South Africa post below-par 220 total in 3rd ODI against India – first innings report
SA 220 all out in 49.2 overs
Hosts http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 failed to make use of winning the toss on a sluggish wicket at the Newlands in Cape Town, posting a below-par total which might give the touring Indians a real chance of taking a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.
The hosts were never in the hunt for a big score as they kept losing wickets from the outset. Hashim Amla (16 runs), their most prolific run-getter in recent months, was the first one to go; he was castled by a superb delivery
by Indian pace ace Zaheer Khan. The ball seamed in after pitching and all Amla could do was to inside edge it onto his stumps.
The next to go was Colin Ingram, whose poor run in the series continued: the left-hander was snapped in the slips by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Virat-Kohli-c95424 off a jubilant Harbhajan Singh. He could only contribute 10 runs.
The hosts were then dealt a stinging blow when Zaheer Khan pulled off a stunning catch at the deep mid-wicket fence off Yusuf Pathan, which sent http://www.senore.com/Cricket/AB-de-Villiers-c887 back. The impressive right-hander could only score a mere 16 runs off
20 balls.
The hosts lost their captain Graeme Smith (43 runs) – who was showing good form - when his attempted flick onto the onside landed in Kohli’s hands in the slips.
The Proteas were staring down the barrel after Smith’s demise; they needed a rescue act which was brought by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Faf-du-Plessis-c1427. Du Plessis posted a half-century in his first outing for his country, scoring a
well-composed 60 off 78 balls. His innings included 2 fours; the right-hander was sent packing by Munaf Patel in the 45th over.
The South Africans lost Duminy next; the Southpaw was bowled by Zaheer Khan as he attempted to flick the ball over the short-fine leg region, for a well-made 52. The hosts had taken the batting powerplay at this stage and paid
a heavy price.
After Duminy’s departure, Wayne Parnell was run out for 5; his dismissal increased the South African agony at this stage of the innings.
The Proteas were choked further with the loss of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Dale-c52110 Steyn, whose attempt to blast the ball out of the park ended in the hands of Suresh Raina positioned at deep mid-wicket.
The innings ended in the final over when last man Lonwabo Tsotsobe was run out without scoring. For http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750, Zaheer Khan claimed 3 while Harbhajan Singh and Munaf Patel had a haul of 2 wickets each.
Tags: