The Hindu : Sport : S. Africa dethrones Australia

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S. Africa dethrones Australia

Perth: Australia was on Friday dethroned as the No. 1 team in one-dayers by South Africa, which defeated the host by 39 runs in the fifth match to clinch the ODI cricket series 4-1.

The ODI series triumph follows South Africa’s 2-1 win in the Test series and though Australia remains the No.1 team in the longer version of the game, South Africa returns home with the new-found tag of being the top team in one-dayers.

Australia needed 289 runs for a win to remain the No. 1 side, but 249 was all it managed before folding up in 49 overs with Michael Hussey (78) and Brad Haddin (63) making futile efforts with the bat.

Earlier, Hashim Amla (97) and A.B. de Villiers (60) steadied South Africa with a 118-run stand and then J.P. Duminy 60 not out (42 balls) provided the late burst as South Africa posted 288 for six wickets.

Australia faltered early in the chase and could not really recover from the early setbacks.

The host needed a strong start from Shaun Marsh (five) and David Warner (22), but debutant South African Lonwabo Tsotsobe rocked the Australian boat with early double strikes and Ricky Ponting’s men could never really recover from that. Tsotsobe removed Marsh in the second over, while Warner ran himself out in the 13th. In between, Tsotsobe dismissed Ponting (12) and then Michael Clarke (0) dragged a Morne Morkel delivery onto the stumps as Australia slumped to 53 for four inside 13 overs.

The subsequent 69 runs raised by the Hussey brothers did arrest the slide for a while, but Duminy broke the stand by claiming David and Tsotsobe then removed Michael.

Earlier, after South Africa decided to bat, Amla began with some early fours before guiding a Ben Hilfenhaus delivery over third man for a six.

South Africa had its share of early troubles as well. Hilfenhaus removed Herschelle Gibbs (seven) and then James Hopes scalped Neil McKenzie (10), promoted to No. 3 in Jacques Kallis’s absence, as South Africa stuttered to 58 for two.

Then Amla retreated into a shell and resisted every temptation to go after the bowlers. De Villiers was equally cautious even though he didn’t hesitate to impose himself whenever Clarke and David Hussey erred.

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