4th Match: South Africa 'A' v Australia 'A' at Johannesburg, 11 Sep 2002 CricInfo Live Report

4th Match: South Africa 'A' v Australia 'A' at Johannesburg, 11 Sep 2002
Keith Lane

Toss: South Africa 'A' win the toss and bowl first,
Australia 'A' innings: 10 overs, 20 Overs, 30 Overs, 40 Overs, 50 Overs,
South Africa 'A' innings: 10 overs, 20 overs, 35 Overs, 50 Overs,

AUSTRALIA 'A' BEAT SOUTH AFRICA 'A' BY 9 RUNS AND TAKE THE SERIES
Out of form Neil McKenzie came to crease looking to take his team home, but was bowled by Clark for 13 after facing 27 balls.

Van Jaarsveld who had been at the crease for 150 minutes developed cramps in his thigh and a runner, Rudolph, was sent out to run for him. After this Van Jaarsveld was not himself managing to get to his hundred, the first of the series, but holing out to the bowling of Clark on the cover boundary in trying to up the run rate. An excellent 108 that brought South Africa to the brink of victory.

Harvey had been doing a sterling job in keeping the run rate down. Bowling full and mixing up his pace he showed all how to bowl at the death. A willing partner in Williams was going to make the South Africans work very hard for the win.

Andrew Hall, Justin Kemp and Steve Elworthy tried in vain at the end but 12 runs an over was always just too much to ask for.

South Africa ended the innings on 259 for eight, nine runs short of keeping themselves in the series.

Australia won by nine runs and take the series with 3 matches to go.

SOUTH AFRICA 'A' BACK ON TRACK AGAINST AUSTRALIA 'A'
A hundred and fifty run partnership, in 167 balls between Van Jaarsveld and Prince has given South Africa ‘A’ a glimmer of hope of getting back into the series.

Prince going to his half century in 62 balls followed Van Jaarsveld, who had earlier passed the milestone, his second in the series, in 60 balls.

Brad Hogg the most expensive of the Australian bowlers can count himself slightly unlucky with a few edges going through the vacant slip area to the boundary. He was removed from the attack after three overs.

The partnership was broken when Hogg returned to the attack. Prince going after him lofted a slog sweep down the throat of Hussey at deep mid wicket to end a valuable innings on 75.

After 35 overs South Africa were 182/3 with Van Jaarsveld on 84.

VAN JAARSVELD STABILISES SOUTH AFRICA 'A' INNINGS
Prince and Van Jaarsveld, coming together with the score on 31, have moved the South African total to 93 at the end of 20 overs.

Van Jaarsveld, who has in every game come to the crease under pressure, has shown that he has the ability to overcome and concentrate on the game at hand. His presence seemed to rub off on Prince and together they seemed the ideal foils to the Australian attack.

The partnership of 62, coming in 13 overs, was mixed with some classic cover drives and pulls from both the players. Taking every opportunity to score freely the two at the crease worked hard in rotating the strike and punishing anything loose. Not taking any risks they managed to stay on target creating a platform to attack from later in the innings.

SAME OLD STORY FOR SOUTH AFRICA 'A'
With a target of 269 South Africa ‘A’ opened the innings with Jacques Rudolph and Robin Peterson, up against the Australian attack of Brad Williams and Stuart Clark.

With no overs deducted for the slow over rate Williams started the innings with an over that included three wides. The tall Clark was more conservative only giving away one run.

Williams soon made amends for the first over, enticing Peterson to pull a short fast lifter that came off the top edge and a high catch was taken, running backwards, by Hogg at backward square leg. Peterson out for three, and South Africa in the accustomed position of 14/1.

Jacques Rudolph followed soon afterwards. Playing away from the body he dragged a ball from Clark back onto the wickets and was bowled for 10. South Africa 31/2 after 7.1 overs.

Martin van Jaarsveld (16) the mainstay of the South African batting and Ashwell Prince (9) managed to weather the storm to take South Africa to 48/2 after the first 10 overs

AUSTRALIA 'A' END ON 268/7 AT THE WANDERERS
The final 10 overs saw Langer and Hussey upping the run rate with some lusty blows and also some good running between the wickets.

Peterson gave away 12 runs in the 41st over with Hussey twice cutting him to the off boundary. Terbrugge was the next to feel the Hussey sting with nine runs coming off the next over.

