Ken Borland

South African fans are gleefully anticipating Dale Steyn joining Morne Morkel in the same team for the ICC World T20 later this year after the two fast bowlers produced the outstanding individual performances in last week’s IPL action.

Delhi Daredevils spearhead Morkel is still at the summit of the Purple Cap standings for most wickets with 18 in nine matches, and he produced one of the most brilliant overs in IPL history at the weekend, taking one for three in the 19th over against the Rajasthan Royals.

The Royals needed just 15 runs from two overs, with nine wickets in hand and two set batsmen at the crease before Morkel’s incredible over.

The Daredevils eventually snatched an astonishing victory by just one run and have extended their lead on top of the IPL log to three points over the Kolkata Knight Riders.

Morkel finished with one for 26 against Rajasthan, and also bowled superbly against the Mumbai Indians, with one for 21 in four overs, to rebound from a slightly-expensive return of one for 34 against the Pune Warriors.

The tall fast bowler’s wickets have come at a rate of one every 11.6 deliveries, which is the fifth-best strike-rate in this year’s IPL.

The Deccan Chargers have won just one of their eight matches to prop up the table, but it has not been due to any lack of performance on behalf of Steyn, who has taken 11 wickets at an economy rate of 5.66.

His exceptional two for 10 in four overs against the Mumbai Indians at the weekend will probably remain the best bowling performance of the season, but it was sadly in a losing cause as the Chargers were defending just 100.

South Africa’s leading batsman in the competition, Faf du Plessis, played just one game last week, scoring 29 off 20 balls for the Chennai Super Kings against the Kings XI Punjab to take his runs tally to 331, the fourth highest.

Titans teammate AB de Villiers played one of the most stunning innings of the season when he plundered 59 not out off just 23 balls for the Royal Challengers Bangalore against the Rajasthan Royals, but South Africa’s limited-overs captain was out for a first-ball duck in his next innings, caught off Jacques Kallis as the Challengers lost their crunch game against the Kolkata Knight Riders.

The Knight Riders had their match against the lowly Deccan Chargers washed out, but scored an emphatic 47-run win over Bangalore, with Kallis being one of their heroes as he scored 41 off 27 balls and then claimed the key wickets of De Villiers and Virat Kohli to finish with two for 31 in his four overs.

JP Duminy is playing alongside Steyn for the last-placed Chargers and now boasts the highest batting average (129.00) in the competition after innings of 26 not out and 25 not out, both off 24 deliveries, last week.

Robin Peterson announced his talents to the world with strong displays with both bat and ball following his belated inclusion in the Mumbai Indians team.

In an effort that was reminiscent of his crucial innings against India during the World Cup, the left-hander blasted 16 not out off seven balls to help Mumbai come back from the dead and snatch victory against the Kings XI Punjab, and then claimed three for 37 as they conceded 207-5 against the Delhi Daredevils.

The Pune Warriors finally included Alfonso Thomas in their line-up and they were glad they did as he bowled six overs for 41 runs in his two matches, while the Chennai Super Kings must be relieved Albie Morkel is back from South Africa after attending Louis Vorster’s funeral as the allrounder took three for 29 against the Kings XI.

David Miller must have earned himself more starting time for the Kings XI as he scored 34 not out off 17 balls and 19 off 15 in his two innings last week, while paceman Rusty Theron will be hoping for more action after taking two for 37 for the Chargers against Pune in his one appearance.

Richard Levi will be desperate for runs after he was bowled first ball by a fast Steyn in-swinger in his only innings, leaving him with just 83 runs in six innings.

Marchant de Lange (KKR), Gulam Bodi (DD), Roelof van der Merwe (DD), Kyle Abbott (KXIP), Herschelle Gibbs (MI), Davy Jacobs (MI), Wayne Parnell (PW), Johan Botha (RR), Charl Langeveldt (RCB) and Rilee Rossouw (RCB) will all be kicking their heels in frustration after not seeing any action in the last week.

http://www.supersport.com/cricket/indian-premier-league/news/120430/Steyn_Morkel_produce_brilliant_displays

Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula announced on Thursday that he was happy with Cricket South Africa and their efforts in the whole process of implementing the Nicholson Commission’s recommendations.

Judge Chris Nicholson, who was appointed by Mbalula in October, recommended in March that CSA chief executive Gerald Majola be suspended, that irregular bonus payments be recovered and that a steering committee to restructure the board and their governance processes be appointed.

