Malinga leaves S. Africa shaken but not stirred
Sri Lanka's Lasith Malinga celebrates after dismissing South Africa batsman Andrew Hall for a duck during their Super Eight Cricket World Cup match at the Guyana National Stadium in Georgetown, Guyana on Wednesday. Malinga took four wickets with four balls. South Africa won by 1 wicket with 10 balls remaining. AP |
Malinga's heroics set up the most exciting finale yet between two serious contenders in a tournament which had been overshadowed by the death of Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer on March 18 and marred by a number of one-sided group matches.
With no major developments announced in the murder investigation of Woolmer continuing in Kingston, Jamaica, the second-round action in Guyana the "Super Eights" grabbed most of the attention on day 16 of the seven-week tournament.
Malinga's low-slung, slingshot action accounted for Shaun Pollock, Andrew Hall, Jacques Kallis and Makhaya Ntini from successive deliveries when South Africa appeared to be coasting to victory in Georgetown.
No player in test or one-day internationals had previously taken four wickets in four balls.
Record dismissals
With two runs still required and only one wicket in hand, tailender Robin Peterson edged an attempted drive past slip off Malinga to take his team to victory with 10 balls to spare.
"I didn't know if anyone else had taken four," Malinga told a news conference. "I know now I was the first person and I'm very happy. But my team lost the game."
There was no such drama earlier on Wednesday in Antigua where world champions Australia completed a 103-run win over West Indies at the new Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in a second-stage match interrupted by rain.
Australia scored 322 for six on Tuesday before persistent drizzle forced the match into a second day.
When play resumed on Wednesday captain Brian Lara, who top-scored with 77, was the only West Indies' batsman to do himself justice in a total of 219.
Sri Lanka, who with Australia, West Indies and New Zealand took two points through from the first round, capitulated for 209 to the lively pace bowling of Charl Langeveldt who recorded a career-best five for 39.
The 1996 champions slumped to 98 for five in the 25th over before Tillakaratne Dilshan (58) and Russel Arnold (50) salvaged the innings.
Malinga strikes
When South Africa batted captain Graeme Smith with 59 and Jacques Kallis, dropped twice on his way to 86, set the world No 1 side up for an apparently easy victory at Providence Stadium.
Then Malinga, who whips the ball into the batsmen at express pace from a side-arm slinging action, struck in the 45th over.
Malinga first yorked Pollock for 13 and bowled Hall with the final delivery of the over without scoring. In his next over Kallis was caught behind and Ntini bowled for nought from the first and second balls.
South Africa, eliminated at the 1992 tournament by a bizarre rain rule, ousted by Australia in 1999 after a tied match and sent packing in 2003 when they failed to read the Duckworth-Lewis tables correctly appeared to have again snatched defeat from apparent victory.
As the tension mounted with each delivery, it proved to be unbearable for some of the South African players.
"That was a pretty stressful last five overs," Smith said. "I caught a few of the boys having a cigarette or two in the dressing room."
This time, though, the fates were with them and they finished with their first two points in the Super Eights.
"You've got to give Malinga some credit, he is an awkward bowler. He just ran in and gave it his all," Smith added.
Australia, who won each of their games four years ago, remained on course for another unbeaten run through the Cup with a further impressive win after taking full advantage of the fragile West Indies top-order batting.
They are the only team with four points in the competition, although trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand will join them if they beat the West Indies on Thursday in the host team's third consecutive day of cricket.
New Zealand's Hamish Marshall will be hoping to get a good night's rest before he makes his debut in the tournament on Thursday.
Marshall arrived as an injury replacement for opening batsman Lou Vincent after a 36-hour flight out of Auckland and will be pitched straight in at the crucial number three spot.
Agencies
(China Daily 03/30/2007 page23)
