Proteas fall short
18 Jan 2009
South Africa squandered the chance to go 2-0 up in the series as Australia won the second ODI in Hobart by five runs.
Chasing 250 for victory, the Proteas would have backed themselves for the win but their inability to lift their run rate proved to be their undoing.
Mark Boucher tried in vain to see South Africa home, but needing 17 off the final over the Proteas fell just short.
Jacques Kallis played well for his 72, but both he and AB de Villiers could be criticised for failing to push on when South Africa required it, and in the end, left the likes of Boucher and Albie Morkel with too much to do.
Earlier in the day, South Africa pegged the Aussies back when youngster David Warner was caught behind off the bowling of Dale Steyn, but skipper Ricky Ponting and Shaun Marsh put on 135 for the second wicket taking Australia past the 150-mark.
Having reached this milestone with plenty of wickets in hand, 300 looked on the cards, but some disciplined bowling from the Proteas restricted the Australians to 249-9 off their 50 overs. Nevertheless, the total proved to be enough as Australia levelled the series at 1-1 with three to play.
Despite the Proteas’ disappointment, the match was once again a wonderful showcase for 50-over cricket with the game keeping fans on the edge of their seats right until the last over.
Australia 249-9 (50 overs)
Shaun Marsh 78, Ricky Ponting 64, Makhaya Ntini 3-39.
South Africa 244-6 (50 overs)
Jacques Kallis 72, AB de Villiers 44, Ben Hilfenhaus 2-60.
Australia won by five runs.
For a full scorecard click here.
369 Comments
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18 Jan 2009, 09:09 am
#244 superBul: No sorry I missed it. In the Titans are there players that can play at this level though?
18 Jan 2009, 09:10 am
#249 superBul: Yes I think we did.
18 Jan 2009, 09:11 am
#249 superBul: He was called up but was playing in England at the time, county cricket. Broke his finger between being called up and going to play. Never got the call again.
18 Jan 2009, 09:12 am
#249 superBul: not that I remember…
18 Jan 2009, 09:12 am
#248 Plegend007: Think Arthur must give Loots Bosman a chance playing well in the domestic cricket right now.
18 Jan 2009, 09:15 am
#243 4moreyears: Also that PITCH there is always dreadful to play on. The ball gets a lot of swing there. We cant play that well. Maybe JP can.
18 Jan 2009, 09:15 am
#251 Puma: You know i might sound like Steve Hofmyers Maak die Bulle almal bokke, but to think of it the Titans squad have Morne , Albie, AB, Steyn and Harris in the national squad. The rest of the players have enough time to practice against these international players. I firmly believe they benefit from it. Whether they have the temperament for the step up no one knows, we where not even sure about Duminy until he took over Australia.
18 Jan 2009, 09:18 am
#255 Puma: true, but truth is almost anybody would be an improvement on Gibbs right now…and thats tha saddest part that makes his selection so puzzling
18 Jan 2009, 09:19 am
That sucks. Thought they left it just a little too late
18 Jan 2009, 09:19 am
McKenzie lost this game for us.
Firstly, dropping Ponting on 10. It was a sitter…
Secondly, scoring 8 from 15. When he came in, we needed 93 off 83. When he left, we need 78 off 53. Seriously now?
Vaughn van Jaarsveld, even though he’s been poor in each of the three games he has played, should be given the confidence to play out the remainder of the series.
McKenzie is clearly not a long-term solution. Van Jaarsveld is a great player. All he needs is a bit of experience and time.
Remember Duminy on his debut series in Sri Lanka? Scored two ducks on his way to 29 runs from 5 completed innings. Average of 5.8. Now look at him.
18 Jan 2009, 09:20 am
*When he left, we needED 78 off 53
18 Jan 2009, 09:20 am
Gibbs needs to go home. I blame the selectors for his inclusion, clearly not up to it. JK has played slowly since the beginning of time so there is no surprise there… again selectors and NM looks like he only scores runs in 1 our of 14, even worse than Gibbs 1 out of 10
Should never have lost this match.
18 Jan 2009, 09:21 am
#254 Plegend007: I tell you if GS was there we would have won. He goes for the runs from the start. Never wastes time and he just about always gets a 50 or more. Think we miss the captain there.
