Ken Borland

Morne Morkel continued his wonderful form with the ball as he set up the Delhi Daredevils’ eight-wicket win over the Kolkata Knight Riders in their IPL match at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Thursday.

– http://www.supersport.com/cricket/article.aspx?id=1328391

The strike bowler, one of four South Africans in action in the match, took 3-18 as Kolkata, who were sent in to bat, were restricted to 97 for nine in their 12 overs in a rain-reduced match.

Morkel’s batsmen then made slightly heavy weather of the chase and it needed new-ball bowler Irfan Pathan’s 42 not out off just 20 balls to see Delhi home with five balls remaining.

After captain Virender Sehwag was well-caught by Iqbal Abdulla, running around the long-on boundary, off Rajat Bhatia for 20 off 13 balls, the Daredevils were 57 for two in the eighth over, needing 41 off 28 balls.

Medium-pacer Bhatia finished the over well and Delhi needed 39 off the last four overs, with Irfan having faced just four balls.

But he hit Jacques Kallis for six in the next over and then he hammered Marchant de Lange for two more sixes in the 10th over to get the required run-rate down to less than a run-a-ball.

It was surprising that Kolkata captain Gautam Gambhir decided to bowl the inexperienced De Lange in the 11th over, the rookie South African conceding 17 runs as he bowled too short to Irfan, with the vastly-experienced Brett Lee still having an over left.

Aaron Finch scored 30 to ensure the Daredevils were off to a solid start, before Kallis (3-0-23-1) bowled a precise cutter to bowl the Australian.

De Lange had done much to ruffle the batsmen with some fiery bowling but Irfan was able to take his team home.

BRILLIANT YORKERS

Delhi Daredevils fast bowlers Morkel and Umesh Yadav had earlier crippled the Kolkata Knight Riders innings as they restricted them to 97 for nine in their 12 overs.

Morkel set the tone for the Daredevils’ dominance as he bowled Kallis (4) and Manoj Tiwary (0) with brilliant yorkers off successive deliveries on his way to superb figures of three for 18 in his three overs.

The South African giant had an impressive supporter in Indian star Yadav, who took two for nine in two overs, conceding just three runs in the penultimate over and claiming the wicket of top-scorer Laxmi Shukla for 26.

The match was played over 12-overs-a-side after a rain delay of two-and-a-half hours in Kolkata and, after being sent in to bat, the Knight Riders were quickly in trouble as Morkel and Roelof van der Merwe, his teammate at the Titans, reduced them to 20 for three after three overs.

Left-arm spinner Van der Merwe trapped Brendon McCullum lbw for nine before Morkel’s double-strike. Things only got worse for the Knight Riders as Yadav, who is not short of pace, had Yusuf Pathan caught behind for a duck as he got himself into a tangle against a short-pitched delivery.

Morkel, who took 6-23 in national colours in his last outing, then returned to bowl Indian star Gambhir, who failed to handle the extra bounce and chopped on, for 16.

Kolkata were 54 for five, but the Daredevils were guilty of taking their foot off the throat a bit as Debabrata Das was dropped on two and Shukla was able to hammer a four and two sixes.

Das scored 18 off nine balls and Shukla 26 off 17 but not even their efforts could save Kolkata from a half-baked innings.

Excellent bowling at the death by Yadav and Van der Merwe ensured that the Knight Riders’ run-rate never rose to any great extent, despite some lusty blows by Das and Shukla.

Morkel was obviously the best of the Delhi bowlers, but the efforts of Yadav and Van der Merwe (two for 28) were also of great value.

South Africa captain Graeme Smith underwent ankle surgery on Tuesday after consulting with an ankle specialist, who detected an impingement syndrome and recommended surgery.

Smith was operated on in Cape Town in order to manage the chronic pain in his left ankle that he has been suffering for the last two months.

South Africa team manager Mohammed Moosajee, a qualified doctor, said the surgery had a rehabilitation time of eight to 10 weeks, meaning Smith will miss the Pune Warriors’ entire Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign.

A statement released by Cricket South Africa said Smith had undergone surgery now to ensure he was fully fit for a crunch tour of England in July that will decide the number one ranking in the International Cricket Council’s test rankings.

“My ankle has been troubling me for some time so it will be a relief to have it repaired, especially looking ahead to the crucial year of cricket ahead,” Smith said.

“I’m very disappointed to be missing out on the IPL this year. I was looking forward to my second season with Pune Warriors, especially after my knee set me back last season. I would like to wish them all of the best this year, I’m sure the new management and exciting new signings will be a positive boost for the side.”

A post on the social network Twitter by Smith’s wife, Morgan Deane, said Smith was “safe and sound but sore” after the operation.

A top-class spell by Faf du Plessis and a double-strike up front by Albie Morkel led the Nashua Titans to a comfortable 45-run victory over the bizhub Highveld Lions in the MiWay T20 Challenge final at the BidVest Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Sunday.

