Ken Borland

By their own admission, Cricket South Africa’s newest sponsors, Blue Label Telecoms, “have not really been out there” in the world of sport, which is surprising given that they are clearly passionate about it and have one of the most amazing collections of memorabilia you could hope to see.

The Blue Label head office in Sandton boasts a spectacular collection of cricket, motor racing, rugby, boxing, golf, tennis and cycling memorabilia that is a prominent feature of their first two floors.

CSA announced Blue Label as the new national team sponsors for T20 cricket from Saturday’s opening match against England through to the end of the Pakistan series in March in Sandton on Thursday.

“It’s a big step for Blue Label because we haven’t really been out there that much, although we’ve been behind South African sport for a long time,” CEO and co-founder Brett Levy said. “We have no doubt that we will complement the South African cricket brand.”

While the initial sponsorship is just a short-term deal, there is no doubt there is an outstanding fit between Blue Label – the leading provider of prepaid tokens and transactions in cellular communications, electricity, water and bus tickets, in developing economies such as South Africa, India, Mexcio and Nigeria – and twenty20 cricket and a longer term involvement in the sport is likely to be announced soon.

“The deal is short-term for now, but Blue Label have the first right of renewal and I’m sure the relationship will last longer than just until the end of the Pakistan series. If it’s a good fit, maybe they can take the whole space and move into domestic T20 as well,” CSA acting chief executive Jacques Faul said.

Blue Label themselves are in no doubt that they have much more to offer South African cricket.

“We view this as a long-term partnership, not a sponsorship, for many years to come. It’s easy just to give money, but it’s difficult to build a business together. But we are a company that’s about relationships, we touch about 21 million people’s lives every month, and we share a passion for people with Cricket South Africa. They say you are known by the company you keep and we are absolutely delighted to be with CSA,” Blue Label chief technical officer David Fraser said.

“In the next six months, we want to put together a long-term relationship once we make sure it works for both parties. It’s endless what we can do together and I can see this running indefinitely into the future,” Levy added.

Blue Label are big in India through their subsidiary company Oxigen and, with the South African cricket team also being very popular in the world’s second most populous country, the partnership could bloom explosive success.

With their larney near-field communications solutions technology, Blue Label are also hoping to “create a unique customer engagement model” with CSA’s “wonderful fan base”, according to Fraser.

Unfortunately for them, the ICC World T20 is not part of the deal because the game’s governing body disallowed their involvement due to a supposed clash with cellphone giants Reliance Mobile, who Blue Label supply airtime services to in India. But the proudly South African company should soon start getting substantial exposure in the global village with their logo prominently displayed on the Proteas’ T20 shirts in all other matches.

Faul agreed that the deal was yet another vote of confidence in CSA and their steps in the right direction after the Gerald Majola bonus scandal.

“It’s a very positive sign that corporate South Africa are looking more favourably at us. We want to move on and it’s great to have fantastic brands behind us that are so big in Africa and worldwide,” Faul said.

“The past is behind us and we’re starting fresh. This is a big endorsement of Cricket South Africa,” Levy agreed.

The deal is believed to be worth in the region of 12-15 million rand, although this value could double in coming years as Blue Label assist CSA in engaging more profitably with their fans.

http://www.supersport.com/cricket/sa-team/news/120906/New_sponsor_for_Proteas_T20_squad

Ian Bell was the main tormentor as England cruised to victory by six wickets with 20 balls to spare in the fourth NatWest One-Day International against South Africa at Lord’s in London on Sunday.

 – http://www.supersport.com/cricket/sa-team/news/120902/England_cruise_to_victory

England’s batsmen followed up the great work of bowlers Ravi Bopara, James Tredwell and Steven Finn in restricting South Africa to 220 for eight as they breezed to 224 for four in 46.4 overs.

Bell scored a terrific 88 off 137 balls to lead the charge, and it was his second-wicket partnership of 141 in 30.5 overs with Jonathan Trott (48) which laid the platform for the victory, while Craig Kieswetter contributed a little gem of 21 not out off 12 balls at the death.

