South African batting on top of Pakistan’s bowlers
Rocked by the sudden and shocking departure of wicket-keeper batsman Zulqarnain Haider from the team the Pakistanis were pummelled to all parts of the Dubai International Cricket stadium as the South Africans posted a formidable total of 317/5 in perfect
batting conditions in the deciding match of the five match ODI series.
South African captain Graeme Smith won the toss and opted to bat first. The Proteas were in an offensive mindset from the outset as Hashim Amla tore into Shoaib Akhtar in the very first over of the match smacking him for three boundaries.
Hashim and Smith continued their onslaught as they targeted a total of 300 runs on a benign surface that looked full of runs. However, Smith was sent packing by Shoaib Akhtar when he wanted to smash him out of the park and lobbed an easy catch to skipper
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahid-Afridi-c2482 positioned at mid-off.
Hashim Amla, who scored a hundred in the third match of the series continued his brilliant run in the series as he posted a belligerent half century off only 33 balls. He looked in smashing touch and was set to post a hundred when his aggression got the
better of him and he skied a catch to Shoaib Akhtar positioned at the long-off boundary off Afridi’s bowling.
Amla hit 9 fours and 1 six in his 62 run knock that came off 47 balls. The Proteas continued their good run as the duo of Jacques Kallis and AB deVilliers tore into Pakistan’s bowling attack adding 121 runs for the third wicket association.
DeVilliers fell with the total on 219 as he flicked a ball from Afridi into the hands of Younis Khan positioned at mid-wicket. The wicket-keeper batsman hit 5 fours in his 61 run knock.
Soon afterwards Kallis was sent packing after a brilliant diving catch by Wahab Riaz at short third man off Afridi’s bowling. The all-rounder scored 83 off 95 balls and his innings included 4 fours.
Colin Ingram, who scored a hundred in the second match of the series, was run out by a direct throw by Abdul Rehman for 1 run.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Johan-Botha-c67173, who toyed with the Pakistani bowlers in the last few overs.
They took full advantage of the power play that was enforced in the 46th over of the innings and ended up posting a mammoth total.
JP Duminy was absolutely electrifying as he tore into Shoaib Akhtar and Wahab Riaz in the death overs.
He remained unbeaten on 59 runs, while Johan Botha was not out on 28 with the Proteas posting 317/5 on the board.
Duminy scored 59 off a mere 40 balls hitting 8 fours in the process. The Rawalpindi Express, Shoaib Akhtar, was hit for 77 runs off only 7 overs.
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