Get Ball by Ball Commentary of Australia vs South Africa 3rd ODI 2009

The winning runs, once again, come off the captain's bat. A rather comfortable win in the end, largely due to Boucher's patience and that frenzied cameo from who else but ... Albie "I'll be there for you" Morkel. It got tight in the middle there when Australia hit back with big wickets, but Albie and Boucher changed all that.

Just a quick recap for anyone who was late to join in. Australia batted first and set a target of 270. Despite a quick start, they were bowled out for 269 in 49.s overs. Botha was in the thick of things, taking 3 for 32 in his 10 overs and two smart catches. In reply for South Africa, Gibbs found some forms in the way he knows best, belting the cover off the ball. Australia were fairly bad with their catching, dropping two in the first over and then allowing the dangerous Albie a chance during the batting Powerplay. Gibbs had some fun, Kallis propped up the innings with a fifty, crossing 10,000 ODI runs today, and then Boucher and Albie played good hands. South Africa lead by 2-1 with two games to go. Those dropped catches made if fairly easy.

Not much dispute in the fact that Albie is the Man of the Match for his 22-ball 40.

We've been Jamie Alter and Sanjay Murari. Until the next game from Adelaide on Jan 26, thats it from Cricinfo.

46.3

Tait to Botha, FOUR, lovely shot off bent knee, Tait pitches full and wide and Botha gets to the pitch, driving a classy shot between the covers, and thats it for Australia as South Africa go up 2-1

46.3

Tait to Botha, 1 wide, too wide this time, wobbling away, Botha chases and misses

46.2

Tait to Botha, no run, fuller still, inviting the drive, but Botha watches it go to Haddin

46.1

Tait to Botha, no run, full outside off stump, he kneels down and drives to extra cover

Tait gets another over. Just five to win from four overs. Here's Botha.

END OF OVER:
46 | 15 Runs 1 Wkt | SA: 265/7 (5 runs required from 24 balls, RR: 5.76, RRR: 1.25)

Mark Boucher31 (44b)

Nathan Hauritz9-0-60-2
Nathan Bracken9-2-29-1

But what an innings again from Albie. South Africa will be home with ease. Forty from 22 balls.

45.6

Hauritz to Morkel, OUT, one hit too many, trying to finish it off with a six, but he doesn't get the desired power on the slog and the ball is taken down at wide long-on by Hopes, running around and sliding onto his knees to complete a good catch

JA Morkel c Hopes b Hauritz 40 (33m 22b 6x4 1x6) SR: 181.81

45.5

Hauritz to Morkel, no run, smartly fired in wider and Albie has a swing and a miss

45.4

Hauritz to Morkel, FOUR, swings again and pings the midwicket ropes, what fun he is

45.3

Hauritz to Morkel, FOUR, swings across the line again, miscuing this one up into the starry night, Marsh runs across from midwicket and dives in vain, just missing what would have been a blinder

45.2

Hauritz to Morkel, SIX, there she goes! Albie doesn't waste a second in sizing up Hauritz, who tosses it up from around the stumps, down he goes, clearing the front leg and depositing that into the second tier above midwicket, what a stunning hit

How will Morkel tackle spin? The fielders drop deep all round.

45.1

Hauritz to Boucher, 1 run, sweeps from outside off stump into the gap behind square leg

Interesting. Nathan Hauritz has been given the ball after the Powerplay.

END OF OVER:
45 | 9 Runs | SA: 250/6 (20 runs required from 30 balls, RR: 5.55, RRR: 4.00)

Albie Morkel26 (17b)
Mark Boucher30 (43b)

Nathan Bracken9-2-29-1
Shaun Tait9-0-50-1

44.6

Bracken to Morkel, FOUR, full down leg stump, Albie also moves away and flicks with it away for four, a shot of immense confidence and whats more, he's picked out the gap to ease the pressure

44.5

Bracken to Boucher, 1 run, very full again and this time Boucher squeezes it wide of point

44.4

Bracken to Boucher, no run, fuller ball outside off and Boucher hits it back to Bracken

Bracken changes the angle ...

South Africa INNINGS		R	B
HM Amla	run out	13	19
HH Gibbs	caught	64	52
JH Kallis	caught wk	60	72
AB de Villiers	caught	5	4
JP Duminy	bowled	9	23
ND McKenzie	run out	27	42
MV Boucher	not out	31	44
JA Morkel	caught	40	22
J Botha	not out	4	3
DW Steyn
M Ntini
EXTRAS	(b 4, lb 3, w 8, nb 2)
TOTAL	270 (7 wkts; 46.3 ovs)

Australia BOWLING	O	M	R	W	Econ
SW Tait	9.3	0	55	1	5.78	(2nb, 2w)
NW Bracken	9.0	2	29	1	3.22
MG Johnson	9.0	0	71	1	7.88	(2w)
JR Hopes	10.0	0	48	0	4.80
NM Hauritz	9.0	0	60	2	6.66	(3w)

Wkt	Runs	Players
1st	29	HH Gibbs	HM Amla
2nd	96	JH Kallis	HH Gibbs
3rd	15	JH Kallis	AB de Villiers
4th	23	JH Kallis	JP Duminy
5th	0	JH Kallis	ND McKenzie
6th	46	MV Boucher	ND McKenzie
7th	56	MV Boucher	JA Morkel
8th	5	MV Boucher	J Botha

END OF OVER:
46 | 15 Runs 1 Wkt | SA: 265/7 (5 runs required from 24 balls, RR: 5.76, RRR: 1.25)

END OF OVER:
45 | 9 Runs | SA: 250/6 (20 runs required from 30 balls, RR: 5.55, RRR: 4.00)

Match Coverage

A slow but steady ascent

Morkel blasts South Africa to 2-1 lead

South Africa 2nd innings Partnerships

END OF OVER:46 | 15 Runs 1 Wkt | SA: 265/7 (5 runs required from 24 balls, RR: 5.76, RRR: 1.25)

END OF OVER:45 | 9 Runs | SA: 250/6 (20 runs required from 30 balls, RR: 5.55, RRR: 4.00)

A slow but steady ascent

Morkel blasts South Africa to 2-1 lead

END OF OVER:
46 | 15 Runs 1 Wkt | SA: 265/7 (5 runs required from 24 balls, RR: 5.76, RRR: 1.25)

END OF OVER:
45 | 9 Runs | SA: 250/6 (20 runs required from 30 balls, RR: 5.55, RRR: 4.00)