South Africa’s bowlers, Dale Steyn apart, failed to make much impression on a pitch that always had a bit of nibble in it.

The fired-up Steyn produced a great delivery at the end of the first over to trap Alastair Cook lbw for two, but Bell and Trott ensured there would be no stadium finish.

Trott began his innings in an aggressive frame of mind, but Steyn gave him a torrid time in the seventh over, the last of his opening spell, and struck the batsman a fierce blow on the hand, which made the rest of his innings an exercise in survival more than anything else.

Fortunately for England, Bell was quickly into his stride and the home side were so in control that South African captain AB de Villiers had made eight bowling changes by the halfway mark.

Bell was so assured that he regularly came down the pitch to the pacemen and the off-side was where he scored most impressively en route to collecting eight fours and a six in all.

South African fans were left wondering where Morne Morkel (being rested) was as the attack toiled through 30 overs without making an impression.

A chance to Robin Peterson at mid-on off Lonwabo Tsotsobe on 65, the dismissal of Trott, trapped lbw when he missed a sweep at Dean Elgar, and even a 16-minute rain delay all failed to dampen Bell’s enthusiasm and he looked well on his way to a century.

Ryan McLaren did manage to get Ravi Bopara (6) to edge a delivery through to wicketkeeper De Villiers in the second over after the rain break, but Eoin Morgan came in and quickly helped Bell to take England to the brink of victory.

Steyn did return in the 44th over and forced Bell to edge a lifter to De Villiers, but Morgan, with a run-a-ball 36 not out, and Kieswetter, with three fours and a majestic six to win the game, rushed England to victory.

PERPLEXING BATTING ORDER

A top-class bowling performance by England had earlier restricted South Africa to just 220 for eight.

It was a disappointing batting performance again by South Africa, admittedly on a tricky pitch that was not conducive to fluent strokeplay, but full credit to England’s bowlers who kept the pressure on superbly.

South Africa only reached 220 thanks to Peterson blazing 31 not out off 20 balls at the death, with the middle-order once again wasting the good work of openers Hashim Amla and Graeme Smith up front in putting on 68 for the first wicket after being sent in to bat in conditions that suited seam bowling.

The continued shuffling of the batting order was also perplexing. Elgar should have batted three, where his patient innings would have built on the opening stand, and the busy JP Duminy at six to finish the innings. Wayne Parnell was also batted out of his capabilities at seven again, with all-rounder McLaren mysteriously down at nine.

Having been sent in to bat in overcast conditions in the morning, Amla and Smith were obviously going to start cautiously and they successfully saw off the dangerous pace bowling of Finn, Jimmy Anderson and Jade Dernbach, with the help of a couple of dropped catches in the slips by Tredwell.

The fireworks seemed to have just been lit as South Africa reached 68 after 19 overs, but Dernbach surprised Smith with a fiery short ball that kicked up above his shoulders, the left-hander edging his attempted hook to be caught behind by Kieswetter for 29 off 54 balls.

South Africa were still comfortable however as Amla and Duminy took them to a hundred in the 25th over, but neither of them kicked on.

Bopara, bowling lovely in-swingers off the slope at off-stump, sent Amla packing for 45 off 73 balls when he beat his drive and bowled him through the gate.

In the next over, Duminy was carelessly off down the pitch to spinner James Tredwell, who held the ball back a touch and obtained enough turn to beat a push into the leg side, Kieswetter completing the stumping to dismiss the left-hander for 18 off 22 balls.

Bopara, the very epitome of British military-medium and effective in these conditions, then bowled Faf du Plessis for just a single. Du Plessis tried the almost-impossible – running an in-swinger coming down the slope to third man – and only succeeded in dragging the ball back on to his stumps.

Captain De Villiers was surely the man for the crisis at 115 for four, but his super-powers have waned since all the added responsibility of keeping wicket and being captain has been thrust on him.

