2nd ODI match report by bOwled - PakPassion

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Match Report
2nd ODI: Pakistan v. South Africa at Kingsmead Durban

Quote:

Originally Posted by bOwld

The road to World Cup 2007 had begun…… what GIBBERISH….

Another beautiful and extremely hot day welcomed us to one of the most beautiful locations on earth the port city of Durban, South Africa. This was the venue for the 2nd ODI between Pakistan and South Africa. Pakistan was battered & bruised mammoth by the Saffies at Centurion and came into this game with their confidence down and mettle out of sorts. South Africa on the other hand were prime in confidence and looked to finish off Pakistan with another humiliation. They were in for the surprise of their lives from the ‘Cornered Tigers’. The pitch was a beauty with even bounce and full of runs. This reporter also thought that the slow bowling (esp. spinners) will be handy on this pitch and in these sort of conditions. Big Inzi won the toss and elected (I think he ate his breakfast early) bat first & rightly (finally) so. Both Teams made a few changes. Pakistan opted for Imran Nazir in place of Muhammed Hafeez (finally some sense coming to the Pakistani Management, coz Hafeez is not worth in ODI’s) and Azhar Mehmood in place of Muhammed Sami which came as a huge surprise for this reporter. SA brought in Gibbs for Bosman.

Pakistan got to a horrendous start (thanks to Buknor) as Kamran Akmal was given out LBW to Pollock on the 3rd ball of the 1st over. The replay suggested that the ball was going over the top of the stumps. But then something amazing happened that made my pajamas jump in joy. Imran Nazir led his Arsenal of flurry on the SA attack and ripped them apart. He played the short ball with authority and signaled the others of how to handle the short balls. Younis Khan supported him well and Nazir full of flurry made in 1st 50 on his comeback. The crowd was thoroughly entertained but more was yet to come. Nazir got out plumb LBW to Langervaldt for 57 and score on 78/2. Then the partnership that Pakistan wanted most to click did really clicked. Muhammed Yousuf & Younis Kahn went out on their business of developing the innings that nazir has such brilliantly laid for them. But what this reporter found out was different in their approach was that they were always in the aggressive moods. It brought a smile not only on my face but on the spectators as well. Finally the team was playing like we have dreamed them to perform. The 2 Y’s smashed boundaries as well as sixes to all corners of the park.

The Saffies attack was left in disarray. Smith brought himself on and somewhat kept them in check (proving my earlier point correct). Younis got out heaving smith to long on but didn’t clear Langerveldt who took a neat catch on the boundary. Younis went for 93. Big Inzi came and looked nervous from start; he survived some good LBW shouts and his communication with Yousuf lacked which led to his dismissal and we has RUNOUT (seriously its embarrassing to get run-out for the 40th time). With 222-4 it looked like the saffies was plugging their way back into the game. Afridi was promoted up the order and the Beast let it rip. This will be the Afridi innings I personally will never forget because fort he first time he played with absolute authority & sensibly. He smashed the ball to all the vacant areas of the ground without any risks and produced the killer blow to the SA attack. Even MoYo came to the party and started to play freely. MoYo’s 2 4’s of Nel square on the off-side was of top class & clearly indicated that the man of last year was back and running again. He made his 12th ODI hundred with some ease. The beast on the other hand was going about his business. So cheeky was his innings of 77 (of 36 balls) that he played the cheekiest of leg glances to express pace bowlers like Ntini & Nel. He smashed a Langervaldt ball out of the park which wooed the whole crowd. They were getting their Money’s worth. Both the Beast & MoYo partnership yielded 129 runs of 72 balls and took Pakistan to 351/4. The bating totally demolished the Saffies attack. But the question remained as the flood lights went on. Will the Pakistani Attack be any better or worse than the Saffies. The answer was yet to come!!!

SA began their innings from where they have left in Centurion. Smith and Devillers started the onslaught as they rocked Rana Naveed to all parts of the stadium (guess Rana didn’t learn his lesson of the battering at Centurion and bowled wide and short). In Amdist Afridi dropped a simple chance of Devillers of Rana to add into his misery. Asif on the other hand bowled brilliantly. On the pitch where even Pollock went for 5 an over Asif was proving otherwise. Smith played some glorious drives and looked to bat himself in the power play but was undone by a beauty from Asif. The ball nipping back and taking the edge to Younis hands. Kallis came to the crease with the hopes of SA lying on his shoulders. He also started his innings with authority and this reporter started to fell that even 351 would not be handy the way Rana & Razzak were taken to he cleansers. Their combined 7 over wielded 70 runs where as Asif’s 7 over yielded 20.

