Proteas humiliate the Aussies

2006-03-03 21:33

Cape Town - Makhaya Ntini took the best figures by a South African in one-day international cricket as South Africa crushed Australia by 196 runs in the second one-day international at Newlands Friday.

The win put South Africa 2-0 up in a five-match series.

Ntini took four wickets in a devastating opening spell and finished with six for 22 as Australia were bowled out for 93, their fourth-lowest all-time total.

Herschelle Gibbs and Justin Kemp hit aggressive but contrasting half-centuries as South Africa posted an imposing total of 289 for seven on a slow pitch.

Gibbs made an elegant 66 and Kemp bludgeoned an unbeaten 51.

Martyn was Ntini's 200th victim

Any hopes Australia had of making a contest of it were blasted away by Ntini, who took two wickets in his first over and had figures of four for four after five overs.

His final figures were better than the six for 23 by Allan Donald against Kenya in Nairobi in 1996/97.

Ntini's third victim, Damien Martyn, was his 200th wicket in 126 one-day internationals. He is the third South African to achieve the feat behind Donald and Shaun Pollock.

It was the biggest victory by a margin of runs in one-day matches between the two countries.

South Africa beat Australia by 109 runs in Bloemfontein in 1996/97.

Australia were again without injured captain Ricky Ponting (abdominal strain) and all-rounder Andrew Symonds (hip-flexor muscle) and have less than 36 hours to get the two key men fit ahead of what could be the deciding match of the series in Port Elizabeth Sunday.

Kemp smashed four sixes

Gibbs and Kemp were mainly responsible for South Africa's total, the highest in a match between two Test countries in a one-day game at Newlands.

While Gibbs made his runs off 71 balls, with eight skillfully-placed fours, Kemp smashed his runs off 41 deliveries, hitting four sixes before a lone four off the last ball of the innings took him to his half-century.

Gibbs and Mark Boucher put on 80 off 79 balls for the fourth wicket to set up a competitive target for the world champions to chase in a day-night match on a ground where teams have struggled to score quickly under floodlights.

South Africa's innings was given late impetus by Kemp and Shaun Pollock, who put on 62 off 45 balls for the sixth wicket, with Pollock slamming 38 off 27 deliveries.

Ntini struck with his first ball when Adam Gilchrist, Australia's stand-in captain, was caught behind by Mark Boucher off an inside edge for one.

Four balls later Phil Jaques, who arrived in South Africa Wednesday as cover for Ponting, was caught at second slip for nought.

In his only previous one-day international the Australian left-hander made 94 against South Africa in Melbourne in January.

Damien Martyn was caught at fine leg and Michael Clarke caught behind as Australia crashed to a scarcely credible seven for four off 9.3 overs. With Pollock bowling immaculately in tandem with Ntini, the total was still stuck on seven after 11 overs.

Opener Simon Katich, who scored his first run in the 12th over off the 29th ball he faced, made 16 before he was caught at cover off Andre Nel, while Michael Hussey made 22 before being caught by Kemp at short mid-wicket off a full-blooded pull against Nel.

Ntini returned to wrap up the innings, with the last man out, all-rounder Shane Watson, caught behind after making top score of 27.

- AFP