De Villiers had promised much in reaching 39 off 46 balls when the Cape-schooled Kieswetter pulled off a sharp stumping after the captain had come down the pitch and tried to drive Tredwell’s straight delivery inside-out over the covers.

Parnell may be a highly effective batsman in village cricket, but he again failed to fire at number seven in the international arena, scoring five off 13 balls before Tredwell beat him with a well-flighted, sharp-turning delivery that gave Kieswetter a third stumping and the England ODI record.

South Africa were 174 for six in the 44th over, but Peterson fought fire with fire and stunned England with some audacious strokes as he collected four fours and a six.

Elgar had been the rock of the innings in scoring 35 off 59 balls, before Kieswetter and Finn combined to remove him off a slower-ball bouncer. Dernbach chipped in by running out McLaren for a single off the next delivery, before Peterson and Dale Steyn (3*) scored five runs off the final over.

England’s bowlers had banded together splendidly. Finn took 1-33 in his 10 overs and was unlucky not to get more reward in the cold early morning conditions.

Bopara was outstanding with 2-34 in nine overs, but spin also plays a key role on this Lord’s pitch, with Tredwell taking 3-35 in eight overs and left-armer Samit Patel bowling tidily as well.

Ian Bell laid the platform as England beat South Africa by six wickets in the fourth NatWest One-Day International at Lord’s on Sunday to seal the number one ranking for the rest of the year.

47th over – Dale Steyn has switched ends but his first ball from the Pavilion End is a nothing delivery, short outside off, and Craig Kieswetter stands tall and swats it through midwicket for four. A wide bouncer and a top-edged four over the wicketkeeper follow, before Kieswetter ends the match in style with a magnificent straight drive for six.

46th over – Ryan McLaren drags a slower ball halfway down the pitch and Eoin Morgan pulls it fine for four. Three balls later, Morgan swats the seamer over mid-on for a one-bounce four and then hooks the last ball of the over, a bouncer, fine for four.

45th over – Wayne Parnell allows Kieswetter to free his arms and he drives majestically through the covers for four.

44th over – WICKET – Bell advances down the pitch at Steyn, who bangs the ball in short. There is good bounce and Bell can only edge his slash at the ball, wicketkeeper AB de Villiers leaping to take a one-handed catch. Bell’s 88 off 137 balls, with eight fours and a six, was a great innings though and should have done enough to win the game for England.

42nd over – Too short from Robin Peterson and Morgan pulls with tremendous power and timing for four.

38th over – Super batting by Morgan as he skips down the pitch and clips McLaren straight down the ground for four.

36th over – WICKET – Ravi Bopara fails again, pushing at a delivery outside off stump from McLaren and sending a low edge to wicketkeeper De Villiers. Bopara is out for six.

35th over – Steyn returns but can only bowl one delivery before a 16-minute rain delay. His second ball after the resumption of play is short and outside off stump and Bopara pulls it to mid-on, where it bounces just before Lonwabo Tsotsobe and zips past him off the wet grass for four runs.

33rd over – Tsotsobe produces a horrible long-hop down the leg side which Bell flicks away disdainfully for four runs.

32nd over – WICKET – Trott tries to sweep left-arm spinner Dean Elgar but the delivery is too full and is struck low on the front pad. Umpire Simon Taufel turns down the lbw appeal, but South Africa call for a review and it shows it’s plumb! Trott goes for a gutsy 48 off 77 balls – most of the innings played with one hand because of the fierce blow he received from Steyn.

31st over – Dropped! Bell, on 65, mistimes a lofted drive at a Tsotsobe slower ball but Peterson at deep mid-on misjudges the catch, is leaping and drops the ball! The next ball is short and Bell hammers a pull through midwicket for four.

29th over – Tsotsobe is back and Bell is down the pitch again and a lovely lofted straight drive brings him four more runs.

25th over – Steyn returns as South Africa desperately need a breakthrough. But their only slip is at about third slip and Bell half-steers/half-edges the ball in the gap between the wicketkeeper and slip for another boundary!

23rd over – The hundred is up off 134 balls as Trott steps outside off stump and flicks McLaren high over midwicket for four.