18 Jan 2009, 09:22 am
#254 Plegend007: Well he is the top run maker in the MTN comp, and he scored 4 x 50 and 1 time 100 this year. In both the semi and final he scored 50s. So inform he is.
On that final, it was a disappointing game because the Free State never got started and was bowled for 135, a no contest from there on. Titans got there with 8 wickets and 19.4 overs left.
18 Jan 2009, 09:24 am
#264 superBul: Bodi is playing well, and cannot be worse than the drunkard
18 Jan 2009, 09:24 am
#260 ziyaad: Don’t think Van Jaarsveld is upto this level yet. Has not played well at all in any of the games. Maybe instead of bringing in NM at that time Boucher should have come in then. Then Morkel and NM after. All of the top order wasted time. NM is not a odi player. This game was there for the taking even after NM left. We just kept on only going for the 1′s not taking a chance by going over the top.
18 Jan 2009, 09:27 am
#262 goyougoodthing2: Yes should never ever have lost this one. Unforgiveable really to lose when you still have plenty wickets in hand. No one really loses like that anymore ever really. We had this game for the taking and just lost it ourselves. Just gave it to Oz really.
18 Jan 2009, 09:30 am
#266 Puma:
T20′s aren’t a good way to measure a player’s potential. Averages in T20 are about half ODI’s averages.
V v J scored about 440 runs at average of 71, striking at 130 in our domestic competition. If he is not good enough, then no one back home is. He was also playing for the worst team (Lions), so often had to fight lone crusades.
Give the guy time. I know he dropped two catches, and has looked inept when batting, but given time he will blossom into a fantastic international cricketer.
McKenzie, on the other hand, is batting at 6 and has a career strike rate of 70. In the modern game, your number 6 should be striking at 85+. Cameron White, for instance, is striking at 105.
We had four guys in the middle order who are unable (or unwilling?) to strike out. Not enough boundary hitter.s
18 Jan 2009, 09:33 am
#266 Puma: i dont think one can really pin it on one player , it is the whole game plan. It seems they believe we score 200 runs in 20/20 matches so one can use your time to play yourself in in 50 over games and then catch up, like Boucher did eventually ending with 37 off 32 balls.
18 Jan 2009, 09:36 am
#269 superBul: Some passenger – 37 off 32
18 Jan 2009, 09:36 am
#269 superBul: Should have sent in Boucher before NM and then Morkel would have won. Probably would have got the runs as both those players take more chances and not just go for the ones all the time.
#268 ziyaad: Just looks very nervous out there and really never looked up to this level. You are right though he needs proably more game time. If he does not get it then he probably wont get any better.
18 Jan 2009, 09:42 am
#271 Puma: well whatever we say here we still lost, i feel for van Jaarsveld its the toughest place and team to make your debut and without Sir Smith there to guide him he was a bit like a deer in the headlights.
But anyway i am going to take a power nap, up from very early.
18 Jan 2009, 09:43 am
#270 Zulusharkess: Boucher is no passenger. Just maybe should have come in before NM but when NM came in and after he got out Morkel should have came in then probably would have picked up the run rate quicker than Boucher. Then bring in Boucher.
18 Jan 2009, 09:45 am
#272 superBul: Agree we lost nothing we say will bring back that win we could have had. We miss GS HUGE here. Never wastes time and he always gets more runs per ball. We will always have pressure on our lower order if we dont have proper openers. Maybe they need to give Van Jarsveld another chance then. I think he will be nervous now though but thats part of the game. Now that we have lost this one maybe they wont chance that.
18 Jan 2009, 09:45 am
Well done Oz!! We can’t blame our batsmen here guys, the game was lost in the field. Have to hold the catches, who dropped balls today??
18 Jan 2009, 09:46 am
#273 Puma: Agreed, just cross with the person who called Bouch a passenger, then logged off without argueing his case. Just cross generally actually, we should have been 2 – 0 up.
18 Jan 2009, 09:46 am
#270 Zulusharkess:
Boucher scored 37 off 32 (strike rate 116) coming when we needed 78 off 53. Not good enough.
So we scored 35 off 21 at the other end. Much more productive.
