Sports
Marco Jansen star turn gives South Africa a come-from-behind series win
In what is their last series before the ODI World Cup in India, South Africa gave themselves a massive morale boost as they came from a 0-2 deficit against Australia to seal the series 3-2 in Wanderers on Sunday. Marco Jansen led the way with a stunning all-round performance as he followed up his blitzy 23-ball 47 with a five-wicket haul that included each of Australia’s top-five to derail their run-chase early and lead to South Africa’s 122-run victory.
Chasing South Africa’s 315/9, Australia began in typical gung-ho fashion as David Warner and Mitchell Marsh took them to 34/0 in 3 overs. In came Jansen to put the brakes on that as Warner fell on the second ball of the fourth over, playing a cut shot to a ball angled into him from round the stumps. Aiden Markram did well to take a low, sharp catch at point. Three balls later, Jansen bowled a short ball that new batter Josh Inglis chopped on to his stumps. Mitchell Marsh didn’t let that deter Australia in the chase as he and Marnus Labuschagne set about resurrecting the innings.
Jansen kept bowling short to Marsh and was duly punished on numerous occasions. In the 20th over, Marsh pulled the tall left-arm pacer for two sixes before Jansen bowled a steep bouncer on the off-side which Marsh upper cut towards the third man fence. Lungi Ngidi covered a lot of ground near the boundary to complete a catch to end the Marsh juggernaut on 71 off 56 balls – an innings that included six fours and six sixes. Jansen then dug his heels into Australia’s line-up as he pulled off another double-wicket over, dismissing Labuschagne – a miscue off a short ball well taken by Andile Phehlukwayo at long leg – and Alex Carey – who nicked an attempted pull shot to Quinton de Kock behind the stumps. With that, Jansen had five of the five Australian wickets to fall, with only 136 runs on the board.
There was just no scope for Australia to make a comeback from this point on, even as Cameron Green and Tim David attempted it very briefly. Their ambitious endeavour was thwarted by Keshav Maharaj. Maharaj first cleaned up Tim David with a peach that turned away from the right-hander and rattled his stumps and then got rid of Cameron Green with a caught and bowled. Phehlukwayo added to Australia’s woes with the wicket of Michael Neser before Maharaj mopped up the chase to finish with a four-wicket haul.
South Africa didn’t quite start as strongly as they finished, as Temba Bavuma fell to a run out in the first over and Quinton de Kock – in his last ODI on home soil – was sent packing in the 12th over. Australia, who oped to bowl in the decider, were far more disciplined than they were two days ago in the fourth ODI where they conceded 416 and gained an upper hand by the halfway stage as Rassie van der Dussen and the dangerous Heinrich Klaasen were sent packing by Sean Abbott and Adam Zampa.
A measured fifth-wicket stand between Markram and David Miller laid out the platform for two of their allrounders to walk and blaze away. Jansen took the cue and smashed his way to an exceptional 23-ball 47 that saw him tear apart the likes of David and Abbott. His assault took South Africa to 273 for 6 in 46 overs, keeping them on track for a 300-plus score.
Zampa and Green however, picked three quick wickets to put doubts over those expectations, until Phehlukwayo too threw his bat around with great success in another cameo. Phehlukwayo’s unbeaten 39 off 19 included four sixes – two of which came in the 24-run final over that pushed South Africa to 315/9 – a total more than sufficient to earn the hosts a sensational series win.
Brief Scores:
South Africa 315/9 in 50 overs (Aiden Markram 93, David Miller 63, Marco Jansen 47; Adam Zampa 3-71, Sean Abbott 2-54) beat Australia 193 in 34.1 overs (Mitchell Marsh 71, Marnus Labuschagne 44; Marco Jansen 5-39, Keshav Maharaj 4-33) by 122 runs
(Cricbuzz)
Chennai Super King’s (CSK) slim playoff hopes were crushed emphatically by Gujarat Titans [GT] in Ahmedabad on Thursday night as they sealed a top-two spot with an 89-run win.
Sent in to bat on a red-soil surface with pace and bounce, GT went all-in to post 229. Shubman Gill’s 23-ball half-century set it up for late fireworks from B Sai Sudarshan (84 off 53) and Jos Buttler (57 not out off 27).
In reply, CSK’s top five perished inside eight overs before Shivam Dube tonked 47 off 17 to briefly inject life into the chase. His dismissal left the door ajar for GT to knock over the lower order, which they did courtesy Rashid Khan to bowl CSK out in the 14th over.
In the game’s second over, Sanju Samson left the field to nurse a finger injury after Spencer Johnson’s hard-length delivery down the leg side suddenly swerved away after passing the batter. He left the field immediately, and didn’t return for the rest of the innings with Kartik Sharma taking over the wicketkeeping duties. The nature of his on-field injury meant Samson could return to bat in his original position, but he lasted all of one ball, nicking a Mohammed Siraj away-swinger in the very first over.
