilliance then accounted for Mitchell Johnson for two when a punch back down the ground turned into a tumbling caught and bowled effort.

Duminy bowled quite outstandingly - in the absence of Johan Botha, sending a full set of ten overs, finishing with three for 48 while van der Merwe returned two for 44.

The batting Power Play in the final overs allowed Mike Hussey (49 not out) and Nathan Hauritz (24 not out) to push Australia past 300 although on a pitch that commentators were anticipating at least 350 being a competitive score, it may not be enough.

South Africa opted to leave out off-spinner Botha and pace bowler Wayne Parnell in favour of quicks Makhaya Ntini and Morne Morkel while Australia brought back Ben Laughlin with Shane Harwood missing out.

South Africa lead the series 3-1.

© Cricket World 2009

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