Victory for England

2003-07-08 22:51

Birmingham - Skipper Michael Vaughan led from the front with a fine 83, his highest ODI score, as England beat South Africa by four wickets in their day-night match at Edgbaston on Tuesday, SuperSport reported.

The tourists made early inroads but failed to keep their opponents on the ropes as England recovered from a perilous 30-3 to eclipse South Africa's inadequate 198-9 with 11 overs to spare.

The win will give the home side a marked confidence boost going into the final against the same team on Saturday.

Vaughan and Andrew Flintoff put England back on track with what proved to be a match-winning stand of 110 for the fourth wicket.

Flintoff was at his belligerent best, hitting with fine power and placement to score 54 from just 40 balls. He was out when he top-edged another big pull shot down to Paul Adams at fine leg off Makhaya Ntini.

Vaughan was out just six runs shy of victory when he was trapped lbw by Andrew Hall. He figured in another telling partnership for the fifth wicket of 77 with Rikki Clarke, who was out for 37 with the scores level, when he was adjudged leg before to Paul Adams.

Initial breakthrough

Ntini had made the initial breakthrough for South Africa by getting the better of compulsive hooker Vikram Solanki (2).

The opener couldn't resist another short delivery, and miscued his pull shot straight to Andre Nel at mid-on in the fourth over.

Four balls later, Shaun Pollock got rid of dangerman Marcus Trescothick, who edged to Andrew Hall at slip to depart for 8.

Jacques Kallis continued his purple patch of form by striking with his first delivery, which clean bowled Anthony McGrath for 11 as the home side slumped to 30-3.

This was as good as it got for South Africa however, and the tourists suffered a further blow in the 20th over when substitute fielder Nicky Boje badly injured an ankle and was carried off and taken to hospital for x-rays.

Earlier, South Africa chose to bat and started brightly but suffered a mid innings slump before clawing their way to 198-9 from 50 overs.

Martin van Jaarsveld and Paul Adams ensured that the visitors will have something to bowl at with a spirited stand of 71 for the eighth wicket, having come together with South Africa tottering on 104-7.

Van Jaarsveld, in his first decent knock of the series, saved some face for his team with his highest ODI score of 45. He was eighth man out when he was trapped lbw by part-timer McGrath.

The gritty Adams ended unbeaten on 33, also his highest ODI score.

Anderson

It all began so differently. South African captain Graeme Smith got his side off to a rollicking start by taking 19 runs from the first over by James Anderson.

Smith hit two square drives, a clip past mid wicket and a pull through mid-on to the boundary and also scored a three through the leg side.

At the start of the fifth over however, Herschelle Gibbs (2) smashed a Darren Gough long-hop straight to Rikki Clarke at short cover to depart in disappointing fashion.

Smith looked in fine touch and raced to 45 from 39 balls before he was unluckily dismissed.

He pulled a short delivery from Flintoff smartly to McGrath at square leg. The fielder failed to hold on to the chance, but the ball bobbled into McGrath's body and he squeezed his thighs together at the right time to complete the 'catch'.

Jacques Kallis, the form man of the series, was out two balls later to an unbelievable reflex catch by Flintoff.

A full blooded back foot drive off Richard Johnson was smashed to a wide gully where Flintoff dived acrobatically to his right to hold on to a stinging one-handed catch and Kallis was on his way for 15.

Andrew Hall was then trapped lbw by Johnson for 3 as South Africa slumped from 65-1 to 74-4.

Fine analysis

Mark Boucher (13) put on 25 for the fifth wicket with Jacques Rudolph before he was caught at slip by Trescothick off Anderson, who atoned for his earlier mauling by picking up three quick wickets.

He had Rudolph (16) snapped up at short cover by McGrath for 17 and very next ball Pollock was held at slip by Flintoff.

Anderson ultimately ended with the fine analysis of 4/38 from his ten overs.

South Africa included Andre Nel in their line-up. Nel replaced Charl Langeveldt in the only change to the SA team that beat Zimbabwe in their match on Saturday.

England also made one change to their side by bringing in left-arm spinner Ashley Giles.

Giles was left out of the line-up in Sunday's emphatic victory over Zimbabwe as England went for a full-on pace attack. He replaces Steve Harmison for the penultimate league match.

Giles has taken only one wicket in six England one-dayers this summer.

- News24