Matches (21)
IPL (2)
Pakistan vs New Zealand (1)
PAK v WI [W] (1)
WI 4-Day (4)
County DIV1 (5)
County DIV2 (4)
ACC Premier Cup (2)
Women's QUAD (2)

South Africa vs Australia, 19th Match, Group 2 at Colombo, , Sep 30 2012 - Ball by Ball Commentary

RESULT
19th Match, Group 2 (D/N), Colombo (RPS), September 30, 2012, ICC World Twenty20
(17.4/20 ov, T:147) 147/2

Australia won by 8 wickets (with 14 balls remaining)

Player Of The Match
70 (47) & 2/29
shane-watson
New
AUS
Full commentary

A comprehensive win for Australia in the end. South Africa reached a score they didn't look good to reach at one point, but despite reaching 146 they weren't able to contain a team in form. Watson, again, led the way and Hussey gave him superb support. Australia are in a great position to qualify for the semis, thanks to another convincing win. South Africa are not out, but much will depend on how the other results in the group go. A marquee clash of sorts this, and one more coming soon, but it turned out to be not quite a closely-fought game. We shall bring you the presentation shortly, but do read Brydon Coverdale's report here.

AB: "Very disappointed. Just frustrating when we don't click. I just can't put my finger on one thing, it went wrong everywhere. They didn't allow us to get off to a flier and we lost quite a few wickets and that didn't give us the momentum. Watson is a class player. It's not all doom and gloom, hopefully we'll win on Tuesday."

Bailey: "A tough call to make for a winning team, but Doherty really helped put South Africa on the back foot. The way Shane, Mike and Warner have been batting, chasing has gone very well for us. 146 was about par. Great start for Doherty, he was brought in to pick some early wickets against batsmen who like the ball to come on a bit more."

Another MOM award for Watson: "Nice to be able to continue to play well. I know how important my role is. It's still a hell of a long way to go. Facing Steyn and Morkel was going to be a very big challenge. I knew if we got through the first four overs, we had to take on a few other bowlers but it was going to hold momentum for the innings. Hussey stabilised the innings. The top four batsmen are the ones who win you games consistently. Hussey took the pressure off me to score."

Well, that's basically it from here. Time for another big one, India v Pakistan, shortly, at the same venue. So stay tuned in for that. Take care, be well. Cheers.

17.4
6
Botha to White, SIX runs

White finishes it off in style, a flat six swung away over deep square leg, had made up his mind there and connected well enough to clear the ropes by a distance

17.3
1
Botha to Hussey, 1 run

shortish on the off, gets back and works it through midwicket for a single

17.2
1
Botha to White, 1 run

shortish on the off, gets across and works it away behind square for a single

17.1
1
Botha to Hussey, 1 run

fires it flat on middle from round the wicket, turns it wide of square leg for a single

Australia have put themselves in an excellent position to go through. Hussey's played a smart knock as well. South Africa a bit down in the field today, and they couldn't afford to be given the target they were defending, that too against a batsman in form like Watson. Botha to bowl now.

end of over 1713 runs
AUS: 138/2CRR: 8.11 RRR: 3.00
Cameron White14 (11b 3x4)
Michael Hussey43 (35b 2x4 2x6)
Robin Peterson 4-0-41-1
Johan Botha 3-0-22-0
16.6
4
Peterson to White, FOUR runs

Mid-on is inside the circle and White goes over the top this time, tossed up on middle and he clears the circle with ease

16.5
1
Peterson to Hussey, 1 run

pushed past extra cover for a single

16.4
6
Peterson to Hussey, SIX runs

there was a bit more air on this time and Hussey connected well, tossed up and he came forward to swing that high over wide long-on for a six

16.3
Peterson to Hussey, no run

missed stumping, kept really low, Hussey came down the track to pull it over midwicket and most would have missed it, almost went along the ground and AB couldn't collect after Hussey gave the charge

16.2
1
Peterson to White, 1 run

floating it on the off, comes down the track and drives it past long-on for a single

16.1
1
Peterson to Hussey, 1 run

reaches forward and then decides to sweep it square for a single

Peterson's turn to bowl

end of over 167 runs
AUS: 125/2CRR: 7.81 RRR: 5.50
Cameron White9 (9b 2x4)
Michael Hussey35 (31b 2x4 1x6)
Johan Botha 3-0-22-0
Dale Steyn 3-0-15-0
15.6
4
Botha to White, FOUR runs

misfield by Parnell in the deep, short and White drags it from outside off towards long-on, a pull, Parnell messes it up there, conceding a boundary when there should have been just one run

15.5
Botha to White, no run

shortish on the off, knocks it back towards the bowler from the crease

15.4
1
Botha to Hussey, 1 run

tossed up on the off stump, reverse-sweeps that towards short third for a quick single

15.3
1
Botha to White, 1 run

had shaped up for a slog-sweep but got this much squarer, a single to deep square leg

15.2
Botha to White, no run

shortish, and flat, outside off, defended off the back foot towards extra cover

15.1
1
Botha to Hussey, 1 run

not quite to the pitch as he came down the track but managed to just nudge it into the off side for a single

Botha is back

end of over 159 runs
AUS: 118/2CRR: 7.86 RRR: 5.80
Cameron White4 (5b 1x4)
Michael Hussey33 (29b 2x4 1x6)
Dale Steyn 3-0-15-0
Robin Peterson 3-0-28-1
14.6
Steyn to White, no run

goodish length, on target and White chooses the defend that cautiously towards extra cover

14.5
Steyn to White, no run

pitched on a length on the off and that's been defended straight to extra cover

14.4
Steyn to White, no run

Well done AB, short of a good length, White tried to guide that to third man, got an inside edge and Ab flung himself to his left to snap that, saved four runs

The slip goes wider

14.3
4
Steyn to White, FOUR runs

full toss and there was some outswing, Cameron White tried to defend it from the crease and it took the outside edge as it swung away, went past slip for a boundary

14.2
1b
Steyn to Hussey, 1 bye

slower one bowled full outside off and AB fumbles after Hussey leaves it alone

14.1
4
Steyn to Hussey, FOUR runs

Hussey attacks first up, short of a good length and he shapes up for a cut and he manages to get it past point and to the ropes, slashed hard at that one

Dale Steyn comes back, critical for South Africa to strike here. Steyn has a slip

AskESPNcricinfo Logo
Instant answers to T20 questions
Australia Innings
<1 / 3>

ICC World Twenty20

Group 1
TEAMMWLPTNRR
SL33060.998
WI3214-0.375
ENG3122-0.397
NZ3030-0.169
Group 2
TEAMMWLPTNRR
AUS32140.464
PAK32140.273
IND3214-0.274
SA3030-0.421
Group A
TEAMMWLPTNRR
IND22042.825
ENG21120.650
AFG2020-3.475
Group B
TEAMMWLPTNRR
AUS22042.184
WI2011-1.855
IRE2011-2.092
Group C
TEAMMWLPTNRR
SA22043.598
SL21121.852
ZIM2020-3.624
Group D
TEAMMWLPTNRR
PAK22040.706
NZ21121.150
BAN2020-1.868