Amla’ the hero as http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 edge out Pakistan in 3rd ODI
Another sensational comeback from the brink of a defeat could not quite take Pakistan home as Fawad Alam’s heroics go in vain and the cornered tigers crashed to a 2 run defeat in the third ODI of the five match series against South Africa at the Dubai Sports
City stadium.
Earlier in the day Hashim Amla continued his dream run in the South African batting line-up as the opener built a magnificent hundred to hold his team together as the rest of the batting line-up crumbled on a slow wicket.
Pakistan’s captain, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahid-Afridi-c2482, won the toss and opted to field first on a double paced wicket at a venue hosting only its 3rd ODI.
The South Africans got off to a poor start as a fired up Shoaib Akhtar roared back after conceding two boundaries in his opening over to claim the wickets of Jacques Kallis and the centurion of the second match, Colin Ingram, with wonderfully disguised slower
balls. Kallis failed to score while Ingram scored a mere 4 runs.
The Proteas were clearly shocked by the two dismissals and took their time to recover; AB deVilliers found the going tough on the slow and low wicket and was unlucky to be adjudged stumped by the third umpire off a quicker one by Afridi. The wicket-keeper
batsman perished with his total on 19 runs.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/JP-Duminy-c1742 was looking in good touch yet perished at a crucial juncture of the innings he was dismissed by Mohammad Hafeez for a well made 26 runs.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/David-Miller-c53105 was bowled by Hafeez for 6 runs as the Pakistanis stamped their authority in conditions that were similar to the one found in Pakistan.
Albie Morkel, who had a horror night with the ball in the second match of the series at Abu Dhabi as Abdul Razzaq smashed him out of the park at will, looked uneasy with the bat in his hand also and stuttered around for an ungainly 19 before perishing to
Shahid Afridi with Mohammad Hafeez taking the catch.
Amla was the hero though for his team as he scored his 6th ODI hundred and carried his bat through the innings to remain undefeated on 119 off 126 balls. He struck 9 fours in his epic knock.
The Proteas ended up with a total of 228 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in the allotted overs and were clearly disappointed with their effort.
However, their bowlers did not let them down as the low quality Pakistani top order once again made an innocuous looking chase turn into an uphill struggle with their lack of stroke play. The out of form Imran Farhat, who was brought into the team at the
eleventh hour failed to get going and built unnecessary pressure on other batsmen.
His partner Mohammad Hafeez fell for 4, while Younis Khan was dismissed without scoring. Farhat and Shafiq stabilised the innings before Farhat was run out for 47 laborious runs complied off 86 balls.
Shahid Afridi attempted to up the ante but perished after smoking one six that gave him the record for most sixes in international cricket, he scored 7 off 5 balls.
Asad http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shafiq-c89281 then ran himself out as panic sat in. He scored 43 off 74 balls striking 3 fours in his innings.
Fawad Alam manoeuvred the ball around nicely yet failed to hit the big boundaries immediately. The hero of the last match, Abdul Razzaq, was dismissed for 12 runs, and wicket-keeper Zulqarnain Haider fell for 9 runs.
From the brink of a woeful defeat the men in green were brought back into contention by the lusty hitting of Wahab Riaz, who shared a stand of 33 runs of a mere 16 balls with Fawad Alam.
Wahab fell for 21 runs that included a big 6 and 2 fours. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 was in the hunt with 16 needed off the last two overs yet Saeed Ajmal and Fawad Alam failed to get any momentum. Shoaib Akhtar was at the crease with 4 runs needed off the last ball and the
pacer could only get a single to the elation of the South African fans. Fawad Alam remained undefeated on 59, while http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Morne-Morkel-c77722 claimed 4 wickets for his team.
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