Australia To Chase 290 Under Lights At Newlands
©REUTERS/Rogan Ward (SOUTH AFRICA). Picture supplied by Action Images
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Australia To Chase 290 Under Lights At Newlands
South Africa 289-6 (De Villiers 81, Kallis 70, Johnson 4-34) v
Australia
Third One Day International, Newlands, Cape Town
By John Pennington
Half-centuries from Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers helped South Africa to a score of 289 for six in the third One Day International against South Africa at Newlands in Cape Town.
The batsmen were kept in check early on by Mitchell Johnson and Nathan Bracken (1-58) before Brett Geeves' first over was hammered for 14 by Herschelle Gibbs but Australia hit back as Johnson had Graeme Smith caught by wicket-keeper Brad Haddin for six shortly after.
Geeves recovered somewhat, using all his experience to finish with one for 67 from his ten overs and although Gibbs looked in good touch, making 26 with three boundaries, he was dismissed when he hoisted a Bracken slower ball straight to James Hopes at deep midwicket.
Kallis (70) and de Villiers (81) then added 114 for the third wicket with steady accumulation, sharp running between the wickets and 12 boundaries in all.
Kallis struck five of them before he pulled Geeves straight to Hopes at midwicket and de Villiers departed in the first over of the batting Power Play in the 41st over when a leading edge from Johnson popped up to mid-off where Nathan Hauritz took a simple catch.
Left-handers JP Duminy (32) and Albie Morkel (29) attempted to make the most of the fielding restrictions but after Duminy audaciously flicked Johnson over his shoulder for four, he slashed the same bowler straight into the hands of Mike Hussey at extra cover.
In the end just 38 runs came from the five-over spell which represented more of a triumph for Australia, who picked up two wickets in the process.
Some much-needed late hitting from the home side was provided by Mark Boucher, who hit Bracken down the ground for a six, only for Morkel to repeat the stroke as the third from last over disappeared for 20. Boucher was was trying to put everything out of the park and he reacted to Hopes being brought on to bowl the penultimate over by smashing another maximum, this time over midwicket.
The pair put brought up a 50 partnership in just 29 balls before Morkel was bowled by Johnson in the final over and after Roelof van der Merwe played and missed twice, he launched Johnson way into the stands to finish unbeaten on six, with Boucher on 28 from just 15 balls.
Johnson bowled outstandingly well to finish with four for 34 despite conceding ten in his final over as South Africa piled up 94 runs in the final ten overs.
South Africa bounced back from losing the first match in Durban by 141 runs to record a seven-wicket win in Centurion, leaving the series tied at 1-1 with three matches to play.
© Cricket World 2009
