Australia v South Africa

Clash of the Titans
Saturday witnessed the match between two of the best teams, defending champions Australia and South Africa. This match was actually inconsequential as both the teams had already qualified for the next round of Super 8. However, this match was important, as both the teams were keen on gaining a psychological edge plus two points by emerging victorious in the first round. The match had all the ingredients of a highly intense and close contest.

Proteas Call Right
The South Africans got lucky with the toss and captain Graeme Smith invited Australia to bat first on a pitch that looked a batting paradise. The Australians were more than willing to accept the invitation to bat first and make most of the excellent batting conditions.

Kangaroos Off to a Flier
The Australia openers, Adam Gilchrist and the smashing Matthew Hayden came in with all guns blazing as both led to a flying start for Australia. Gilchrist played his usual dominating and awe-inspiring strokes and hit the South African bowlers to all corners of the stadium. Though he was unable to reach to his 50, his innings of 42 was studded with 6 breathtaking boundaries and 1 huge six. He along with Matthew Hayden put on a partnership of 106 runs from 89 deliveries.

Hayden’s Masterly Act
Despite Gilchrist’s whirlwind innings, the day belonged to Matthew Hayden who stamped his class and authority on the game right from the start. Hayden looked in fine touch right from the start and began tormenting the South African bowlers. Even after Gilchrist was dismissed, Hayden continued to pulverize the Proteas attack. Hayden created a record by slamming the fastest hundred in World Cup history from 66 deliveries. In fact, Hayden reached his milestone in style after he hit a huge six off South African Captain Graeme Smith. He scored a total score of 101 runs off just 68 deliveries with 14 magnificent four and 4 gigantic sixes.

Australia continue to plunder
Hayden finally got out in the 24th over to a simple catch by Gibbs off Kallis and the South Africans got some hope of making a comeback in the game. However, Australian skipper Ricky Ponting and middle order batsman Michael Clarke had other plans. Both put on a massive partnership of 161 runs from 130 balls from the third wicket. But, both of them were unlucky to miss out on their centuries. Ponting was dismissed on 91 runs while Clarke was dismissed on 92 runs. Ponting reached a milestone when he crossed 10,000 runs in one-day internationals when his personal score was eight. Clarke was especially unlucky as he was run out. However, by then they had ensured that Australia would reach to a mammoth target.

For the South African bowlers, it was a hard day out and all the bowlers were plundered for runs. The highest wicket taker for the Proteas was Andrew Hall with 2 wickets and a wicket each for Makhaya Ntini, Charl Langeveldt and Jacques Kallis.

South Africans Collapse
The Proteas were comfortably placed at 184 for 1 in the 25th over and it seemed as if the match would go down to the wire. After the first ball of the 26th over was bowled, Graeme Smith retired hurt due to cramp's and Herschell Gibbs joins Jacques Kallis. Brad Hogg googlied Gibbs in yhe 32nd over and Gilchrist stumped Gibbs while his backfoot was in air. South Africa was 220 for 2 after 31.30 overs. However, after the dismissal of Gibbs, the South African batting collapsed like a pack of cards. South Africa lost their last 8 wickets for only 74 runs. At the fall of the 5th wicket at the score 264 for 5 wkts in 40.5 overs, Graeme Smith came back to bat. But now South Africa required 114 runs from 9.1 over(55 balls) and the required run rate was more than 12 runs per over, and he lasted only four balls. The Australian bowlers were always on the target and all of them contributed the win. The highest wicket taker for Australia was Brad Hogg with 3 wickets. The strike bowlers Nathan Bracken and Shaun Tait took 2 wickets each while the old war horse McGrath and Shane Watson earned 1 wicket each.

Australia – True Champions
It was yet another dominating and professional performance by the Australians as they defeated South Africa by 83 runs to win their last qualifying match of the World Cup. This win once again proved the reason for the team being regarded as the best team in the world. The adjudicators had a tough time in declaring the Man of the Match. However, it was finally awarded to Matthew Hayden for his fastest World Cup century. By winning all their first round games, the Australians lead their group with 6 points while the South Africans are second with 4 points.

It looks like the challenge of winning the World Cup for the third consecutive time has fired the Australians and the team seems well set to achieve this feat.