A quick run, saw a Ashwell Prince direct hit at the bowlers end leave Langer short, denying the captain a deserved hundred. Run out for 90, the partnership of 80 in 87 balls had come to an end.

The wicket had the desired effect for South Africa with Brad Hogg getting to grips with the conditions. It did not him long to get into the swing, and together the two saw Australia race to 242 when Nel yorked a swinging Hussey for 61 off 67 balls in the 48th over.

Ian Harvey, the ideal man to have in a situation like this, ran for everything that came off the bat, and with the South Africans continually missing the stumps he lived a charmed live.

Nel got his fourth wicket when Hogg, on 38 off 32 balls, gave a leading edge catch to Peterson at extra cover to leave Australia on 260/7 with three balls left in the innings.

Harvey taking a six off the last ball of the innings took Australia to 268/7 leaving himself on 15 and Wright on one.

The South Africans completed their 50 overs well after time allocated and one wonders if they will be penalised an over or two.

AUSTRALIA 'A' REBUILD THE INNINGS
Langer and Hussey were tasked to get the Australian innings back on track. Langer performing the anchor roll, but maintaining his run rate, rotated the strike to Hussey who took advantage of the dropped catch and upped his tempo.

Hussey severe on Elworthy, coming back into the attack, pulled the fast bowler for a four and a six in the 36th over.

Peterson, again the choice of the bowlers amongst the South Africans, was with flight, drift and pace making his presence felt. As the game progressed into the 40th over he had bowled seven overs of spin for 28 and taken the one wicket.

Australia 186/4, Langer 88 and Hussey 39 after 40 overs.

SOUTH AFRICA 'A' FIGHT BACK WELL
Symonds was next to lose his wicket when he drove firmly in the air towards deep mid off. Robin Peterson, leaping high, took the catch above his head with the force of the shot knocking him backwards, off his feet, but managing to hold onto the ball.

Symonds at the crease for 33 minutes scored 18 with a single boundary and Australia lost the second wicket to Nel on 112.

Greg Blewett lasted four balls, adjudged caught behind after what looked like an inside edge to the keeper off Justin Kemp.

114/3 became 125/4 when Simon Katich, pushing from the front foot at Peterson, got the inside edge, dragging the ball into the stumps for 10. His five balls at the crease had brought him two slashing boundaries to the off side.

Michael Hussey, lucky to survive a dropped chance by Tsolekile off Peterson in the 29th over, was still there on six after the 30th over. Langer had moved on to 68 and Australia to 133/4.

AUSTRALIA 'A' LOSE THEIR FIRST WICKET
In the cold weather Australia continued to dominate the South African bowlers who failed to maintain any pressure on the batsmen. One or two wayward balls an over was enough for Langer, who had taken over from Campbell as the aggressor, keeping the run rate steady.

Langer went to his 50 in the 17th over, off 61 balls in 81 minutes, including eight boundaries.

Campbell who had played a supporting roll to Langer lost his patience when he pulled a short ball from Nel to Elworthy at deep square leg. He had scored 21 from 39 balls including the two fours he had hit in the opening over. The first wicket going down on 78.

Andrew Symonds, returning to the squad after a stint with the senior side in Kenya, joined Langer and together they moved the score to 91/1 after 20 overs.

SOLID START FOR AUSTRALIA 'A'
Ryan Campbell and Justin Langer opened the innings for the Australians with Campbell the more aggressive crashing Steve Elworthy twice to the off side ropes in the first over. David Terbrugge on his home ground started with a maiden.

To substantiate the decision to bowl first, both bowlers moved the ball away and into the batsmen, beating the edge on occasions. However, on a good batting pitch anything slightly short or wide found the middle of the bat and raced away on the fast outfield.

After 10 overs the Australians had taken their score to 49 without loss including 8 boundaries. Langer was on 30 and Campbell on 14.

Australia, for the fourth time in the series, lost the toss and has been put in to bat on a cold but cloudless morning at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg.

South Africa, who has to win today to have any further say in the series, has left out Mfuneko Ngam, Mornatau Hayward and Errol Stewart bringing in Justin Kemp, Andre Nel and Thami Tsolekile for his first match.

Damian Wright and Andrew Symonds have come in for the Australians, replacing Nathan Bracken and Michael Clarke.

The pitch feels rock hard with the odd small crack and has just a tinge of green. Should stay a good batting pitch throughout the day.