20th over – A magnificent stroke by Bell as he comes down the pitch and drives Peterson elegantly over extra cover for six.

19th over – Bell hops down the pitch, Parnell drops the ball shorter and is slapped over cover for four.

17th over – Too full and wide from Parnell and Bell drives sumptiously through extra cover for four.

10th over – Bell now comes down the wicket and pulls McLaren powerfully through wide mid-on for four.

9th over – Another commanding stroke by Trott as he comes down the pitch to Tsotsobe and cuts him imperiously over point for four.

8th over – Another wonderful shot by Trott as McLaren angles a delivery into him and he drives it sweetly through midwicket for four.

3rd over – Trott is off the mark in wonderful fashion as he steps forward confidently and square-drives Steyn on the up through point for four.

1st over – WICKET – Steyn ends a fine first over with a vital breakthrough. Alastair Cook steps across his stumps and is beaten by a great delivery that swings back into the left-hander, trapping him lbw for two.

South Africa innings

It was hardly a batting feast for South Africa as they struggled to 220 for eight against England in the fourth NatWest One-Day International at Lord’s in London on Sunday.

49th over – WICKET – Dean Elgar’s struggle is over as he gloves a hook at a slower-ball bouncer from Jade Dernbach and is caught behind by Craig Kieswetter for 35 off 59 balls, with just a single boundary.

48th over – Super batting by Robin Peterson as he picks up Dernbach’s slower ball and heaves it to cow-corner for a one-bounce four. The left-hander then scoops the next delivery over the wicketkeeper for another boundary.

47th over – Mid-on is up and Elgar’s lofted drive off Jimmy Anderson goes past him and runs away for four.

46th over – Attaboy Peterson! The left-hander pulls off two meaty reverse-sweeps for four and six off James Tredwell!

44th over – WICKET – Tredwell strikes again with another lovely piece of bowling. Wayne Parnell (5) steps out of his crease to try and a drive well-flighted delivery, but there is sharp turn away from the left-hander and Kieswetter completes another good stumping.

41st over – Off-spinner Tredwell returns but AB de Villiers greets him with an excellent reverse-paddle fine for four. WICKET – But three balls later, De Villiers comes down the pitch and tries to drive the ball inside-out over the covers. The delivery goes straight on, however, and Kieswetter pulls off a sharp stumping. De Villiers was going well on 39 off 46 balls, but has fatally underestimated Tredwell again.

29th over – WICKET – An awful shot by Faf du Plessis as he tries to run an in-swinger from Ravi Bopara, coming down the slope from the Pavilion End, to third man and only succeeds in dragging the ball back on to his stumps to be bowled for a single.

27th over – Bopara over-pitches and De Villiers drives him beautifully straight down the ground for four.

26th over – WICKET – JP Duminy has looked so good but again he’s thrown his wicket away at a crucial time! Duminy comes down the wicket to Tredwell, but the off-spinner has held the ball back a touch, the batsman is nowhere near the pitch and a bit of turn takes the ball past his attempt to push the ball on the leg side. Duminy is stumped by Craig Kieswetter for 18 off 22 balls.

25th over – WICKET – Hashim Amla is bowled as he misses a drive at a lovely little in-swinger from medium-pacer Bopara. Amla scored 45 off 73 balls, with only glimpses of his free-scoring best.

24th over – Amla missed out on the slog-sweep the ball before, but this time he hits it in the screws to collect four runs through square-leg off Tredwell.

22nd over – A beautiful shot by Duminy as he drives Dernbach through mid-on with wonderful timing for four.

21st over – Duminy squirts a drive off Anderson just past the diving Eoin Morgan at point and away for four runs.

20th over – WICKET – Dernbach surprises Smith with a quicker short delivery, the batsman edging an attempted hook through to wicketkeeper Kieswetter as he tried to play the ball above his shoulders and was late on the shot. Smith fought hard for his 29 off 54 balls.

18th over – Wow, what a shot by Amla as he drives pace bowler Dernbach straight over mid-off for a superb six!

