A seven-for and a D/L disaster
Andy Bichel runs through England, Boucher turns down a single, and Klusener deals with more disappointment
06-Dec-2010
Andy Bichel ripped through England • Reuters
West Indies v South Africa, Cape Town
West Indies were 7 for 2 in the seventh over and would have lost their third wicket too had. Jacques Kallis taken a hard chance at second slip. Lara began slowly but then tore into Allan Donald and Lance Klusener to reach 116 off 134 balls. Shaun Pollock conceded 23 in his ninth over as Ricardo Powell and Ramnaresh Sarwan upped the pace. West Indies scored 110 off the last 10 and finished on 278 for 5. After losing an over because of slow over-rate, South Africa's top order struggled, but Gary Kirsten's steady half-century and Mark Boucher's run-a-ball 49 set the stage for Klusener to reprise his 1999 heroics. He began with the score on 160 for 6 and lost Boucher on 204. He could have been out on 31 but Pedro Collins trod on the rope after taking a catch. With Boje for company, Klusener scored 57 off 47 balls and South Africa needed only eight off the last four balls. Klusener, however, was caught in the deep off the next ball. Vasbert Drakes contained the tailenders after that and West Indies took the game.
West Indies were 7 for 2 in the seventh over and would have lost their third wicket too had. Jacques Kallis taken a hard chance at second slip. Lara began slowly but then tore into Allan Donald and Lance Klusener to reach 116 off 134 balls. Shaun Pollock conceded 23 in his ninth over as Ricardo Powell and Ramnaresh Sarwan upped the pace. West Indies scored 110 off the last 10 and finished on 278 for 5. After losing an over because of slow over-rate, South Africa's top order struggled, but Gary Kirsten's steady half-century and Mark Boucher's run-a-ball 49 set the stage for Klusener to reprise his 1999 heroics. He began with the score on 160 for 6 and lost Boucher on 204. He could have been out on 31 but Pedro Collins trod on the rope after taking a catch. With Boje for company, Klusener scored 57 off 47 balls and South Africa needed only eight off the last four balls. Klusener, however, was caught in the deep off the next ball. Vasbert Drakes contained the tailenders after that and West Indies took the game.
Australia v England, Port Elizabeth
England's openers had made a promising start before the innings collapsed. England's bowlers were two wickets away from victory when they were denied. On both occasions their tormentor was Andy Bichel. Marcus Trescothick and Nick Knight had added 66 inside 10 overs before Bichel took three wickets in four overs to wreck the innings. He did not relent and finished with figures of 7 for 20 - Glenn McGrath had claimed the World Cup record three days earlier with 7 for 15 against Namibia - as England were bowled out for 204. Australia's chase, however, was anything but straightforward. Andy Caddick cut through the top order, reducing the innings to 48 for 4. Australia had slumped further to 135 for 8, when Bichel joined uber finisher Michael Bevan, and they needed 70 off 74 balls. The pair chipped away until 14 were needed off the last two overs. Nasser Hussain gambled and gave the ball to James Anderson, who had conceded 54 in eight wicketless overs, and not Caddick, who had 4 for 35 off nine. England watched as Bichel hit the first ball for six and the second for four, dumping them out of the World Cup.
England's openers had made a promising start before the innings collapsed. England's bowlers were two wickets away from victory when they were denied. On both occasions their tormentor was Andy Bichel. Marcus Trescothick and Nick Knight had added 66 inside 10 overs before Bichel took three wickets in four overs to wreck the innings. He did not relent and finished with figures of 7 for 20 - Glenn McGrath had claimed the World Cup record three days earlier with 7 for 15 against Namibia - as England were bowled out for 204. Australia's chase, however, was anything but straightforward. Andy Caddick cut through the top order, reducing the innings to 48 for 4. Australia had slumped further to 135 for 8, when Bichel joined uber finisher Michael Bevan, and they needed 70 off 74 balls. The pair chipped away until 14 were needed off the last two overs. Nasser Hussain gambled and gave the ball to James Anderson, who had conceded 54 in eight wicketless overs, and not Caddick, who had 4 for 35 off nine. England watched as Bichel hit the first ball for six and the second for four, dumping them out of the World Cup.
South Africa v Sri Lanka, Durban
Mark Boucher swung the penultimate ball of the 45th over for six, celebrated because South Africa had drawn level with the D/L target, then blocked the final ball to square leg and did not run. He had been told that 229 was enough, and so believed South Africa had won. But they had not. They had merely tied and a tie wasn't good enough to save them from first-round elimination. Boucher needed a single off that final ball but a misinterpretation of the D/L sheet meant he did not know it.
Mark Boucher swung the penultimate ball of the 45th over for six, celebrated because South Africa had drawn level with the D/L target, then blocked the final ball to square leg and did not run. He had been told that 229 was enough, and so believed South Africa had won. But they had not. They had merely tied and a tie wasn't good enough to save them from first-round elimination. Boucher needed a single off that final ball but a misinterpretation of the D/L sheet meant he did not know it.
It was a match that had come close to being scrapped. Sri Lanka disputed the interpretation of the rules for separating teams level on points and there was talk of forfeiture until it became clear that the consequences of such action were a fine and disqualification. Marvan Atapattu scored a century on a gloomy day, and there were collapses either side of his 152-run stand with Aravinda de Silva, as Sri Lanka reached 268 for 9. Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs added 65 for the first wicket but Sri Lanka clawed back with regular wickets to reduce the hosts to 149 for 5. Shaun Pollock and Boucher revived the innings under the imminent threat of rain, and had Boucher known South Africa needed 230 and not 229, he would have run off that final ball.