7th Match: South Africa 'A' v Australia 'A' at Pietermaritzburg, 18 Sep 2002 CricInfo Live Report

7th Match: South Africa 'A' v Australia 'A' at Pietermaritzburg, 18 Sep 2002
Keith Lane

Australia 'A' innings: 10 Overs, 20 Overs, 35 Overs, All Out,
South Africa 'A' innings: 10 Overs, 21 Overs, 35 Overs, End ,

SOUTH AFRICA 'A' SAVE WHITEWASH WITH 8 WICKET WIN
Thanks to a 118 from Andrew Hall and an opening partnership of 135 with Loots Bosman, South Africa ‘A’ managed to avoid a whitewash by convincingly beating Australia ‘A’ by eight wickets in Pietermaritzburg.

After a much-improved bowling performance from the South Africans it was left to the hard hitting Hall to take South Africa to their first win in the seven match series.

Going down 5-1 against a very strong Australian team, the South Africans will have gained a lot of experience and would have learnt a lot from the visitors.

The winning runs coming in the 40th over with McKenzie lofting Hogg for six over long off. McKenzie ended on 13 and Man-of-the Match Hall on 118.

Justin Langer deservedly was adjudged Man-of-the-Series.

HALL HUNDRED TAKES SOUTH AFRICA 'A' CLOSER
A South African opening partnership of 135 came to an end when Loots Bosman, after doing all the hard work in supporting Andrew Hall, came down the pitch to Simon Katich only to play outside the line of the ball and having his leg stump bail removed. Bowled for 42 that included five fours and one six.

It was now up to Ashwell Prince, who has had a good series, to play the supporting roll and take South Africa towards the winning total.

With Hall on 99, Prince went on the drive to Katich returning a low catch to the bowler to be out 16 and South Africa 168/2.

Hall went to his hundred with his 16th boundary, driving Symonds through the covers. The hundred, one of the better one-day hundreds the people of Pietermaritzburg will witness, coming up in 102 balls and the foundation to what looks to be a South African win.

After 35 overs South Africa were 172/2 with Hall 103 and Neil McKenzie 0.

CENTURY PARTNERSHIP SETS SOUTH AFRICA 'A' UP FOR A WIN.
South Africa ‘A’ continued their walk to save some pride in the series with Hall and Bosman building on a 100 run opening partnership.

Hall went to his 50 off 47 balls while at the same time Bosman had made 20 off 49 balls.

The only bowler not to come under the Hall hammer was Ian Harvey, bowling his first four overs for seven runs which included only one boundary. Not giving away any width he forced the batsmen into defensive shots and taking quick singles. A lot can be learnt by watching his control in pace, line and length.

The South African 100 came up in the 21st over with Hall on 72 and Bosman on 23.

LIGHTNING START FOR SOUTH AFRICA 'A' CHASING 199
South Africa made a good and solid start in their chase of 200 in 50 overs to record their first and only victory of the seven match series.

Loots Bosman and Andrew Hall opening the South African innings were off to a quick start of 35 runs within the first five overs. Hall in particular, punishing anything wayward while Bosman, not to be outdone and after a poor series, took what was on offer.

Clark was given one over before being replaced by Bracken, while Williams propped up the other end before being replaced by Harvey in the ninth over. Williams giving away 31 runs in his four overs.

After 10 overs South Africa were 56/0 with Hall on 32 and Bosman on 16.

AUSTRALIA 'A' BOWLED OUT FOR 199
Australia ‘A’ has been bowled out in the 46th over for 199 giving South Africa ‘A’ the chance of avoiding a whitewash.

Justin Kemp coming on for his first spell put an end to Hussey when on 57 he cut at a short ball outside the off. Undone by the unexpected extra bounce he was caught at backward point by Prince. For the first time in the series Australia was under pressure at 153/6.

Campbell and Ian Harvey, running well between the wickets, took the fielders on once too often. Harvey looking for two was run out by a Martin van Jaarsveld return for 19 and Australia 179/7 with eight overs of the inning remaining.

Campbell was next to go, looking to up the run rate, he lofted Robin Peterson towards long off where Elworthy, running in off the rope, took a good catch. Campbell out for 34 and Australia 193/8.

Nathan Bracken did not last long. Trying to pull Nel he held out to Van Jaarsveld on the square leg boundary without scoring and Australia 197/9.

Williams got the expected bouncer from Nel but it was Stuart Clark who ended the innings on 199 when Peterson bowled him for one.

HUSSEY AND KATICH LIFT AUSTRALIA 'A'
A fifty partnership, in 81 balls, between Katich and Hussey resettled the Australian innings and put it back on the road to recovery.

Apart from the wicket of Symonds, Nel, bowling quick on a hard flat pitch was unable to beat the bat on too many occasions. Andrew Hall who had replaced Terbrugge, was able to move the ball both ways through the air but also unable to break through.

The Australian hundred came up in the 27th over after which Hall got Katich cutting to close to the body and dragging the inside edge into the wickets. A patient working 31 from Katich, and Australia 103/4.

Brad Hogg came to the crease and forcing off the back foot edged an Elworthy delivery to Stewart for six and Australia 119/5.

Ryan Campbell who has been far more valuable to the Australians batting down the order was soon into the action whipping Elworthy for two consecutive fours, one through mid wicket and one over cover point that nearly went all the way.

Hussey with 55 and Campbell on 17 took Australia to 148/5 after 35 overs.

SOUTH AFRICA 'A' RESTRICT THE AUSTRALIANS
A big improvement from the South Africa ‘A” bowlers all round performance has restricted the Australian batsmen to 63/3 after 20 overs.

Elworthy came off after 12 overs with figures of 6-3-15-1 while Terbrugge came off after 16 with figures of 8-2-32-1.

Symonds, quite severe on both Elworthy and David Terbrugge, did not have the same success against Andre Nel. Driving outside the off he got the outside edge to one lifting from a length to be caught at slip for a quick 22 off 26 balls including 5 boundaries. Australia now 41/3 in the 13th over.

Michael Hussey 15 and Katich 12 were at the crease, working on getting the innings back into perspective, when the 20 overs were completed.

SOUTH AFRICA 'A' WON THE TOSS AND FIELD
South Africa ‘A’, in the final one-day international against Australia ‘A’, won the toss at the Oval in Pietermaritzburg and sent the visitors in to bat.

Justin Lange and Greg Blewett opened the innings and were soon in trouble when in the first over Blewett drove at Steve Elworthy only to see the outside edge taken at second slip.

Langer followed in the sixth over, playing Terbrugge off the legs to Prince at mid wicket, caught for six and Australia 9/2.

Simon Katich and Andrew Symonds took Australia to 29/2 at the end of the tenth over.