17th over – Another dropped catch! Smith, on 26, drives hard at Steven Finn and gets the edge. But wicketkeeper Kieswetter dives across but misses the ball, putting off first slip Tredwell, who drops the catch again!

11th over – Another reprieve for Amla as Bopara jags a delivery back into the batsman, who is stuck in his crease and struck low on the pads. But umpire Richard Illingworth rules not out and Amla survives on 14. Hawkeye shows the ball would have hit the middle of leg stump, but England have already used up their review!

9th over – And now England have used their review as Amla misses a whip to leg off a Finn in-swinger and is struck in line with leg stump. But umpire Illingworth turns down the lbw appeal because, with the angle and Finn’s bounce, the ball is surely going over and past leg-stump. The review confirms this.

7th over – Finn drops short and Amla crunches a pull through midwicket for four.

5th over – A big let-off for South Africa as Amla, on four, drives off the back foot against Finn and the edge flies high, at an awkward height to Tredwell at second slip, who puts down the chance.

2nd over – And Amla also gets off the mark with a boundary, a beautifully controlled punch through extra cover off Anderson. It was actually a decent delivery with a bit of away movement.

1st over – A good start for South Africa as Finn’s second delivery, from over the wicket, is full, heading outside off stump and Smith plays it on length with a trademark clip through midwicket for a well-struck boundary.

–

Eoin Morgan and Jade Dernbach were the people who hurt South Africa the most as England beat them by four wickets with two overs to spare in the third NatWest One-Day International at the Oval on Friday.

 – http://www.supersport.com/cricket/sa-team/news/120831/Morgan_Dernbach_hurt_SA_the_most

Dernbach claimed three big wickets in an under-par South African batting performance that saw the tourists bowled out for 211 inside 47 overs, while Morgan blazed 73 off 67 balls after England had been under some pressure in the run-chase.

Having bowled and fielded so well, the response from England’s top-order batsmen was underwhelming as they struggled to 64 for three after 18 overs.

Ian Bell promises so much at the top of the order with his clean strokeplay and he collected three boundaries in the second over of the innings, bowled by Lonwabo Tsotsobe.

But the extra pace of Dale Steyn proved a different matter and Bell was trapped lbw in the third over for 12.

The departure of the quick-scoring Bell was obviously a major early boost for South Africa and the superb work of the back-up pacemen – Morne Morkel and Wayne Parnell – as well as spinner Robin Peterson ensured that the more obdurate qualities of Alastair Cook (20 off 47 balls) and Trott were the ones that shone through.

Cook, pulling a Peterson short ball straight to deep midwicket, and Ravi Bopara, given out caught behind off Morne Morkel for a duck, were both unhappy with their dismissals but Morgan then came in and took charge with an innings of enormous authority.

Whatever stroke he played, whether orthodox or innovative, he committed to it fully. The left-hander purred along to his half-century off just 54 balls, with five fours and a six.

The jury may still be out on Trott as a limited-overs player, but the truth is that his was a vital innings in the circumstances for England.

The South African-born batsman committed himself to being the sheet-anchor, turning over the strike for Morgan to make merry.

At one stage South Africa had a sniff, but after Morgan and Trott had added 108 off 119 balls, England were firmly in control.

Morgan hits the ball so cleanly, collecting seven fours and two sixes in his innings, that it was a major surprise when the ball skewed straight upwards from an attempted sweep, presenting Peterson with an easy return catch. It’s perhaps worth reminding Peterson of how Herschelle Gibbs cost South Africa dearly at the 1999 World Cup by celebrating a catch too early, because the left-arm spinner lost the ball before throwing it up, but fortunately the umpires ruled he had completed the catch.

South Africa were still fighting hard and Craig Kieswetter was run out for 14 as he responded slowly to a quick single called by Trott and was beaten by Parnell’s fine piece of fielding.

Trott fell just five runs from victory when Parnell had him caught behind off 71 off 125 balls, with just two fours, but allegations that he had not served his team superbly were well wide of the mark.

