10 April, 2009

Johan Botha Half-centuries from Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers proved decisive as South Africa eased to a 25-run victory over Australia in the third one-day international in Cape Town on Friday morning.

Kallis and De Villiers shared a 114-run partnership for the third wicket to rescue the home side from early trouble to post 6-289.

The tourists struggled in their chase, with Callum Ferguson (63) and James Hopes (63 not out) only briefly threatening as outstanding fielding and Roelof van der Merwe's 3-37 restricted the visitors to 7-264.

They made a solid enough start in their response, reaching 30 before the first wicket fell - Brad Haddin run out via a direct hit from JP Duminy fielding at cover.

Ricky Ponting was then dropped twice in successive balls by Mark Boucher and Kallis, although the first chance to the South African wicketkeeper seemed to have been taken on the bounce.

Ponting had another close shave when he survived a run-out chance after running halfway down the track, only to be saved by a poor throw from Albie Morkel at mid-wicket.

But he finally perished for 20, caught and bowled after being outfoxed by a flighted delivery from spinner Johan Botha.

Van der Merwe was introduced into the attack and he struck a double blow in his third over, bowling Michael Clarke (35) and trapping Michael Hussey (one) leg before wicket, despite the batsman getting a big inside edge.

Duminy too was an instant hit when he was brought on to bowl, claiming the wicket of David Hussey (20) with his second ball, caught at long-on by Dale Steyn as Australia fell to 5-114.

But Ferguson brought up his fifty in 59 balls and shared a 97-run partnership with Hopes before he was dismissed when caught by de Villiers running back from cover off the bowling of van der Merwe.

Another brilliant piece of fielding by Duminy in the deep saw Mitchell Johnson (nine) run out as Australia fell well short of its target.

Earlier, after winning his first toss of the series and electing to bat, Graeme Smith was sent on his way in the seventh over when he walked down the track to Johnson (4-34) and edged a seaming delivery behind to Haddin.


Herschelle Gibbs was next to go when he holed out to a good catch by Hopes at deep mid-wicket off Nathan Bracken.

But in company with de Villiers, Kallis reached his fifty from 69 balls. And Kallis soon followed him to a half-century, at a marginally quicker tempo.

Brett Geeves grabbed a fortuitous breakthrough when Kallis (70) slammed a short and wide delivery straight to Hopes.

Johnson then removed de Villiers for 80 with a slower delivery that took a leading edge and was snapped up by Nathan Hauritz at mid-off.

After Duminy had smashed Johnson straight to Michael Hussey at cover, Boucher and Morkel plundered late runs.