“We’re satisfied that CSA are implementing the Nicholson recommendations,” Mbalula said in Sandton on Thursday. “The board accepts they could have played a better role at the time they were called to do so, but there has been no resistance in going through this process and we are satisfied that we have done our duty.”

The CSA board were called to Sandton to report back to Mbalula on their progress and it was noticeable that a much better vibe existed amongst their members and they even went into a huddle, team-style, to consider the final statement released jointly by CSA and the sports ministry.

Mbalula said there was no need for the CSA board to resign.

“The CSA board of directors will remain in place until the next annual meeting at the end of September because it is in the best interests of stability and taking the game forward for all stakeholders.

“It’s just a few months to go for this board and then they can get a fresh mandate. We wanted to address the issues and bring stability to cricket. If we had asked the board to resign, then certain things would not have been done; they’ve put the process in motion,” Mbalula said.

But, in another blow to Majola, Mbalula stressed that it was imperative CSA recover all irregular bonus payments made to top management.

“It is a very clear Nicholson recommendation that unlawful bonuses be recovered from top management. Certain people were entitled to bonuses, but if these were outside the ambit of the law and were not properly declared, then it will be taken up.

“A civil process will be launched by CSA and it will be included in the disciplinary commission against Majola. The Hawks [South Africa’s Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation] have also been to CSA and are in the process of their investigation. They’re on top of it, but we don’t know the outcome yet. We have to respect the process because it’s not up to us to arrest people. It was a smooth operation, not done Hollywood style, because that way things get done properly,” Mbalula said.

The disciplinary enquiry is set to be completed by May 31 and John Myburgh SC is the independent chairman appointed by the Bar Council, which is also going to be approached to appoint a prosecutor.

Goverment is now also going to be involved in the restructuring of CSA, with Sports and Recreation SA representatives, as well as from Sascoc, being added to the steering committee.

The important issue of transformation has also been added to the steering committee’s terms of reference, including a financial model that will result in funds being made available for transformation. That transformation fund will be launched at the CSA chief executives’ committee meeting on May 8.

The final report of the steering committee will be submitted to the minister for his approval, followed by consultation with the provinces and then the national indaba on sport.

“The first steps in restoring public confidence and that of the sponsors and other stakeholders have been taken,” Mbalula said.

The noose tightened on suspended Cricket South Africa (CSA) chief executive officer Gerald Majola on Thursday as sports minister Fikile Mbalula announced he was facing both a criminal investigation as well as a civil claim for the repayment of illegal bonuses paid to him by the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Mbalula met with CSA in Johannesburg on Thursday to discuss the further implementation of the recommendations of the Nicholson Committee of Enquiry, which he appointed in October, into allegations of irregular bonus payments and poor corporate governance against Majola.

Judge Chris Nicholson announced on March 13 that Majola had “surreptitiously” received 1.8 million rand (174,000 euro) in unauthorised bonuses from the IPL, as well as irregular travel expenses, in contravention of the Companies Act.
Nicholson recommended that Majola be suspended, the bonus money be recovered and that CSA undergo restructuring of their board and governance processes.

Majola was suspended by the CSA board on March 17, with Jacques Faul appointed as the acting CEO and Willie Basson as acting president.

“We’re satisfied that CSA are implementing the Nicholson recommendations,” Mbalula told a news conference on Thursday. “But the recovery of bonuses was also a very clear recommendation and a civil process will be launched by CSA and included in the disciplinary commission against Majola.

“The Hawks [South Africa’s Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation] have also been to CSA and are in the process of their investigation. They’re on top of it, but we don’t know the outcome yet. We have to respect the process because it’s not up to us to arrest people. It was a smooth operation, not done Hollywood style, because that way things get done properly,” Mbalula said.

Mbalula said that for the sake of “stability”, the CSA board of directors would remain in place until the next annual meeting in September.

“It’s just a few months to go for this board and then they can get a fresh mandate. We wanted to address the issues and bring stability to cricket. If we had asked the board to resign, then certain things would not have been done; they’ve put the process in motion,” Mbalula said.

CSA had also agreed to launch a special fund for transformation on May 8, while the steering committee in charge of restructuring their board would now include representatives from the department of sport and the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc).

The chairman of the disciplinary enquiry into Majola has been appointed by the Bar Council and will be John Myburgh SC, while CSA will now approach the Bar to appoint the prosecutor. Mbalula said the deadline for “the completion of the disciplinary procedure is May 31”.

