Tags:
Journalism of Courage
SINGAPORE, AUGUST 27: A Whirlwind partnership by Gary Kirsten and Nicky Boje paved the way for a 93-run South African victory over Pakistan in the final of the 2000 Singapore Challenge cricket tournament here on Sunday.
In a rain-shortened match, South Africa made 197 for seven at the end of their 35 overs, with a further 17 runs added under the Duckworth-Lewis system for a rain disrupted innings, leaving Pakistan a target of 215.
But the task was beyond Pakistan who were unable to recover from a middle-order collapse and were all out for 121 in the 29th over.
Boje, the Man of the Match, was promoted to join Kirsten when South Africa were struggling at 29 for two after 10 overs, and desperate to revive their game plan of a brisk start.
The pair of left handers put on 40 runs in their first five overs together, before a two-hour rain interruption, then returned to the wicket to continue their no-holds barred attack.
When Azhar Mahmood bowled Kirsten to break the partnership, Kirsten and Boje had put on 97 runs in 82 balls and lifted the run rate to nearly 5.5.
Kirsten, the Man of the Series, scored 62 off 77 balls, while Boje, who was out soon after, faced 48 balls for his 54 which included six fours and a six.
Daryll Cullinan, who had been out of sorts in the series, found form at the right time for South Africa and was unbeaten on 31 from 23 balls at the end. Fielding lapses hurt Pakistan, with Cullinan and Boje both surviving chances.
On a slow outfield because of the rain, 215 runs at oversix an over was always going to be difficult for Pakistan.
Trying to force the pace cost early wickets with Imran Nazir out in the second over, Yousuf Youhana in the sixth and Salim Elahi in the 10th.
Saeed Anwar and Ijaz Ahmed put on 39 for the fourth wicket before Saeed was run out for 24, starting a middle- order collapse in which three wickets fell in the space of 11 balls for just two runs, and Pakistan never recovered.
Scoreboard
South Africa:
G Kirsten b Mahmood 62, A Hall c Ijaz b Kabir 5, J Kallis b Kabir 1, N Boje c Elahi b Arshad 54, L Klusener c Arshad b Razzaq 12, D Cullinan not out 31, N McKenzie b Razzaq 3, B Dippenaar c Sub (Younis Khan) b Waqar 17, S Pollock not out 2; Extras: (lb6, nb3, w1) 10. Total: (for seven wickets, 35 overs) 197
Fall of wickets:
1-5, 2-29, 3-126, 4-138, 5-143, 6-152, 7-188
Bowling: Waqar Younis 7-1-28-1, Kabir Khan 7-0-33-2 (1nb), Abdur Razzaq 7-0-54-2 (1nb), Azhar Mahmood 7-0-48-1, Arshad Khan 7-1-28-1 (1nb, 1W)
Pakistan: I Nazir c Kirsten b Telemachus 1, S Elahi lbw b Telemachus 26, Y Youhana c Boje b Pollock 8, S Anwar run out 24, I Ahmed lbw b Klusener 31, A Razzaq c & b Klusener 0, A Zaman c Pollock b Hall 18, W Younis c Cullinan b Pollock 11, A Khan run out 0, K Khan not out 0; Extras: (lb1, nb1) 2. Total: (all out, 28.1 overs) 121
Fall of wickets:
1-7, 2-33, 3-35, 4-74, 5-75, 6-76, 7-102,8-119, 9-119
Bowling: Pollock 6.1-0-26-2, Telemachus 6-1-20-2, Kallis 4-1-9-0, Klusener 7-0-35-2 (1nb), Boje 4-0-24-1, Hall 1-0-6-1
Result: South Africa won by 93 runs as Pakistan required 215 to win under the Duckworth-Lewis system for interrupted innings.
