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SA snatch incredible win
12/03/2006 18:42 - (SA)
Johannesburg - South Africa did the apparently impossible and snatched a last-gasp one-wicket victory over Australia in the fifth one-day international against Australia, clinching the series 3-2.
The 32 000 spectators who packed the Wanderers had a day to remember, and much to cheer about, as both teams reached their highest totals at nearly nine runs an over.
It was the highest aggregate of runs in any one-day international, and the first time any team had scored more than 400 runs. The crowd were thrilled by fours and sixes a-plenty. Australia contributed 44 fours and 14 sixes, and South Africa hit 44 fours and 12 sixes.
Chasing a seemingly insurmountable target of 435 to win, South Africa made 438 for nine. They set about their task with a will - playing the "brave" cricket skipper Graeme Smith and coach Mickey Arthur have so often talked about.
Boeta Dippenaar was out for one in the second over, bowled by Bracken, but Smith and Gibbs had the crowd screaming with excitement as they raced to a second wicket partnership of 187 - the highest South African second wicket partnership against Australia, beating the 140 made by Kepler Wessels and Hansie Cronje in Melbourne in 1993/94.
Caught by Michael Clarke
It ended when Smith was caught at midwicket by Michael Hussey for 90. He had faced 55 balls, and hit 13 boundaries and two sixes.
AB de Villiers joined Gibbs, and they put on 94 runs off 53 balls before De Villiers was caught by Michael Clarke off Bracken for 14. He had played sensibly, making sure that Gibbs got the strike whenever possible.
Gibbs was out six balls later, caught by Brett Lee off Andrew Symonds for 175 - his highest score in one-day cricket. It had taken him two hours and 22 minutes, and he had faced 111 balls, hitting 21 boundaries and seven sixes.
Jacques Kallis and Mark Boucher put on 28 runs for the fifth wicket before Kallis was caught and bowled by Symonds for 20 at a run a ball.
With 10 overs to go, South Africa needed to score 93 runs to win. Forced to go for the shots, began to lose wickets regularly. Kemp (13) was caught by Damien Martyn off Bracken, and Ricky Ponting caught Johan van der Wath also off Bracken, for 35. He had faced 18 balls and scored a four and three sixes.
Telemachus went out in the 49th over, for 12 off six balls.
When the final over started, South Africa needed seven runs off six balls, with Lee the bowler. Boucher scrambled a run off the first, and Hall hit the next to the boundary. South Africa now needed two runs off four balls.
But Lee grabbed Hall's wicket off his next delivery, when Hall was caught by Clarke for seven. Makhaya Ntini snatched a single off the next ball, and the crowd erupted - the teams were tied on 434.
Snatched the victory
Boucher hit the fifth ball for four - and South Africa had snatched victory from what seemed inevitable defeat. Boucher's boundary gave him his 19th limited overs half century off 43 balls.
All the bowlers were savaged - Mick Lewis had the dubious distinction of conceding the most runs in history - 110 off his 10 overs. Nathan Bracken, with figures of five for 67, was the most successful bowler in either side.
The Test series starts at Newlands in Cape Town on Thursday.
- SAPA
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