SA - The Ultimate Winner
If someone ever said that a score of 400 in an innings in a ODI is IMPOSSIBLE, then he shud have shut his mouth today. YES, March 12th - a memorable day in the history of Cricket. What a match !!! Mind u - it's not that a single team scored more than 400 runs. Rather, both the teams scored more than 400 runs - in a single breath-taking match between Australia and South Africa.
So, it was proved that many so-called miracles (till March 11th) can be achieved if u have the desire to WIN. The most awaited Double century by an individual is still hiding in the Miracles List. Gibbs or Pointing might have reached the 200 mark, if they had controlled their calmness. But, it was clear that 200 (individual) or 400 (team) is a reachable score. So, will we get a chance to write about an Indian player or the Indian Team in such context ???
If I score a Double century - will the rest of the players live upto my expectations and help me in putting up the Indian score above 450 ??? If so, I can think of changing my profession for the sake of the Nation's pride.
If I score a Double century - will the rest of the players live upto my expectations and help me in putting up the Indian score above 450 ??? If so, I can think of changing my profession for the sake of the Nation's pride.
SA buried the ghosts of 1999 (World Cup 1999 semis) with victory in an extraordinary and a nail-biting match. Australia had just posted a world-record 434 for 4 in a single innings - the first 400-plus total in the history of the game - with Ricky Ponting leading the line with a marvelous innings of 164 runs from just 105 balls. And yet they still lost - by one wicket, with one ball to spare.
Along with Pointing, every one of Australia's batsmen proved themselves. Adam Gilchrist started the attack with 55 runs from 44 balls; Simon Katich, later joined him with nine fours and a six in a 90-ball 79, and Mike Hussey bombarded to a 51-ball 81. Australia's dominance seemed so complete that Andrew Symonds, the most notorious one-day player in their ranks, was not even called upon until the scoreboard showed 374 for 3. On a whole, it was Ricky's innings that kept Aussies in a solid shell. None of the SA bowlers cud create damage to the shell formed by the Australian top-order.
Smith took it upon himself to respond to his team's indignity with a brutal innings laced with fury. He made light of the early loss of Boeta Dippenaar, with Herschelle Gibbs. The duo launched South Africa's response with an excellent partnership of 187 from 121 balls. This partnership has sent the initial warning signals to the Australian dressing room.
Smith made 90 from just 55 balls. On the other side, Gibbs didnt allow Australians to look happy. It was not too long that Australians showed their brutal batting performance on Murali. Till date, Murali holds the notorious record as the most expensive bowler in any ODI. Now, it's an Australian turn to hold that record. It's none other than Lewis. Mick Lewis earning an unwanted place in history as his ten overs were spanked for 113 runs - the most expensive analysis in any form of ODI.
Now it was Gibbs who took centre stage. Gibbs build his wonderful innings out of an hign asking-rate, bringing up his century from 79 balls and continued along so briskly that, by the 25-over mark, South Africa had 229 for 2 on the board, and needed just 206 to win. Gibbs reached his 150 from exactly 100 balls, bringing up the landmark with his fifth six of the innings and had reached a glorious 175 from 111 when Lee held onto a drive at mid-off. The stadium stood in acclaim, but with 136 runs still required and their main source of momentum gone, South Africa had plenty still to do.
Kallis and Mark Boucher regrouped with a steady partnership of 28 in six overs, but when the big-hitting Justin Kemp went out cheaply, van der Wath reignited the chase. He drilled Lewis over long-off for two sixes in an over then added a six and a four in Bracken's eighth, as the requirement dropped from a tricky 77 from 42 balls to a gettable 36 from 22. He was followed by Telemachus with an invaluable 12 from six balls.
And so it all came down to the final over. Brett Lee had seven runs to defend, and South Africa had two wickets in hand. A blazed four from Andrew Hall seemed to have settled the issue, he smeared the very next delivery into the hands of Clarke at mid-on. Two runs needed then, and Makhaya Ntini, on strike. Lee's best effort was deflected to third man to tie the scores, and it was left to Boucher to end the greatest match with a lofted four over mid-on. The most breathtaking game in one-day history had come to a grandstand finish.
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