Cricket Tournaments

South Africa always start as favourites whenever they take on England. But, on Saturday, the latter side reigned supreme as they comfortably outsmarted the hosts by 39-runs at the Kensington Oval. With this win, the Englishmen headed one step closer to the semi-finals.

Yet again, Kevin Pietersen was the chief architect of the triumph. He smashed a scintillating 53 from 33 balls and also featured in a 94-run stand with Craig Kieswetter, as England put up a challenging total of 168 for 7, batting first. The bowlers then did the rest, bowling out South Africa for a measly 129, to romp home by a comfortable 39-run margin.

Spin did the trick for the bowling side as Graeme Swann picked up three crucial wickets and Michael Yardy. Ryan Sidebottom then demolished the tail in no time to cap an extremely impressive performance by England.

Pietersen, who will be returning back home to be with his wife for the birth of their first child, played an impactful knock that took the sting out of South Africa’s bowling. The Proetas depended heavily on their paces, Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, but both came a cropper on this day.

The duo was torn apart by Pietersen and Kieswetter’s, in a partnership which perceptibly hurt the psyche of the bowling side. Steyn was smashed for three boundaries in his very first over while Morkel gave away two free hits in his opening over.

The momentum was with England, though South Africa had a chance when Pietersen edge one of Morkel, but neither Mark Boucher nor Jacques Kallis went for the catch.

Charl Langeveldt’s introduction only made matters worse. He conceded wides, sprayed the ball all over and was taken for plenty as England hit their way to 65 for 1 at the of the Powerplay. If South were able to restrict England to well below 200, which looked eminently possible at one stage, it was due to the efforts of experienced hands like Johan Botha and Kallis.

While the former conceded a stingy 15 runs in his quota of overs, Kallis ensured he bowled a tight line as well. But, Botha it was who ended Pietersen’s whirlwind knock, having him caught at short fine-leg.

Kieswetter also fell soon trying to up the ante. Wickets kept falling in the pursuit of runs as Paul Collingwood and Luke Wright also perished. Langeveldt came back well in the death overs, his yorker length deliveries came in handy in resisting England’s charge.

Slog over specialist Eoin Morgan also couldn’t provide the requisite finishing touches to the innings as the Proteas recovered reasonably well from an unimpressive start.

South Africa should have been buoyed by the comeback by their bowlers. But, it hardly reflected in their batting effort. Opening with Graeme Smith and Kallis chose to play it safe in the Powerplay overs, a ploy which backfired big time. As the pressure built up, Kallis miscued a drive to mid off. And when, England introduced spin, the match turned even more in their favour.

Herschelle Gibbs missed his chance to stand up being the senior pro, as Yardy removed him with his first ball; a mention has to be made of Sidebottom, who took a stunning catch running backwards.

If Yardy put in a notable effort, Swann was lethal. After troubling Smith on a number of occasions, he had him caught off an attempted sweep that was top-edged. Swann also got rid of the dangerous AB de Villiers cheaply as a pull shot was lapped up skipper Collingwood. South Africa were not helped by the fact that Albie Morkel could not repeat the heroics of his previous match.

He was cleaned up Yardy and soon the South Africans were struggling at 53 for 5. Sidebottom’s aggressive mop-up job meant, England were well on their way to secure a semi-final birth. Speaking of birth, the Englishmen would also hope that Pietersen returns in time for the semis, following his wife’s delivery.

The 2000’s saw the value of the finger spinner dipping especially of those who couldn’t bowl the one that goes the other way on in other words the “doosra”. Ironically, two of the top wicket takers of the world (2009) in Nathan Hauritz and Graeme Swann are traditional off-spinners who both can’t bowl the doosra.

Nathan Hauritz topped the off-spinners charts in the One-day arena and was the third highest wicket taker in ODI’s in 2009. He took 35 wickets in 30 matches at an economy rate of 4.30. A more then acceptable performance considering cricketing experts like boycott made comments like “It wasn’t an off-spinner. Hauritz doesn’t look like he could bowl my mum out, then he gets the best batsman out”.

This was after Hauritz got pietersen sweeping in the first Ashes test match at Cardiff (2009). It took time coming but Hauritz took his first five wicket hall in the Boxing Day test in 2009. He soon followed it with another. Hauritz is the one of those hand-made spinners and not the ready-made machine ones. He has just his stock ball which is his off break and a quicker one in his repertoire. However, Hauritz is big asset lies in his trajectory. He prides himself on his flight and drift. Hauritz remains a fierce competitor.

One of the matches where one got to see this was in the final of Champions league T20. In spite of being hit for six the previous ball; Hauritz still flighted the ball to Big hitting Kieron Pollard who miscued it to long on. The wicket proved to be decisive in determining the champion. Hauritz had won NSW the Champions league. Simon Katich later lauded Hauritz’s efforts and bravery “It was probably the gutsiest thing I’ve ever seen on a cricket field from a spinner after he’s been hit probably 150 meters into the stands. He tossed it up, gave it some air and he got the result”.

Hauritz has truly become an essential member of the Australian unit in all three forms of the game. From a situation of ‘lack of options’ Hauritz has clearly come to a pass of ‘need’.

Graeme Swann, the poms new spin sensation has been no different if not better. He was the highest wicket taker in tests amongst the spinners (2009) and the second highest overall. He grabbed 54 scalps at 27.92 in 12 matches. Graeme Swann’s major rise to fame started in the Windies, but it was not before the Ashes that he began to raise eyebrows.

He too, like Hauritz doesn’t have a doosra, however Swann has a very good ‘slider’ often tough to pick and has accounted for many. Swann like Hauritz made his international debut a while ago but it took the duo time to settle into international cricket. Often the joker in the lot, Swann enjoys the willow in the hand too with a healthy average of 32 in tests.
Clearly, there’s room for the traditionalists and the finger spinners in international cricket.