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Ponting, Lee guide Australia to emphatic win
BLOEMFONTEIN: Australia's Ricky Ponting scored his ninth century in One-day Internationals while Brett Lee took four wickets for the second time in as many matches as the tourists clinched their third win by defeating South Africa here at Goodyear Park in Bloemfontein in the fourth One-day International match of the seven-match series by 37 runs.
Chasing 291 runs to win the match and earn their first win of the series, the hosts were bowled out for 253 runs in 48.1 overs. They lost wickets at regular intervals and only four batsmen from their side managed to reach double figures. Debutant opening batsman Graeme Smith scored 41 runs while after his departure in the sixteenth over, the experienced pair of Neil McKenzie and Jacques Kallis stabilized the innings and took South Africa to safety. They added 71 runs for the fourth wicket in 12.3 overs before Lehmann caught Kallis off his own bowling in the 28th over for 43 runs which came off 51 balls.
McKenzie and Jonty Rhodes then scored runs freely and went on to score half centuries but their heroics went in vain as after the departure of McKenzie for 67 in the 41st over, no other batsman barring Jonty Rhodes managed to stay at the wicket and score runs at will. Rhodes was the last man to be dismissed for the hosts as after scoring 56 runs off 49 balls, he was caught by Ian Harvey in the 49th over to give Brett Lee his fourth wicket in the match.
Earlier, Australian skipper Ricky Ponting celebrated his return to form with a century, which helped his side post 290 runs on the board - the highest total of the series. Ponting, who had earlier won the toss and elected to bat, scored 129 off 126 balls with 15 fours and a six. His score is now the highest by any Australian in One-day Internationals against South Africa, surpassing Steve Waugh's 120 not out at the 1999 World Cup.
His ninth One-day International century came off 105 balls and along with Darren Lehmann shared 119 runs off 92 balls for the fourth wicket. He was finally dismissed in the 48th when he top edged a leg-side full toss from Kallis to Pollock at mid-wicket but after his departure, Brett Lee finished the innings by hitting Kallis over extra cover for six.
Ponting was declared Man of the Match for his match-winning knock. Australia and South Africa will now play each other on April 3 at Durban for the first of the two day-night encounters of the series.
March 30, 2002 - 1455 GMT
Match evenly poised after McKenzie's heroics
BLOEMFONTEIN: South African batsman Neil McKenzie scored a half century against Australia and helped his team recover from the loss of four wickets in the fourth One-day International match of the seven-match series here at Goodyear Park in Bloemfontein.
Chasing 291 runs to win the match and earn their first win of the series, the hosts were in deep trouble when, after the early loss of openers, they lost debutant Graeme Smith in the sixteenth over for 41 runs. But after the departure of Smith, the experienced pair of Neil McKenzie and Jacques Kallis stabilized the innings and took South Africa to safety. The two added 71 runs for the fourth wicket in 12.3 overs before Lehmann caught Kallis off his own bowling in the 28th over for 43 runs which came off 51 balls.
The loss of Kallis brought Jonty Rhodes to the wicket, who along with McKenzie, has added 34 runs and was still getting better. At the conclusion of the 36th over, the hosts have scored 172 runs for the loss of four wickets. Neil McKenzie had scored 52 not out off 74 balls while Rhodes' 18 not out came off just 20 balls. The hosts now require 119 more runs to win the match in the remaining 14 overs at an asking rate of 8.50 runs per over.
March 30, 2002 - 1400 GMT
SA lose openers again as McGrath strikes early
BLOEMFONTEIN: Australia's Glenn McGrath helped his side reduce South Africa to 2/14 by the seventh over in the fourth One-day International match of the seven-match series here at Goodyear Park in Bloemfontein.
Chasing 291 runs to win the match and earn their first win of the series, the hosts lost their openers again for low score. Gary Kirsten opened the innings with debutant Graeme Smith but was first to return to the pavilion. He scored three runs and was caught by Adam Gilchrist off McGrath in the third over. In the seventh over, Andrew Hall became the second South African player to return to the pavilion as he was caught by Jimmy Maher off McGrath for three. After Hall's departure, sensible batting from Jacques Kallis and Smith brought some respectability to the South African score as the two added 53 runs in less than 9 overs. In an attempt to increase the scoring, Smith missed his half-century on debut by nine runs and was finally dismissed in the sixteenth over when Neil Harvey bowled him for 41 runs.
At the conclusion of the first 19 overs, the hosts have scored 90 runs for the loss of three wickets. Kallis was batting at 23 not out off 28 balls while Neil McKenzie had scored 12 not out off 15 balls. For the hosts, Glenn McGrath took 2/12 off his five overs while Harvey has taken 1/19 off his first three. The hosts now require 201 more runs to win the match in the remaining 31 overs at an asking rate of 6.48 runs per over.
March 30, 2002 - 1145 GMT
Ponting celebrates return to form with century
BLOEMFONTEIN: Australian skipper Ricky Ponting celebrated his return to form with a century, which helped his side post the highest total of the series in the fourth One-day International match of the seven-match series against South Africa here at Goodyear Park in Bloemfontein.
Ponting, who had earlier won the toss and elected to bat, scored 129 off 126 balls with 15 fours and a six. His score was the highest by any Australian in One-day Internationals against South Africa, surpassing Steve Waugh's 120 not out at the 1999 World Cup.
Ponting's ninth One-day International century came off 105 balls and along with Darren Lehmann shared 119 runs off 92 balls for the fourth wicket. He was finally dismissed in the 48th when he top edged a leg-side full toss from Kallis to Pollock at midwicket but after his departure, Brett Lee finished the innings by hitting Kallis over extra cover for six.
South Africa now require 291 to win their first match of the series in 50 overs. They are now trailing by 2-0 in the series as the last match between the two sides ended in a draw.
March 30, 2002 - 0940 GMT
Gilchrist, Hayden provide ideal start to Australia
BLOEMFONTEIN: Australian openers Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden provided the tourists with an ideal opening stand and were inseparable even after ten overs against South Africa here at Goodyear Park in Bloemfontein in the fourth One-day International of the seven-match series.
Australia, who are leading the series 2-0, had at the conclusion of the first ten overs had scored 38 runs. Adam Gilchrist was batting at 19 runs, which came off 33 balls while Hayden had scored 17 runs off 29 balls.
March 30, 2002 - 0815 GMT
Ponting opts to bat first after winning toss
BLOEMFONTEIN: Australian skipper Ricky Ponting won the toss and elected to bat first against South Africa here at Goodyear Park in Bloemfontein in the fourth One-day International of the seven-match series .
Australia have dropped Andrew Bichel and Shane Watson in favour of Glenn McGrath and Ian Harvey while South Africa have included Roger Telemachus, Gary Kirsten and Graeme Smith in place of the out-of-form Herschelle Gibbs, injured Lance Klusener and batsman Boeta Dippenaar.
Australia are leading the series 2-0 as the last match between the two sides ended in a tie.
South Africa:
Shaun Pollock (captain), Nicky Boje, Mark Boucher, Andrew Hall, Jacques Kallis, Gary Kirsten, Neil McKenzie, Makhaya Ntini, Jonty Rhodes, Graeme Smith, Roger Telemachus.
Australia:
Ricky Ponting (captain), Adam Gilchrist, Jimmy Maher, Matthew Hayden, Damien Martyn, Darren Lehmann, Ian Harvey, Nathan Hauritz, Jason Gillespie, Brett Lee, Glenn McGrath.
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