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Gilchrist, Hayden guide Australia to series-winning victory
DURBAN: Openers Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden scored 170 runs for the first wicket and helped Australia earn a series-winning victory against South Africa here at Kingsmead Durban in the fifth One-day International of the seven-match series.
Chasing 268 runs to win the match, the tourists started off well with both the openers collecting runs at will. Gilchrist, who had failed in the last four matches, was dropped by Jacques Kallis in the slips off Shaun Pollock in the fourth over and made the most of the dropped chance. He, along with Matthew Hayden, put on 170 for the first wicket in 30 overs, flaying the hapless home attack to all corners of Kingsmead, before Mornantau Hayward bowled the latter for 59 in the 31st over. Hayden, who played very much the junior role in the huge opening stand, went to his half century from 85 balls with five boundaries and in all, faced 91 deliveries and struck seven fours.
Gilchrist completed his seventh century in One-day Internationals soon after Hayden's departure but after steering his side close to a win, the left-hander perished to a Makhaya Ntini short ball which he hooked to fine leg where debutant John Kent took a fine diving catch. He hit 12 fours and a six during his 104-ball stay and his loss in the 34th over brought Damien Martyn (47 not out off 44 balls) and Ricky Ponting (44 not out off 54 balls) together who saw the tourists past the South African total on the fifth ball of the 48th over.
Earlier, brilliant batting from Graeme Smith and Jonty Rhodes helped South Africa post 267 runs for the loss of six wickets against Australia after touring skipper Ricky Ponting won the toss and elected to field first. Smith, who missed his maiden half century in one-dayers for the second time in as many matches, scored 46 runs off 77 balls and featured in two useful partnerships. He added 40 runs for the first wicket with fellow opener Herschelle Gibbs (25 runs off 27 balls) while scored 42 runs for the second wicket with pinch-hitter Nicky Boje (22 runs off 22 balls). He stayed at the wicket after losing both Gibbs and Boje and was finally dismissed in the 26th over when, in an attempt to increase the scoring, he top-edged a Shane Warne delivery only to be caught by a running Adam Gilchrist.
Jonty Rhodes came to the wicket after the departure of Smith and along with Neil McKenzie (17 runs off 16 balls) and Mark Boucher (41 not out off 42 balls) massacred the Australian bowling with some lusty hitting. In the last 10 overs, Rhodes and Boucher hit the ball to all parts of the ground and with the help of Pollock (6 not out off 6 balls), who came to bat after the departure of Rhodes, added 86 runs. The Rhodes-Boucher partnership for the sixth wicket took the South African score from 158/5 to 255/6 - an increase of 97 runs which ended when Rhodes was finally dismissed in the 49th over for a 70-ball 76.
Adam Gilchrist was declared Man of the Match for his brilliant century which helped Australia win the match by eight wickets. The tourists now lead the series 4-0 with two matches still to be played. Both the teams will now meet each other on April 6th in the sixth One-day International of the seven-match series at Port Elizabeth.
April 03, 2002 - 1820 GMT
Gilchrist, Hayden tear SA apart with record partnership
DURBAN: Australian openers Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden provided their side with the best opening partnership of the series and took Australia close to a series winning victory against South Africa here at Kingsmead Durban in the fifth One-day International of the seven-match series.
Chasing 268 runs to win the match, the tourists have scored 95 runs in their first 17 overs. Both the openers are in devastating mood and are collecting runs at will. Gilchrist, who was not having a good time as a batsman, was dropped by Jacques Kallis in the slips off Shaun Pollock in the fourth over and has not looked back since. He has scored 59 runs off 56 balls while his partner Matthew Hayden has scored 29 not out off 48 balls.
The Aussies now require 173 more runs in the remaining 33 overs at an asking rate of 5.24 runs per over to win the match and the series while the hosts would be looking forward to a morale-boosting win ahead of the last two matches.
April 03, 2002 - 1645 GMT
Smith, Rhodes help SA post 267 runs
DURBAN: Brilliant batting from Graeme Smith and Jonty Rhodes helped South Africa post 267 runs for the loss of six wickets against Australia after touring skipper Ricky Ponting won the toss and elected to field first here at Kingsmead Durban in the fifth One-day International of the seven-match series.
Smith, who missed his maiden half century in one-dayers for the second time in as many matches, scored 46 runs off 77 balls and featured in two useful partnerships. He added 40 runs for the first wicket with fellow opener Herschelle Gibbs (25 runs off 27 balls) while scored 42 runs for the second wicket with pinch-hitter Nicky Boje (22 runs off 22 balls). He stayed at the wicket after losing both Gibbs and Boje and was finally dismissed in the 26th over when, in an attempt to increase the scoring, he top-edged a Shane Warne delivery only to be caught by a running Adam Gilchrist.
