Cricket: No more drama as Proteas win

Smith, Amla hit centuries as South Africa take 1-0 lead against Australia after eight-wicket victory in first Test.

CAPE TOWN:

Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla both hit centuries to take South Africa to a comfortable eight-wicket victory over Australia to end one of cricket’s most topsy-turvy Test matches.

Amla raced to a 126-ball century before being caught for 112 with his team 14 short of their target of 236.

South African captain Smith became the first player in history to score four centuries in winning fourth-innings run chases, reaching the mark with a single to level the scores and then hitting the winning run to finish on 101 not out.

Smith and Amla put on 195 for the second wicket in only 184 minutes off 248 balls. The ease of their strokeplay on a sunny morning made a mockery of the previous day’s batting collapses by both teams.

South Africa completed their win before lunch on the third day to take a 1-0 lead in the two-Test series.

Both the speed and decisiveness of the win seemed improbable less than 24 hours earlier when South Africa were bowled out for 96 in their first-innings, giving Australia a lead of 188 runs. But Australia were shot out for 47 to swing the odds back in the home team’s favour.

Smith and Amla started the day on 88 for one and there was an early alarm when Amla, after adding only one to his overnight score of 29, was dropped at first slip by Shane Watson off Ryan Harris. Amla had been dropped off the last ball of the second day’s play by Mike Hussey at gully, also off Harris.

But there were no more surprises as South Africa reached home in the 51st over.

Smith ecstatic

The South Africa captain was a pleased man as his side turned the match around after being dismissed for 96. “It was incredible,” said Smith. “[The second day] was a mind boggle for all of us. It’s a win I need to give to the bowlers. They got us back in the game and set it up for us.

“Vernon Philander has deserved his call-up. He had a wicket that he could work with and he made it count.”

His counterpart Michael Clarke, who made 151 and led Australia to 284 in the first-innings, was a disappointed man after his ton failed to help the tourists win. “Without doubt we let ourselves down. Full credit goes to South Africa, for how they bowled and the way they played.

“It was horrendous shot selection on our part. There was enough in the pitch during the whole game. A hundred is useful only if you help your team win. I’ll forget about that pretty quickly.”

Philander named man of the match

The debutant fast-bowler, who finished with figures of eight for 88 in the match, understandably termed the victory special. “I was a bit nervous when I woke up. It was one of the biggest turnarounds in cricket and it’s special.”

Published in The Express Tribune, November 12^th,  2011.