The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : South Africa wins ODI series

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South Africa wins ODI series

Adelaide: South Africa capped a dream cricket tour of Australia by winning the One-Day International Series on Monday in addition to the Test series earlier.

But the host still retained its top spot in both forms of the game despite unmistakable signs that it is on the downslide.

The South Africans crushed the Aussies by eight wickets in what turned out to be a lopsided floodlit contest to take an invincible 3-1 lead in the five-match series.

Opting to bat first, Australia put up yet another sordid batting display and folded up for 222 in 48 overs with only Ricky Ponting (63), James Hopes (42) and Cameron White (30) salvaging some individual reputation with the bat.

South Africa’s pace bowlers — Makhaya Ntini (three for 52) and Dale Steyn (three for 49) — did an excellent job with the new ball wrecking Australia’s top and middle order.

Chasing 223, South Africa needed just 38.1 overs to overwhelm the target with Hashim Amla (80 not out), A.B. de Villiers (82 not out) and Herschelle Gibbs (38) starring in the chase.

Australia remained the No. 1 team in both forms of the game followed closely by South Africa and India, both of whom have beaten the Aussies in Test series in recent months.

With South Africa having taken an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series, the last match scheduled in Perth on Friday will be of only academic interest.

Flying start

South Africa was off to a flying start with Gibbs looking in ominous form.

The right-hander went after Ben Hilfenhaus and hit the bowler for two boundaries in his first over.

Hilfenhaus did manage to send him back in the 10th over but not before Gibbs had blasted a 29-ball 38.

Next man in Jacques Kallis hit three quick boundaries before Hopes removed him after a 12-ball 13 and Australia didn’t get another occasion to celebrate.

Amla and de Villiers stitched together 144 runs for the third wicket to seal the matter.

Amla’s crucial unbeaten 80 came off 103 balls with seven fours in it.

De Villiers was the more aggressive of the duo and his unbeaten 82 came off 85 balls with six 4s and a flat-batted six off David Hussey which also brought up his fifty.

Earlier, Ponting’s decision to bat first boomeranged and Australia lost both its openers Shaun Marsh (13) and David Warner (1) inside three overs when the team score was 17.

Australia expected another blitzkrieg from Warner but the youngster perished as early as in the second over, chipping Ntini to Morne Morkel at mid-on.

Marsh opened with three boundaries off Steyn before falling to the bowler, slicing it to Morkel, this time at third man.

A.B. de Villiers was chosen Man-of-the-Match for his stellar knock.

SCOREBOARD

Australia: S. Marsh c M. Morkel b Steyn 13, D. Warner c M. Morkel b Ntini 1, R. Ponting c McKenzie b Ntini 63, M. Hussey lbw b Botha 28, D. Hussey c Gibbs b A. Morkel 24, B. Haddin c Kallis b Botha 3, C. White c de Villiers b Steyn 30, J. Hopes c McKenzie b Steyn 42, M. Johnson c M. Morkel b Ntini 0, B. Hilfenhaus c de Villiers b M. Morkel 5, S. Tait (not out) 4; Extras (lb-2, w-5, nb-2) 9; Total (all out in 48 overs) 222.

Fall of wickets: 1-9, 2-17, 3-110, 4-114, 5-128, 6-151, 7-188, 8-189, 9-216.

South Africa bowling: Steyn 10-1-49-3, Ntini 10-1-52-3, A. Morkel 6-0-35-1, M. Morkel 9-0-41-1, Botha 10-0-28-2, Duminy 3-0-15-0.

South Africa: H. Amla (not out) 80, H. Gibbs c Hussey b Hilfenhaus 38, J. Kallis c Marsh b Hopes 13, de Villiers (not out) 82; Extras (lb-5, w-5) 10; Total (for two wkts. in 38.1 overs) 223.

Fall of wickets: 1-58, 2-79.

Australia bowling: Tait 9-0-49-0, Hilfenhaus 8-0-49-1, Johnson 10-0-63-0, Hopes 7.1-0-28-1, Hussey 4-0-29-0. — PTI

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