South Africa manages a victory in the Third ODI against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755
Fawad alam heroics were not enough to steer Pakistan home against South Africa in the third ODI against South Africa in Abu Dhabi. Pakistan was chasing a low total when they needed 229 to win of their 50 overs. But like always they lost quick wickets from
the start and had to face a high task in the end to chase the target down. At one moment, the target looked difficult for Pakistan, but with some loose bowling from the Proteas and a fine batting display by Fawad Alam at the lower middle order helped Pakistan
come very near to South Africa’s target.
South Africa started slowly as their top order was troubled by some impressive bowling by Shoaib. Shoaib bowled with line and length and took some early wickets as well. Shoaib did provide the much needed fire and pace that had been missing in the Pakistani
line-up for quite some time. Shoaib bowled with a good mix up of line and length and slow deliveries. He bowled Kallis out on zero with a slower delivery. In the fourth over he again bowled a slower one dismissing Ingram with a caught and bowl. It was two
quick wickets in his consecutive overs. South Africa had an unexpectedly slower start to their innings as their run rate was constantly around 3 runs per over. For Pakistan, it was some disciplined bowling on their part, as Shoaib bowled with a beautiful line
and length and kept the batsmen uncomfortable during his opening spells.
Hashim Amla was one batsman who looked comfortable as not only did he provide the runs but he was the one who cemented their innings to a great level. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/AB-de-Villiers-c887 played a slow knock of 19 runs of 40 balls with one boundary. He was controversially given
out by the television umpire http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Zameer-Haider-c98559 when he was stumped by Zulqarnain Haider of the bowling of Afridi.
Duminy later came and did seem to build a good innings as he was knocking the ball in spaces for singles. Duminy provided a 59-run steady partnership along with Amla to give some foundation to their slow start. Duminy was dismissed in the 26th
over when he was caught by Zulqarnain Haider of the bowling of Hafeez. Miller also did not add much to the total as he was dismissed for 6 runs in the 26th over of the innings.
Things were not looking good for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 as they were under some threat of being dismissed for a low total. At that time Amla provided the support to their lower middle order. His innings was filled with some lovely boundaries and a sense of authority
in the middle of the pitch. He was very comfortable in his innings of 119* as he glided the ball for fours and singles. Amla was batting in a smooth manner and other batsmen were finding it difficult to spend time in the middle and time the ball for runs.
Amla had a slow partnership of 37 runs with J Morkel; run rate did become slow as overs went by but this partnership kept this factor in check so that South Africa does not lose any further wickets and get bowled out for a low total. Mean while Amla was playing
with ease and was scoring boundaries frequently. Majority of the boundaries in the South African innings were hit by Amla. In 39th over Morkel was dismissed and at that time South Africa were 163 for 6. Another vital partnership came for South Africa
when Botha and Amla contributed precious 38 runs, this time much quicker than the previous one. Botha was dismissed by Shoaib in the 46th over increasing his tally of wickets to 3. South Africa’s innings back bone was Hashim Amla’s innings of 119*. He was
able to score the odd boundaries and picked a lot of singles. It was his 5th hundred this year. South Africa managed 229 for the loss of 9 wickets. It was a gettable target but with Pakistan’s chasing record South Africa always fancied their chances.
Pakistan started slowly by losing wickets at the top order. Morkel and Tsotsobe bowled with great accuracy and line. They did not provide the batsmen with the chances of scoring freely of their bowling. In the fifth over Hafeez was dismissed by Tsotsobe
of a sorry score of 4 runs of 15 precious balls. In the very next over, Youns was dismissed by Morkel; he was dismissed for a duck. Both the bowlers bowled an exceptional opening spells.
Pakistan, apart from losing early wickets, were also lacking in the run rate department. Imran Farhat and Asad Shafiq contributed 85 solid runs in their partnership and did provide some support in the middle. It was a low partnership of 85 runs of 120
odd balls. But it did provide a necessary partnership in the middle as Pakistan was able to keep wickets in hand for some time. As Pakistani batsmen were scoring singles South Africa did field well to keep the run flow as slow as possible. Both batsmen scored
40 plus runs with almost a similar strike rate of in between 50. In the 27th over, Farhat was run out by de villiers of the throw of Theron. Afridi made some runs before he was caught by de villiers of the bowling of Morkel. South Africa’s main
feature was their disciplined bowling and they did not give much away to the batsmen.
Pakistan was 108 for 4 in the 29th over and they needed another 121 runs of 123 balls. Another blow came for Pakistan when Asad Shafiq was dismissed in the 33rd over leaving Pakistan score to 121 for 5. It was almost the similar situation
as of South Africa innings as they had also lost 5 wickets for the score of 126. Pakistan needed someone like Amla to stay till the end.
A lot was expected from http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Razzaq-c84421 who was the integral part in Pakistan’s victory in the second ODI. Unfortunately for Pakistan he was not able to repeat the feat; he was dismissed by Kallis when he was caught by de villiers in the 40th
over at the score of 12 runs. Pakistan needed 81 runs of 54 balls and it looked gloomy for Pakistan as no other professional batsman had to follow from there on.
It was yet another nervous show by the South African’s as they gave a lot of runs in the end and Pakistan came too close to their target of 229. It was some nervous bowling by their bowlers at the depth over’s, as they gave easy runs when it mattered the
most. Fawad Alam played an impressive knock of 56 runs and made the most of the power play. He, along with Wahab Riaz, contributed 33 runs off 16 balls and gave Pakistan a glimmer of hope to what seemed like an impossible thing at one time. South African bowlers,
who were disciplined earlier in the innings, went for runs later on. When Wahab Riaz was dismissed in the 46th over it was left to Fawad Alam to take Pakistan home. Wahab played an impressive innings of 11 balls 21 before being dismissed by M Morkel.
With 20 runs of 18 balls, Pakistan didn’t have many wickets in hand as Fawad Alam was left alone in his quest for the target. Saaed Ajmal wasted 8 important deliveries as Pakistan failed to score 12 runs from the last over. Tsotsobe was disciplined and effective
by giving 28 runs and managing 1 wicket. Morkel bowled impressively by picking 4 vital wickets. Hashim Amla was declared Man of the Match for his impressive knock of 119*. South Africa now leads the five match series 2-1.
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