Devillers played the knock Nazir was playing for Pakistan. Picking up the short ball early and ripping it to the boundary. He tried that one to many and was called trying to pull a Razzak short ball which hurried on to him. H made 43 & SA were left at 77/2, similar to that of Pakistan. Gibbs came on to bat after his suspension and started to get into his strides. His heaved Razzak for the first six of SA innings. Pakistan were on the back foot again. Asif came on to bowl his final over on the trot and cramps hauled him for a few moments. After taking a drink he bowled a beauty that got him the wicket of Gibbs (Actually it was more his appealing). Bucknor showed why he is hated the world around has he adjusted Gibbs LBW, which this reporter saw was even higher than that of Akmal’s. Kallis followed next with a feather edge to Akmal (whose keeping was excellent in this match, wonder what he ate) and South Africa were in tatters. And then to add to this amazing match was the POWER BLACKOUT. Bouched played a Yorker and a bulb fuse was heard and the next thing we knew the whole ground and the video transmission were blacked out. I have seen some flood light failures but a total blackout is my first time. Anyway things started getting uneasy. Pakistan were 2 short of bowling 20 overs so that the D/L method could come into play. Some suggested the 2 balls to be played under torches. Even my girl was saying that is one fit way for SA not to lose the match. Anyway the lights came back on after 30mins and the play started without any cut of overs. Boucher & Prince joined together and Boucher made his intensions clear by smacking Razzak for 2 boundaries and we were back in business. Azhar Mahmood came to bowl after nearly 2 years of absence. After seeing Rana & Razzak disappear I was paring for mercy of Mahmood, but he told me a different story. His first ball got the wicket of Prince as he slashed a wide one from Mahmod to Younis who took a really good catch. Saffies were knockin knuckles as they went 10 124/5 wiuth Kemp joining Boucher.
Boucher still dominated Razzak with smacking him for 2 more 4’s while Kemp quietly played Azhar Mahmood. The two changes are working, miracles for the Pakistan Team. Afridi replaced Razzak and went on his business mixing up his spins deliveries. The pitch didn’t have much spin but it had nip and that was what Afridi wanted. He cleaned up Boucher through the gate and SA were down and out at 147/6. Pollock came in next and tried to get a partnership going. Kemp also started to play his natural role by driving Afridi for a boundary, while Pollock got 4’s of Azhar Mehmood who was bowling too short too often. Shoaib malik replaced Mahmood who laid on the boundary with a knee problem and the Pakistani Injury list kept on rolling. Malik was greeted to the crease with a huge six from Pollock that went out of the ground with Mailk as usual scratching his head (he should start using that anti lice shampoo for a change). Kemp thought he could double bill Malik out of the ground but ended up playing ball to his hands and kemp was back in the hutch with Saffies saying ‘We give UP’. Nr. Wide & Short (Andre Nel) came to the crease and tried his best to get out early. I don’t know why Hafeez & Nel are picked in the playing 11, they are both USELESS.

Nel was next to depart as a slow ball from Afridi got his under edge and Sa were left with 190/8. Ntini joined his bruised partner Poloock and smashed Afridi for a couple of boundaries till Afridi out him out of his misery by getting him caught at long on. Pollock came out of his crease in the next over of Malik and was stumped handsomely by Akmal and Pakistan won by 141 runs to level the 5 match series 1-1.

This reporter found this match very interesting. The Saffies bowled like Pakistanis and were punished. Then the slow arm bowlers were very useful as Afridi & Malik got 5 wickets between them. SA missed the script of not playing Pieterson which paid heavily for them and their own failure of dealing with spinners continued to haunt them. With the 3rd ODI just around the corner its still a mystery as to where this series will go. This ODI series has perfectly stated what to expect in West Indies in March for the ICC World Cup 2007…. The quest for Glory has begun.

This is b0wld reporting from the Beach-on-the-Horizon at Kingsmead Durban for Pakpassion