Having taken a wicket off the first ball in GT’s defense of 230, Siraj then saw Ruturaj Gaikwad loft him through the line over the covers, and then walk across to scoop him for six. In his next over, he saw the CSK captain whip him nonchalantly over the midwicket fence. Siraj, though, remained unperturbed and removed him with a length ball that ducked back in to crash into the stumps. One ball later, he silenced the home fans rooting for local hero Urvil Patel by having him top-edge a flick straight down Prasidh Krishna’s throat at deep backward square leg.
At the start of the ninth, CSK were 72 for 5. It took Dube all of two overs to get the fans excited. Having endured a poor season, he began by thumping left-arm seamer Arshad Khan for 6, 4 and 4 in an over that went for 19. He went into overdrive in the next, thumping Jason Holder’s hard-length delivery over long-on for six. And when Holder went full, Dube’s long levers helped scythe the ball behind square. Overs 8-10 fetched 37. But one ball after launching Rashid over deep midwicket, Dube was out to him when Gill, running back from cover, pulled off a stunner. CSK lost their last four wickets in the next three overs, with Rashid finishing with 3 for 18.
Long before his catching brilliance and the direct hit to run out Kartik, Gill began like a bullet train, surging to a 23-ball half-century to lay down the marker, even as Sai Sudharsan buckled down to play second fiddle. He was run-a-ball for his first 22 deliveries en route to a seventh century stand with Gill – the most by an opening pair in the IPL.
Gill survived on 51 despite feathering an attempted pull with none of the opposition appealing for caught behind. But it didn’t cost CSK a lot as he fell soon after for 64. Once Gill perished, Sai Sudharsan carried on to bring up his fifth consecutive IPL fifty – joining Virender Sehwag, David Warner and Buttler to this feat.
Sudharsan would eventually fall for 84, along the way surpassing Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s tally to take back the Orange Cap.
Buttler, who came in after Gill’s wicket, launched into the bowling from the get-go. He took particular liking to Noor Ahmad, depositing him deep into the stands to quickly offset a brief slowdown. Amid the carnage from one end, left-arm seamer Gurjanpreet Singh held away, mixing his cutters with wide yorkers to finish with 4-0-31-0, the figures taking a dent only because his final over went for 15.
Buttler too got to his half-century off 23 balls when he scythed two attempted wide yorkers from Anshul Kamboj to the cover boundary. Kamboj went for 56 off his four overs, along the way conceding the most sixes in a single IPL season. It left CSK needing a mammoth 230, which they never looked like challenging on the night.
Brief scores:
Gujarat Titans 229 for 4 in 20 overs (Sai Sudharsan 84, Shubman GIll 64, Jos Buttler 57*; Mukesh Choudhary 1-36, Spence Johnson 1-47, Anshul Kamboj 1-56) beat Chennai Super Kings 140 in 13.4 overs (Mathew Short 24, Rutraj Gaikwad 16, Kartik Sharma 19, Shivam Dube 47, Anshul Kamboj 19; Rashid Khan 3-18, Mohammed Siraj 3-26, Kagiso Rabada 3-32) by 89 runs
[Cricinfo]
15TH STAFFORD MOTORS – MCA G DIVISION T20 LEAGUE CRICKET TOURNAMENT
Brandix Apparel and Maliban Biscuits two undefeated teams will clash in the final of the Stafford Motors sponsored MCA G Division cricket tournament final to be played at the MCA ground on Sunday [24] morning. The winners will remain undefeated and take home the ‘Honda Trophy’.
In the league stage Brandix Apparel playing in group G defeated Millenium IT ESP by 61 runs, Stafford Motors by 60 runs and Sitecore by 7 wickets to qualify for the knock out stage. The game against Coats Thread Exports was not played as the result wouldn’t have changed the group’s rankings. In the knockout stage Brandix defeated Pyramid Wilmar by 12 runs in the pre-quarter final, Future Life Holdings by 72 runs in the quarter final and Stafford Motors by 70 runs in the semifinal to reach the final undefeated.
Maliban Biscuits ‘B’ playing in Group A in the league stage, defeated WSO2 by 8 wickets, Sysco Labs by 6 wickets, Jetwing Travels by 136 runs, Hayleys Group ‘C’ by 9 wickets and CDB ‘B’ by 4 wickets to reach the knockout stage. Maliban beat Fairfirst Insurance by 7 wickets in the pre-quarter final, Allianz Insurance by 4 wickets in the quarter final and Star Garments by 3 wickets to reach the final undefeated.