“The board accepts they could have played a better role at the time they were called to do so, but there has been no resistance in going through this process and we are satisfied that we have done our duty,” the sport minister said.

Robin Peterson and Ambati Rayudu saw the Mumbai Indians home as they snatched a thrilling four-wicket victory over the Kings XI at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali on Wednesday.

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The South African came to the crease with Mumbai needing 34 runs off just 14 balls and Peterson plundered 16 not out off seven balls, with two fours and a six off successive deliveries.

Questions will be asked as to Peterson’s treatment by captain Harbhajan Singh, who bowled him for just one over, while he conceded 29 runs in three overs, and then batted before the left-hander but made a two-ball duck.

Rayudu blasted 34 not out off 17 balls, with a pair of fours and sixes, and hit the winning boundary as Mumbai won with a ball to spare.

The visitors needed 32 off the last two overs and Punjab will be ruing leg-spinner Piyush Chawla’s penultimate over of the innings, which cost an astonishing 27 runs.

Peterson, a clever cricketer who will always find a way to score, used a reverse-sweep and a switch-hit to hit the first two balls for four and then launched a slog-sweep for six.

Rayudu then hit the last two balls of the over for six, leaving Mumbai with just five runs to get off Azhar Mahmood’s final over and they did it in singles before the 26-year-old Indian prospect finished the match with a crunching cover drive.

The Kings XI probably thought they had the game in the bag after Mahmood and seamer Parvinder Awana had reduced Mumbai, chasing 169, to 135 for six in the 18th over.

Mumbai will be concerned that they collapsed after a good start, James Franklin (22) and Sachin Tendulkar (34) putting on 52 for the first wicket, before Rohit Sharma added a quickfire 50 off just 30 balls, with three sixes.

But the introduction of Pakistani paceman Mahmood brought a flurry of quick wickets as he had both openers caught behind by Nitin Saini.

The next over saw Chawla claim his one wicket as Dinesh Karthik (3) picked out Mahmood at short fine leg with a scoop shot.

Awana claimed the key wicket of Kieron Pollard for just three when the elevation of the West Indian’s flick over midwicket was just not enough and he was caught by Mandeep Singh.

Rohit then obviously became the key man as he played probably his best innings of the tournament before he slashed the nagging medium-pace of Awana to the sharp Mahmood at backward point.

The wicket of Harbhajan fell two balls later, but the skills of Peterson and Rayudu were enough to complete the victory.

The experienced Mahmood, who finished with two for 23, and Praveen Kumar, who conceded just 25 runs in his four overs, were the best of the Punjab bowlers.

David Hussey had earlier put his younger teammates to shame as he almost single-handedly steered the Kings XI to 168 for three.

Captain Hussey, the younger brother of Australian star Michael, slammed 68 not out off 40 balls to lift the home team to a competitive total on a pitch that was tough to score on when the ball got soft or the pace was taken off.

The 34-year-old made twice as many runs as any of his teammates, with South African David Miller’s 34 not out being the next highest score.

The multi-faceted Mumbai attack – seven bowlers were used – was initially pretty effective in stifling the run-rate and left-armer RP Singh was excellent up front, taking one for 27 in four overs.

Run-scoring was a little easier against the new ball and openers Saini and Mandeep put on 35 in the first five overs before Mandeep was caught behind off Singh for 22.

With Saini leaving the crease for 17 two overs later, his skied hook shot off paceman Clint McKay going to fine leg, the two Australians and Punjab’s most experienced batsmen – Shaun Marsh and Hussey – were brought together.

Marsh struggled to 17 off 26 balls before medium-pacer Franklin had him caught in an outstanding 13th over that cost just five runs, but Hussey batted through to the close.

Generally playing with a straight bat, Hussey punched his way to four fours and four sixes and was a cut above the other Kings XI batsmen.

But Miller served up a blistering cameo in the closing overs, lashing his 34 not out off just 17 balls, with two of his sixes coming off the last two balls of the innings, bowled by Munaf Patel, who the left-hander had also hit for six in his previous over.

Munaf had bowled his first two overs for just nine runs, including a maiden, but fell apart at the death as Hussey and Miller plundered 32 runs off his last 12 deliveries.

It said little for Harbhajan’s captaincy that spinner Peterson, who bowled the first over of the innings and conceded just three runs, was not used again, with the captain coming in for punishment as his three overs cost 29 runs.

Franklin also just bowled the single over.