 – http://www.supersport.com/cricket/domestic-t20/news/120401/Titans_coast_to_T20_title

The two all-rounders shared seven wickets between them as the Lions crumbled to 142 all out after the Titans’ powerful middle-order batsmen had seen them to 187 for six.

The Lions beat the Titans in both their round-robin matches this season and must have fancied their chances of chasing 188 in good batting conditions. But this time they danced to the tune of the Titans bowlers as they lost three wickets in the first four overs and then another three in the space of nine balls midway through their innings.

Titans coach Matthew Maynard may have swum against the tide by leaving out all of his international stars, but his team remained a slick, efficient outfit on the field as they hunted down their second trophy of the summer after their success in the SuperSport Series.

Lions youngsters Jonathan Vandiar (0) and Quinton de Kock (17) could both perhaps be accused of going too hard too early as they both skied the ball into the outfield to be caught.

The dangerous De Kock had already hit two fours and a six off 10 balls but, with his captain Alviro Petersen falling just three balls previously for five as he edged Morkel and was brilliantly caught by Heino Kuhn standing up, he then tried a lofted drive and gave the Titans another wicket.

It was also another fine catch, Eden Links judging the steepler to perfection as he ran from mid-off to behind the bowler.

The Lions were 24 for three after four overs, but Neil McKenzie and Jean Symes provided a brief surge of runs as they added 50 off 34 balls.

But the home crowd’s cheers were soon silenced as leg-spinner Du Plessis came on in the 10th over.

His third delivery was the only one that misbehaved all day on another excellent Chris Scott pitch, keeping low to bowl Symes for 25 off 20 balls as the left-hander attempted a pull shot.

Dwaine Pretorius’s stay was brief. He hit his first ball from Du Plessis straight back over the bowler’s head for six and then tried the same shot two balls later, but was surprised by the googly and bowled middle stump.

McKenzie fell six balls later, bowled off the pad for 24 off 19 balls by a quicker delivery from left-arm spinner Roelof van der Merwe that went straight on, meaning there were two new batsmen at the crease with the Lions needing a daunting 106 off nine overs.

Du Plessis carried on his destructive business by removing the last two hopes of the Lions – having Chris Morris caught by a diving Alfonso Thomas for 18 and then accepting a simple return catch from Thami Tsolekile (14). It left Du Plessis with brilliant figures of 4-24 from his four overs and the bowling award.

There was some late resistance from Aaron Phangiso (19 not out) before Morkel (3-28) had Ethan O’Reilly (7) caught behind by Kuhn off a bouncer to claim the Lions’ final wicket in the penultimate over.

BRILLIANT OUTFIELD CATCH

Farhaan Behardien had hit the ball high and handsome in the closing overs to lift the Titans to 187 for six and earning himself the batting award in the process.

Behardien, who scored an unbeaten 20 off 11 balls on Friday night on his international debut, continued to court the national selectors for a place in South Africa’s T20 World Cup squad as his brilliant 42 not out off 26 balls gave the Titans a competitive total after they had been a dodgy 112 for five in the 14th over.

The Titans were sent in to bat and openers Henry Davids and Kuhn did a fine job of seeing them off to a good, fast start as they added 43 runs in three-and-a-half overs.

There had been some speculation that the Titans management would drop Davids for returning international Jacques Rudolph, but the former Bolander repaid their faith as he slashed 27 runs off 12 balls, with five fours and a six, hitting the ball beautifully through the off side.

The Lions were desperate for a breakthrough and all-rounder Morris, who has very much been their talisman this year, topping the SuperSport impact ratings, did the job by bowling Davids with the assistance of a deflection off his back pad-flap.

The Lions, with superb team-work between their focused bowlers and lively fielders, especially on the boundary, then kept chipping away as the Titans lost regular wickets.

Pakistan international Sohail Tanveer had Kuhn caught behind for 14 in the next over, and left-arm spinner Phangiso, playing against his former team, had Van der Merwe (7) well-caught by Symes on the deep midwicket boundary.

Du Plessis and Martin van Jaarsveld began to dominate in a fourth-wicket stand of 29 off 25 balls, but Morris then took a brilliant outfield catch, running in from cow corner and diving forward, to dismiss Du Plessis for 22 off a Pretorius full toss.

Captain Van Jaarsveld scored an impressive 32 off 21 balls but then drove Phangiso to Morris at deep extra cover.

The Titans had plans to dominate the 28-year-old Phangiso, but he certainly won his personal battle against his former teammates by finishing with outstanding figures of 2-14 in his four overs.

Van Jaarsveld was out midway through the 14th over and Behardien then dominated the last six overs as he slammed two fours and two sixes, the extra cover region once again being one of his main targets.

The Lions were badly disrupted by Dirk Nannes having to pull out with a hamstring strain and his replacement, O’Reilly, who has not played since the match against the Knights on March 7, had a torrid time.

Having conceded 31 runs in two overs against the Davids onslaught up front, O’Reilly returned to bowl the 16th over and was taken for 14 more runs by Behardien and the in-form Morkel.

