South Africa took a 2-1 lead in the five-match series of one-day internationals when they beat Australia by 25 runs on Thursday.
Australia, chasing 290 for victory, were restricted to 264 for seven in their 50 overs.
Earlier, Jacques Kallis and A.B. de Villiers led South Africa to 289 for six with classy half-centuries.
PHOTO: REUTERS
The pair came together with the hosts struggling on 50 for two in the 15th over on a slow pitch, but took control with a stand of 114 off 131 balls.
Kallis scored 70 off 86 deliveries with five fours and immediately took the run-rate forward with a series of commanding front-foot drives.
South Africa’s leading run-scorer fell to a soft dismissal, pulling a Brett Geeves long-hop straight to wide mid-on at the end of the 36th over.
De Villiers went on to hit 80 in 87 balls and was out in the 41st over when pace man Mitchell Johnson had him caught off a leading edge, playing too early to the leg-side.
Busy innings in the last five overs by Albie Morkel (29) and Mark Boucher (28 not out) then capitalized on the fine work of the middle order.
Johnson, who used changes of pace to good effect, was difficult to get away and finished with outstanding figures of four for 34.
Australia in reply, slumped to 114 for five before Callum Ferguson (63) and James Hopes (63 not out) gave them hope by adding 97 off 89 balls for the sixth wicket.
Slow left-armer Roelof van der Merwe, who took three for 37, had Ferguson caught at deep extra cover before the brilliant J.P. Duminy produced his second run-out of the innings to remove Johnson for 9.
Hopes collected five fours as he hit his unbeaten 63 in 60 balls.
Shohei Ohtani and Clayton Kershaw on Friday joined their Los Angeles Dodgers teammates in sticking their fists out to show off their glittering World Series rings at a ceremony. “There’s just a lot of excitement, probably more than I can ever recall with the Dodger fan base and our players,” manager Dave Roberts said before Los Angeles rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers 8-5 in 10 innings. “What a way to cap off the first two days of celebrations,” Roberts said afterward. “By far the best opening week I’ve ever experienced. I just couldn’t have scripted it any better.” A choir in the
The famously raucous Hong Kong Sevens are to start today in a big test for a shiny new stadium at the heart of a major US$3.85 billion sports park in the territory. Officials are keeping their fingers crossed that the premier event in Hong Kong’s sporting and social calendar goes off without a hitch at the 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium. They hope to entice major European soccer teams to visit in the next few months, with reports in December last year saying that Liverpool were in talks about a pre-season tour. Coldplay are to perform there next month, all part of Hong Kong’s
Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez and Tommy Edman on Thursday smashed home runs to give the reigning World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-4 victory over Detroit on the MLB’s opening day in the US. The Dodgers, who won two season-opening games in Tokyo last week, raised their championship banner on a day when 28 clubs launched the season in the US. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shuffled his batting lineup with all four leadoff hitters finally healthy as Ohtani was followed by Mookie Betts, then Hernandez and Freddie Freeman in the cleanup spot, switching places with Hernandez. “There’s a Teoscar tax to
Matvei Michkov did not score on Monday, but the Philadelphia rookie had a hand in both goals as hosts the Flyers earned a 2-1 victory over the Nashville Predators. Ryan Poehling and Jamie Drysdale got the goals for the Flyers (31-36-9, 71 points), who won their third straight. Michkov and Travis Konecny assisted on both. Ivan Fedotov stopped 28 shots to earn his first win since March 1, ending a personal six-game losing streak. Zachary L’Heureux got the lone goal for Nashville. Michael McCarron and Brady Skjei got the assists for the Predators (27-39-8, 62 points), who have just four goals in their
RSS