19 Oct 2011-South Africa vs Australia, Australia Tour of South Africa 2011-12, 1st ODI-Bullet

Clinical Aussies sink South Africa

Australia are looking a team well prepared and planned as the tourists began their five match ODI series against South Africa with a resounding win. The home team wasn’t only beaten by 93 runs in accordance to Duckworth Lewis method but outplayed in rain affected game reduced to 29-overs a side. Riding on sublime 63 punctuated with nine fours from Ricky Ponting and solid contributions from skipper Michael Clarke and Micheal Hussey that took them to 183 in 29 overs, Australian put up an aggressive bowling performance to skittle out South Africa for a sorry 129 pocketing a victory by a big margin decided by D/L method.

On his debut fast bowling sensation Pat Cummins yet again starred taking three wickets in as many overs and Mitchell Johnson too came to the party returning with the figures of 3 for 20 in five overs. Australia were alert in the field taking some brilliant catches to make it an one side affair.

A chase of 223 in 29 overs needed a good start. It wasn’t to be as Graeme Smith was yet again done by left arm angle. Paceman Doug Bollinger trapped the former skipper in the first over of the innings to give his side confident beginning. Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis did some rearguard in 36-run stand which saw some stupendous strokes being played. A six each from the duo was the highlight of the stand with Kallis pulling Johnson into deep fine boundary and Amla dumping Cummins’ first ball in ODI’s into stands over cover.

Patrick, though, made serious inroads in his second over of ODI career. He castled Kallis with a pacy inducker for 15, and, two balls later, had JP Dumminy caught in the second slip for four. South Africa never recovered from that double blow.

Another Debutant Mitchell Marsh had a good outing dismissed Amla for a 32-ball 24 before left arm spinner Xavier Doherty removed David Miller and Mark Boucher to take stuffing out of the home team challenge.Faf de Plessis impressed during his 20-ball stay for 27 before becoming Johnson’s first victim of the day. The left arm pacer then accounted for Dale Steyn as Cummins ended Johan Botha’s nice little knock of 25 which saw him hit three fours and a six. The Australian victory was completed when Johnson had number eleven Lonwabo Tsotsobe caught in the deep.

Earlier Australian batsmen did well to reach 183 in 29 overs after having scoring only 96 in first 19 when rain came for a long interruption. After having lost David Warner upfront, Ricky Ponting Micheal Clarke steered their side to stability taking the score to 96 at the end of 19th over. The duo gave exhibition of some classic batting laced with skill and some neat strokeplay but rain came to reduce the game to 29 overs . It meant the tourists had just ten overs to play, and, to their credit, their batsmen launched attack to add 87 in those overs. While Clarke and Ponting were solid, Micheal Hussey wasted no time in giving the innings much needed push in late overs.

The start to the innings was very breezy with David Warner, opening the innings with Ponting, taking attack to the home team bowlers. Having cut Lonwabo Tsotsobe’s first ball for four through point, the pocket sized Warner bludgeoned ace pacer Dale Steyn for three boundaries in four balls next over before Steyn had a final say. The fast bowler got one to bend into left hander for him to inside-edge it to the stumps.

His departure meant former skipper and current skipper did some rebuilding. After getting the hang of the conditions, the duo unleashed some quality strokes to get the innings going.

Ponting pulled imperiously, whipped straight ones off his legs, swept and late cut effectively and was very skilful in hitting the gaps for one and twos. Clarke played some beautiful on-drives to go with his quality cover driving. The duo laid the foundation and were pacing the innings well before heavens opened.

Post rain intervention with reduced game in mind, the duo cut loose. Ponting hit two fours in the first over after the resumption off Botha on his way to a well played fifty. Clarke got stuck into Tsotsobe hitting him for two leg side sixes infront of deep midwicket.

Clarke’s 48-ball tenure for 44 with the help of two sixes and five fours ended in an unfortunate when Botha deflected Ponting fierce straight drive to non striker’s end and catch the Australian skipper out of crease. In came Hussey taking centerstage without wasting many balls.

The left cracked a pull shot for four but his lofted cover drive against Botha for a six was a standout stroke. As Ponting (63 off 77) and Brad Haddin perished going for big shots, Hussey collected boundaries to help his side past 180. He remained unbeaten a 21-ball 30 powered by three fours and a six.