Brandix Apparell led by Tharaka Sampath Silva will be selected from, Janaka Weerapokuna, Pradeep Kumara , Shashika Udesh, Dayan Idunil, Lakshan Fernando, Sasitha Ashan, Akila Dhanuddhra, Dulaj Silva [WK], Sampath Jayalath, Kalpa Udesh, Pasal wickrasingha, Sameera Alvise, Dinusha Nishan, Nirmal Fernando, Dinesh Priyankara
Maliban Biscuits ‘B’ led by Tharindu Siriwardene will be selected from Gihan Ranasinghe [WK], Anjula Perera, Chamara Rathnayake, Dilan Alwis, Dilip Sandaruwan, Chathuranga Dewapriya, Mohomed Shilmi, Sameera Lakmal, Dilantha Sanjeewa, Nadun Kumara, Tharindu Fernando, Asiri Samarasinghe, Kelum Madushanka, Aruna Nuwan
Stafford Motors and Star Garments vie for third place
Sponsors Stafford Motors and Star Garments , the two teams that were unfortunate not to reach the finals, will battle it out on Sunday afternoon in the playoff for third place.
The Stafford Motors team led by Shanaka Sampath will be selected from Dhammika Kumara, Vishwa Rajapaksha, Sanjaya Fernando, Sanjeewa Vishan, JanithnSilva, Vihanga Malith, Nethum Manawaduge, Dulshan Attanayake, Annesley Perera, Venura Nisalitha, Ravindra Lal, K A Samantha, Lakshan Fernando, Asanka Kumarage, Gajindu Yasas [WK]
Star Garments led by Rishantha Anushka will be selected from Shakila Dulshan [WK], Randu Nawanjaya Fernando, Nadeesha Akash, Suwahas Yapa, Yohan Dewapriya, . Dunik Perera, Sanjaya Mihiran, Dhanuka Dulanja, Chathuranga Dilshan, Niranjan Fernando, Ganidu Charulochana, Sudesh Wilhara, Thushara Appuhami, Nadun Wijenayake
Brandix Apparell Team
Paceman Hirun Manyuga produced a devastating spell to claim six wickets as Rahula, Matara bundled out St. Thomas’, Matara for just 69 runs before cruising to a seven-wicket victory in their Under 17 Division I cricket tournament match played at Uyanwatta Stadium on Thursday.
Manyuga spearheaded the bowling attack with a match-defining six-wicket haul to put Rahula firmly in control after St. Thomas’ struggled against disciplined bowling. He received fine support from Pawan Dulsara and Jineth Methmira, who chipped in with two wickets apiece to complete the collapse.
Rahula made light work of the modest target, with Manyuga capping a fine all-round performance by top scoring in the run chase with an unbeaten 26 runs to guide his team to victory in convincing fashion. His impressive bowling figures read 7.3-1-19-6.
At Campbell Place in Colombo, Dunal Sendanayaka produced a match-winning unbeaten innings as Nalanda recorded an impressive six-wicket victory over St. Joseph’s in their opening Group match of the Under-17 Division I Cricket Tournament.
Chasing a revised DLS target of 125 runs, Nalanda reached the target comfortably, with seven overs to spare, thanks largely to an outstanding knock by Sendanayaka.
The Nalanda batsman stood firm after the visitors made early inroads, reducing the home side to 26 for two wickets. Sendanayaka then combined effectively with Hasarel Rabel to produce a decisive 81-run partnership for the third wicket, which turned the contest firmly in Nalanda’s favour.
Sendanayaka remained unbeaten on a superb 74 off 80 deliveries, striking six boundaries and three sixes in a commanding innings. Rabel provided solid support with a patient 31 runs off 64 balls. For St. Joseph’s, Thisanga Perera was the most successful bowler, claiming two wickets for 16 runs.
Earlier, after being put into bat, St. Joseph’s struggled to build momentum as wickets fell at regular intervals. Useful contributions from Lesandu Wijethunga (23) and Disinu Samarasinghe (24) helped the visitors post 122 all out in 34 overs.
Nalanda’s bowling effort was spearheaded by left-arm spinners Umasha Abhilash and Binulka Mansith, who claimed three wickets apiece to restrict the Josephians to a modest total. Vidun Gamage also chipped in with two wickets.
Scores
St. Joseph’s
122 all out in 34 overs (Lesandu Wijethunga 23, Disinu Samarasinghe 24; Vidun Gamage 2/40, Umasha Abhilash 3/30, Binulka Mansith 3/04)
Nalanda
128 for 4 in 29.2 overs (Dunal Sendanayaka 74n.o., Hasarel Rabel 31; Thisanga Perera 2/16)
Meanwhile at BRC ground, Ananda Sastralaya Kotte pulled off an exciting two wicketa victory over Lumbini. (RF)
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