MELBOURNE, January 23: South Africa, fired by a telling late burst from Allan Donald, snatched a six-run victory over Australia in the first match of the World Series Cup finals today.Defending 241 for nine on a perfect batting strip in the 50 overs day-night game, South Africa seized the last five wickets for 14 to dismiss Australia for 235 with one ball remaining.
South African captain Hansie Cronje, whose team lead 1-0 in the best-of-three finals, said; "it looked like we had it, then we lost it, then we had it again."
Fast bowler Donald's impeccable last spell of pace and accuracy was ultimately the decisive factor in a tense climax.
Donald had earlier dropped two straightforward catches of Australian captain Steve Waugh but made amends as Australia looked to be cruising home at 221 for five.
Delivering the 49th over with Australia needing 11 more of 12 balls, Donald bowled Ian Harvey for seven and then had Paul Reiffel caught by wicketkepper Dave Richardson for one.
Shaun Pollock finished
Australia off when he bowled Shane Warne with the penultimate delivery.
After winning the toss and electing to bat, South Africa looked to be heading towards a total of around 300 when openers Daryll Cullinan and Gary Kirsten piled on 55 from the first eight overs.
But when leg-spinner Warne had Cullinan stumped for 26 and Kirsten went for 70, South Africa's run rate slowed dramatically.
It was only through a late flourish from Pollock, who clubbed 15 off Warne's last over in his quickfire 36, that the Proteas were able to set a testing target.
Australia's run chase looked to be in tatters early on as they slumped to 105 for four through a combination of poor running between the wickets and excellent fielding.
But Steve Waugh (53) and Michael Bevan (57) turned the game around with a fifth wicket stand of 101 to put Australia in control. When they departed in quick succession, 21 more were wanted off the final four overs -- a task that proved beyond the tailenders in the face of Donald's incisive
burst.
SCOREBOARD
South Africa: D Cullinan st Gilchrist b Warne 26, G Kirsten st Gilchrist b M Waugh 70, L Klusener c Bevan b Moody 0, J Kallis c Gilchrist b Wilson 33, H Cronje c Bevan b Lehmann 29, J Rhodes c Gilchrist b Lehmann 21, S Pollock c Bevan b Warne 36, P Symcox b M Waugh 10, B McMillan lbw b Warne 2, D Richardson not out 11; Extras: (w2, nb1) 3. Total (for 9 wickets in 50 overs) 241
Fall of wickets: 1-55, 2-62, 3-126, 4-137, 5-178, 6-186, 7-203, 8-210, 9-241
Bowling: Wilson 9-0-52-1, Reiffel 3-0-18-0 (nb1), Warne 10-1-52-3 (w2), Moody 5-0-24-1, Harvey 9-0-39-0, M Waugh 10-0-45-2, Lehmann 4-0-11-2
Australia: M Waugh run out 3, A Gilchrist c Symcox b Pollock 20, R Ponting c Richardson b Donald 33, D Lehmann run out 31, S Waugh c Richardson b McMillan 53, M Bevan run out 57, T Moody run out 15, I Harvey b Donald 7, P Reiffel c Richardson b Donald 1, S Warne b Pollock 0, P Wilson not out 1; Extras: (lb6, w5, nb3) 14. Total: (all out
in 49.5 overs) 235
Fall of wickets: 1-15, 2-37, 3-94, 4-105, 5-206, 6-221, 7-231, 8-233, 9-234
Bowling: Pollock 9.5-1-39-2, Klusener 7-0-36-0, Symcox 10-1-56-0, Donald 10-0-36-3, McMillan 9-1-39-1, Kallis 4-0-23-0
Result: South Africa won by six runs.
Man-of-the-Match: Allan Donald (SA)
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
