David John Terbrugge became an unexpected hero at the Sinhalese Sports Club today, when he bowled out Pakistan to ensure his sides progression to the final on Friday. Fresh faced and broad shouldered, the 23 year old fast bowler from Gauteng has had to wait patiently on the sidelines so far on the tour. Kept out of the side by a fast bowler who had clearly left his radar back in Port Elizabeth.

Finally the tour selectors decided that enough was enough and replaced Mornantau Hayward with Terbrugge, a bowler who is perfectly suited to the present conditions in Sri Lanka. Gun barrel straight, with a whiff of out-swing, he didn’t disappoint, snaffling four top order wickets in his opening spell.

Speaking afterwards, having received the man of the match award, David Terbrugge was pleased to have been given the opportunity: “I was feeling really good this morning but you never know until you get into the middle. In the first over it just felt great, the ball was coming out right and the conditions were perhaps the best that we have had all tour. They don’t last long in this place so you have to make the most of them. I had my share of luck but I bowled well”

This was a game that was decided before many had even finished their morning coffee and settled into their seats. Pakistan won the toss and quite inexplicably decided to bat first on a wicket that traditional assists the fast bowlers in the fist half hour. True to form it did just that, and Pakistan collapsed to 19-6 within the first ten overs.

The collapse started in just the second ball of the ball when Shaun Pollock induced an edge from the young Imran Nazir (0) and Mark Boucher took the first of his five catches behind the stumps.

It was the turn of David Terbrugge to take center stage. His fifth ball in the middle on this tour swung away from Younis khan (3) and took the edge. Four balls later he dismissed a disgruntled Inzamann-ul-Haq (0) in similar fashion, although replays showed him have been somewhat fortunate.

Yousuf Youhana, much to his disbelief, was given out caught behind in Terbrugge’s third over, this time off the inside edge. Saeed Anwar (6) was bowled soon after by Shaun Pollock in the ninth over and Abdur Razzaq (0) was out plumb LBW having shuffled right in front of his stumps.

Moin Khan (19) and Azhar Mahmood (36) were left with little option but to attack and did so in a typically entertaining fashion: Moin off the mark with his trademark pick-up shot over square leg off a bent knee. This was followed by an enormous six over a wide mid on off Terbrugge, a shot that was to persuade Pollock into resting the young fast bowler.

Jacques Kallis and Lance Klusner replaced the openers and also caused problems. Jacques Kallis, unlucky enough to have two catches dropped off him in his very first over, one of which was by Jonty Rhodes. The bowler didn’t have to wait too long though for his reward, as Moin Khan was caught behind in his second over to leave Pakistan perilously placed on 49-7.

With the crowd contemplating the possibility of a finish before lunch, Azhar Mahmood continued his fine batting form from the last game, and in partnership with Shoaib Malik (28) put on 41 runs. So comfortably were this pair batting that it came as a surprise when Azhar Mahmood’s senses momentarily deserted him and he tried to steal a suicidal single, was understandably sent back by his partner and run out.

Arshad Khan (1) pushed and prodded for 17 balls before pushing a simple catch, tamely back to Paul Adams, who had replaced Makhaya Ntini in the team. Luckily for Pakistan Mustaq Ahmed (34) and Shoaib Malik then managed to add some respectability to the score, adding 55 runs for the ninth wicket.

The final total of 153 was never likely to be enough but South Africa aren’t exactly walking on water at the moment either, so there would have been some hope in the Pakistan dressing room.

However the heads quickly slumped as Gary Kirsten (46) cut his first delivery for four and continued thereafter in the same positive manner that he has displayed throughout this tournament. A workman like batsmen, who has that uncanny ability to punish everything loose, he quickly took the game from Pakistan, scoring 46 off just deliveries.

Andrew Hall (15), returned to the openers berth after the failed Klusner experiment on the previous day, also begun positively, stroking three quick boundaries before chasing a delivery from Azhar Mahmood and being neatly caught at second slip.

Reaching the fifty mark in the 11th over the South African run rate slowed after the introduction of Pakistan’s three spinners and the dismissal of Kirsten, who was caught at slip whilst trying to turn the Mustaq Ahmed to leg. Jacques Kallis (26) and Darryl Cullinan (35*) were in no hurry to finish off the match and slowly ground out their sides welcome victory.

Whilst Pakistan may have been unlucky to be on the receiving end of some bad decisions, but this alone cannot explain such a woeful performance. Their cricket in the last ten days has smacked of ill discipline, a lack of application and perhaps most importantly, tiredness. One suspects that they are relieved to be finally going home.

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