Jonty Rhodes came to the wicket after the departure of Smith and along with Neil McKenzie (17 runs off 16 balls) and Mark Boucher (41 not out off 42 balls) massacred the Australian bowling with some lusty hitting. In the last 10 overs, Rhodes and Boucher hit the ball to all parts of the ground and with the help of Pollock (6 not out off 6 balls), who came to bat after the departure of Rhodes, added 86 runs. The Rhodes-Boucher partnership for the sixth wicket took the South African score from 158/5 to 255/6 - an increase of 97 runs. Rhodes was finally dismissed in the 49th over for a 70-ball 76 and proved that he still is one of the best batsmen in the world. For the tourists, Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath took two wickets each for 44 and 54 runs while Brett Lee and Jason Gillespie finished with expensive figures of 1/57 and 1/54 respectively.
Australia now require 268 runs to win the match in fifty overs at an asking rate of 5.36 runs per over while the hosts would be hoping to win the match by either restricting the Aussies or by bowling them out.
April 03, 2002 - 1525 GMT
Smith steers SA to safety with patient knock
DURBAN: South African opener Graeme Smith missed his maiden half century in one-dayers for the second time in as many matches but steered his side to safety after the hosts were asked to bat first here at Kingsmead Durban in the fifth One-day International of the seven-match series against Australia.
Smith (46 runs off 77 balls), who scored 41 on his limited overs debut last week, was finally dismissed in the 26th over when, in an attempt to increase the scoring, he top edged a Shane Warne delivery which was caught by a running Adam Gilchrist. He added 42 runs for the second wicket with Nicky Boje who scored a run-a-ball 22 and was caught and bowled by Brett Lee in the 17th over. After the departure of Boje and Smith, the experienced duo of Jacques Kallis and Jonty Rhodes batted slowly for sometime but before Kallis could show his true colours, he was caught by Jimmy Maher off McGrath for 21 runs which came off 41 balls.
At the end of 34 overs, the hosts have scored 149 runs for the loss of four wickets. Neil McKenzie (14 not out off 11 balls) and the ever-popular Jonty Rhodes (15 not out off 26 balls) were batting for the Proteas while for the tourists, spinner Shane Warne and pacers Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie and Brett Lee managed to take a wicket each for 27, 37, 20 and 26 runs respectively.
April 03, 2002 - 1400 GMT
SA make steady progress despite losing Gibbs
DURBAN: South African openers Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs scored 40 runs for the first
wicket and provided their side with a better start who were asked to bat first by the Australian skipper Ricky Ponting here at Kingsmead Durban in the fifth One-day International of the seven-match series.
Gibbs, who was dropped in the seventh over by Adam Gilchrist off Glenn McGrath, scored 25 runs off 27 balls before being caught by the Australian wicket-keeper in the tenth over off Jason Gillespie. After his departure, Smith and Boje batted sensibly and saw the team through to the first drinks break without getting separated. For the tourists, Gillespie took the only wicket to fall and gave away 20 runs in his six overs while McGrath's six overs cost 26 runs.
At the end of 14 overs, the hosts have scored 65 runs for the loss of Herschelle Gibbs. Graeme Smith (28 not out off 44 balls) and pinch-hitter Nicky Boje (9 not out off 13 balls) were batting for the Proteas who would be hoping to score more than 275 runs in their full 50 overs.
April 03, 2002 - 1245 GMT
Ponting opts to bowl first after winning toss
DURBAN: Australian skipper Ricky Ponting won the toss and elected to bowl first here at Kingsmead Durban in the fifth One-day International of the seven-match series against South Africa. Australia, who are leading the series 3-0, have been strengthened by the return of Michael Bevan and Shane Warne who have made it to the final XI at the expense of the injured Darren Lehmann and the impressive Nathan Hauritz respectively.
On the other hand, the hosts have recalled Herschelle Gibbs who missed the last match in place of Gary Kirsten who was axed after the last match because of poor form. He would be opening the batting along with Graeme Smith who impressed everyone with his batting in the last match, which was his debut. All-rounder Lance Klusener would find himself out of the playing XI because of an injury and in his place, debutant John Kent would be playing. Nantie Hayward joins Kent and Gibbs in the playing XI at the expense of Andrew Hall who failed to keep his place in the squad for the last three matches.
Teams:
South Africa: Shaun Pollock (captain), Graeme Smith, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Neil McKenzie,
Jonty Rhodes, Nicky Boje, Mark Boucher, Makhaya Ntini, Nantie Hayward, John Kent.
Australia: Ricky Ponting (captain), Adam Gilchrist, Jimmy Maher, Matthew Hayden, Michael Bevan, Shane Warne, Damien Martyn, Ian Harvey, Jason Gillespie, Brett Lee, Glenn McGrath.
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