But JP and McKenzie lost it for us when the scored 15 runs off 30 balls. We needed a very gettable 93 off 83 (6.72 r/po), but when McKenzie got it we needed 78 off 53 (8.83 r/po). More McKenzie (8 off 15) than Duminy (35 off 34)
18 Jan 2009, 09:47 am
#277 ziyaad:
Writing like a ******. Left out lots of words. I’m sure you’ll understand it though.
18 Jan 2009, 09:49 am
#275 whatever: Never watched the first half. Think it was NM that dropped Ponting on 10. WE should have won this. It was the batting that lost it for us today. No ifs or buts there. The slow batting cost us. No one ever loses like that anymore. Its unforgiveable to lose with still wickets in hand. They never boweled that well we just never took chances just taking the ones or blocking. Should have tried going over the top a few times maybe that would have helped. Take some chances thats what odi’s cricket is all about.
18 Jan 2009, 09:50 am
#214 XhosaKid:
******** comment!
18 Jan 2009, 09:51 am
#279 Puma:
Puma, I disagree mate, three dropped catches by my recollection!! We should have been chasing 190-200
18 Jan 2009, 09:52 am
#276 Zulusharkess: I know you never called Bouch a passenger. It was someone else. But a lot do say he is but I don’t think so. Look at Amla, Gibbs, Kallis and AB all too slow.
18 Jan 2009, 09:53 am
I also don’t think JP is a slogger. Does not seem to be able to reach the boundry in a presure cooker situation, but hey, maybe he should’nt have too?
18 Jan 2009, 09:54 am
#278 ziyaad: Understood. You are a stat man obviously. #280 whatever: Absolutely could not say it better myself but like to try remain a lady.
18 Jan 2009, 09:54 am
#282 Puma:
See blogg 280
18 Jan 2009, 09:55 am
#281 whatever: Yes dropped catches will always cost us. We still had this one for the taking. You cant lose like that with wickets in hand still. Why not take some chances and go over the top. Look at Morkel and Boucher they got runs in the end. Why not all the the others? Thats where we really lost it. Look at the run rate of Amla, Gibbs, Kallis, AB and NM. Thats where we lost it. Far too much pressure on the others then to make the runs. Also sending in Boucher before Morkel cost us. I know Bouch batted well but Morkel may have got the runs quicker like he did on Friday. Then they say he is injured so maybe not.
18 Jan 2009, 09:55 am
#284 Zulusharkess:
Sorry, I’ll watch the lingo
18 Jan 2009, 09:55 am
Going off now. Gotta do the bread and milk thing. Also, cool rainy day here Puma although may be getting sticky later so time to do some work in the garden. Been too hot other days. Puma – is there dry weather coming up the hill to Zululand ??
18 Jan 2009, 09:56 am
#287 whatever: No need
, like I said, I agree with the description !
18 Jan 2009, 09:56 am
#280 whatever: lol. Agree. But there are a few that don’t rate Boucher. I do and you just cannot leave him out the team.
18 Jan 2009, 09:57 am
#288 Zulusharkess: Love the weather like this. Just a bit humid now.
Cheers Zulu. Go do your bread and milk thing!! lol.
18 Jan 2009, 09:57 am
#286 Puma:
Yip, some valid points Puma. I gotta say that I’d love to have Bracken in my side. Sh…., oops sorry , bugger, he bowls well at the death!!
18 Jan 2009, 09:59 am
#292 whatever: Relax
you guys say what I am thinking often !!
18 Jan 2009, 09:59 am
#292 whatever: Bracken should be in their test side. They are missing out with leaving him out there. Reminds me of Polly really. Polly never gave away much either used to bowl really tight in these games.
18 Jan 2009, 10:00 am
Bye all, catch up later maybe…………….
18 Jan 2009, 10:00 am
#295 Zulusharkess: Cheers Zulu.
18 Jan 2009, 10:01 am
#294 Puma: Stop giving them ideas Puma!
18 Jan 2009, 10:02 am
#297 Zulusharkess: Silly to leave him out their test side. But they don’t think like that so its fine. lol.
18 Jan 2009, 10:04 am
#295 Zulusharkess:
Cheers ZS
#294 Puma:
Puma, did you watch the 20/20 game when Bracken was hooked up to the mike and bowling? Every ball he was thinking and trying something different. Not saying others don’t, but it showed a great fighting spirit.
18 Jan 2009, 10:06 am
#299 whatever:
He looks a bit naf with his soccer player alice band tho
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