South Africa’s bowling – Tsotsobe apart – was impressive.

Morkel barged in with typical aggression and showed good control as he took one for 41 in his 10 overs, while Parnell was excellent despite not swinging the ball back into the batsman, finishing with one for 23 in 10 overs.

Peterson also did his best to bowl South Africa back into the game, taking two for 39, while Steyn, having missed the first two ODIs with a neck injury, did not fully hit his stride and took one for 32 in seven overs.

Tsotsobe was the major disappointment. The slow pitch, which gripped, should have suited the pace at which he bowls as well as the cutters he is normally so good at bowling. But the left-arm seamer was flogged for 55 runs in seven overs.

England’s bowlers had earlier pressured and frustrated the South African batsmen, leading to rash strokes.

Pacemen Dernbach (9-0-44-3) and Jimmy Anderson (9.4-0-44-4) led the way for England but, on a slow pitch, medium-pacer Bopara (10-1-31-1) and off-spinner James Tredwell (10-0-49-2) also played key roles as South Africa were bowled out in 46.4 overs.

South Africa had won the toss and elected to bat, and openers Hashim Amla and Graeme Smith breezed to 50 off 51 balls before the tourists’ momentum was arrested by a rash stroke by Smith.

Looking to impose himself (unnecessarily with things going so well), Smith came down the pitch to Anderson and then, when the bowler pitched short, he was forced to try and pull the ball, missed and was bowled for 18.

Amla once again played some superb strokes, although he did not always get reward for them as he picked out the fielders, going to a nifty 43 off 51 balls and collecting five fours before Dernbach, born in Johannesburg and educated at St John’s, removed him with the first ball of his second spell as he returned for the bowling powerplay.

Amla drove loosely and did not move his feet at a delivery that nipped back and found the inside-edge and then went on to the stumps.

Dean Elgar and AB de Villiers then added 47 for the third wicket in nine overs before the South African captain tried to get too clever.

Tredwell is not the most threatening off-spinner on the planet and the plan had obviously been hatched to target the inexperienced Kent man. Between them, De Villiers and Elgar came down the pitch three times in his previous over, which cost 13 runs.

De Villiers was down the wicket again to the second delivery of Tredwell’s next over, but this time it was a straighter delivery, he was not quite to the pitch, but he went through with the shot and was caught at long-on for 28.

For such a quality batsman, never mind the captain, it was shoddy batting and a gift of a wicket to England.

Faf du Plessis (1) then stepped across outside off stump to expose his leg stump and was bowled by Bopara as South Africa crashed to 122 for four.

Elgar continued to soldier on, his 42 off 61 balls showing the fighting qualities of the left-hander, before the wonderful skills of Dernbach claimed his wicket.

The change of pace and the accuracy of Dernbach’s back-of-the-hand slower ball are remarkable and Elgar was left groping as he was bowled through the gate in the 31st over.

With Dale Steyn returning in place of all-rounder Ryan McLaren, South Africa’s batting had obviously been weakened and the new number one-ranked team were grateful for the grit of the left-handers, JP Duminy and Robin Peterson, that at least assured they had something to bowl at.

Dernbach found the edge of Parnell’s bat twice, conceding three boundaries in the 33rd over, before the left-hander edged another ball that seamed across him to the wicketkeeper.

Duminy and Peterson put on 40 for the seventh wicket before Duminy also tried to lay down the law to Tredwell and holed out to long-off. In a way, his dismissal was even more frustrating because he had shown such good composure in scoring 33 before throwing it all away in the 42nd over.

Even though Peterson survived through to the end of the innings, he could only collect one boundary and score 23 not out off 35 balls.

Anderson was the most successful of the England attack, bowling Dale Steyn (1) and Morne Morkel (7), before trapping Lonwabo Tsotsobe lbw for a first-ball duck, but at that stage the damage had already been done.

This was mainly due to Dernbach’s wonderful bowling in the middle of the innings, while Bopara and Tredwell also proved far trickier to hit than the South Africans had perhaps thought.