Behardien and Morkel did the business in the closing overs as they added 42 off 27 balls; the left-hander fell to Tanveer in the 18th over for 21 off 15 balls, but Behardien batted through to the end, hitting a wonderful six over extra cover off the Pakistani in the final over.

David Wiese, another who had international rivals for his place, showed his big-hitting ability with 14 not out off seven balls, but it was the composure and brilliance of Behardien that carried the Titans to their highest total this season and the best against the Lions.

Phangiso was the obvious bowling hero for the Lions, with Tanveer, Morris and Pretorius the other wicket-takers, but all at a cost of more than nine runs an over.

Both South Africa and India’s batsmen plundered runs before rain had the final say and gave the hosts an 11-run victory on the Duckworth/Lewis Method in the New Age Friendship Cup T20 at the BidVest Wanderers Stadium on Friday.

http://www.supersport.com/cricket/sa-team/news/120330/Rain_returns_and_SA_win_on_DL

Jacques Kallis and Colin Ingram blazed half-centuries to lay the foundation for South Africa’s total of 219 for four, and Gautam Gambhir and Robin Uthappa were making a very good fist of the chase as they took India to 71 without loss in just 7.5 overs before rain stopped play.

After ending their innings on a tremendous high, Justin Ontong and Albie Morkel lashing 26 runs off the final over, South Africa were unable to make a breakthrough with the ball, but Lonwabo Tsotsobe’s three overs for just 15 runs were ultimately the difference as India were behind according to the Duckworth/Lewis calculation, but in control in many people’s eyes.

Gambhir hit seven fours and a six in his 49 not out off just 28 balls. It was a stunning mix of stylish strokeplay and awesome power from the left-hander and it definitely had South Africa on the back foot.

Uthappa had made it to 18 not out off 19 balls when the rain arrived to end the match.

Tsotsobe was the only bowler to keep the batsmen quiet, not conceding a boundary. The other four bowlers used by South Africa conceded 53 runs in 4.5 overs.

South Africa had earlier charged to the fourth-highest T20 international total ever as they plundered 219 for four.

Kallis – who was being “honoured” by the game – and Ingram established South Africa’s dominance with a record second-wicket stand of 119 off 81 balls, before Ontong and Morkel provided an emphatic conclusion by taking 26 runs off the final over bowled by Suresh Raina.

With overcast, rainy skies over the Wanderers only clearing a couple of hours before the toss, Mahendra Singh Dhoni called correctly and then sent South Africa in. Richard Levi hit four of his first six balls to the boundary, but his cameo was over almost before it had begun as left-armer Irfan Pathan switched to over the wicket and immediately had him caught at slip by Rohit Sharma for 19.

The colder weather in Johannesburg may have helped the amazing Kallis, but having flown halfway around the world from chilly New Zealand just 48 hours previously, the great all-rounder produced another remarkable innings to celebrate his own party.

Showing his usual ice-cool judgment, Kallis was content to push singles, until he found the length he wanted. He would then positively murder the ball, lashing five fours and two sixes in his 61 off 42 balls.

Ingram, battling to establish himself at international level, had a dream evening as he blasted a career-best 78 off 50 balls, with eight fours and three sixes.

Their century stand – coming off 72 balls – was the sixth by a pair of South African batsmen and the first against India. They batted through until the end of the 15th over, when Kallis was eventually caught by Rohit on the midwicket boundary off Ravichandran Ashwin.

That just seemed to bring out the best in Ingram as the last five overs produced a great finish by the South Africans – 78 runs being scored in the last five overs!

Ingram cut loose by scoring his last 28 runs off just 12 balls, finishing with eight fours and three sixes, most of his strokes being in keeping with the MCC Coaching Manual.

Off-spinner Raina had been the one Indian bowler to police the South Africans up till then and he removed Ingram at the start of the 18th over, Rohit taking his third catch of the innings – the first Indian to do so – diving forward at deep midwicket.

Only five runs had come from the over, before Ontong ended it with a slog-swept six over midwicket.

Irfan was then tidy in the 19th, conceding just a single Ontong boundary, before the experienced right-hander went into overdrive by hitting the first two balls of Raina’s final over for four and six. Ontong then missed a cunning quicker, flatter delivery from Raina to be bowled for a quickfire 22 off seven balls, but Morkel was just the man to close the innings, going six-four-six to finish with 16 not out off three balls.

Debutant Farhaan Behardien kept the momentum going with his 20 not out off 11 balls and these are exciting days for South African batting when one considers Graeme Smith, Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy and Faf du Plessis weren’t even playing!

The end result was South Africa’s highest total against India, beating the 172-5 in the 2010 T20 World Cup in the West Indies, and the second-highest score they have ever made, behind the 241-6 against England at SuperSport Park in 2009/10.

The off-spinner Ashwin was the most economical of the visiting bowlers, with one for 33 in his four overs.