Australia A v South Africa A – Match Recap – http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Zimbabwe-c3045 A Team Tri-Series Final
Australia A defeated South Africa A by an extremely narrow margin of two runs in the final of the tri-series at the Harare Sports Club, on July 8, 2011.
Stars of the show for the Aussies were their openers, Phil Hughes and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/DA-Warner-c1301, as both of them scored more than 200 runs for the first-wicket partnership and laid the foundation for an Australian victory.
Aussie captain, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/TD-Paine-c2652 won the toss in the all-important match and had no hesitation in electing to bat first, in what were ideal conditions for batsmen.
It turned out to be the right move as Hughes and Warner took the responsibility on their shoulders and decided very soon that they are not going to leave the job to others. Although, they did not run away with the show completely but both of them made sure
that they keep a http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Timothy-Francis-Bloomfield-c94006 run-rate along the way.
Warner was dismissed in the 38th over of the innings but not before he had scored 120 runs off a 127 balls in which he struck 10 fours and three sixes.
Hughes took over the role of the aggressor from then onwards but unfortunately for the Kangaroos, he could not find enough support from the other end. Apart from the openers and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Aaron-Finch-c881, who scored 20, none of the Australian batsmen reached double figures.
Australia A managed 293 runs for the loss of six wickets in their allotted 50 overs. The Aussies could have scored more as they had a lot of wickets intact.
Hughes remained the top scorer for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 as he scored a run a ball 138 with the help of nine boundaries.
Left-arm spinner, Roelof http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Graham-Robert-Cowdrey-c60631 der Merwe was the pick of the bowlers for the Proteas as he picked up three crucial scalps after giving away 58 runs in his 10 overs.
Chasing a http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Jacobus-Andries-Rudolph-c65216. However, the Proteas lost way very soon after the openers were separated, but Rudolph made sure that he kept the South African hopes alive.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/RK-Kleinveldt-c2334.
However, the Proteas kept on losing wickets at crucial junctures of the game and failed to cross the line as a result. They were all out on the last ball of the match for 291 runs.
Rudolph and Van Jaarsveldt scored 90 and 70 runs respectively in the losing cause.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mitchell-Marsh-c1974 and Nathan Lyon were the pick of the bowlers for Australia A, as they claimed seven wickets between themselves.
Hughes was named as the Player of the Mach for his brilliant hundred earlier in the day, while, off-spinner, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Nathan-Michael-Lyon-c78822, was awarded the Player of the Tournament title.
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