Ken Borland

Jacques Kallis and JP Duminy nurdled South Africa to a satisfying seven-wicket victory over England in the first T20 international at the Riverside Ground in Chester-le-Street on Saturday.

18th over – Ravi Bopara is back but his first ball is a low full toss outside leg stump as a back-of-the-hand slower ball goes horribly wrong, and Kallis flicks it away for four.

17th over – Stuart Broad over-pitches and Kallis lifts him over mid-on for four.

16th over – Kallis gives himself some room and swishes Jade Dernbach through the covers for four.

13th over – Duminy squeezes a full delivery from Steven Finn through point for four. Finn has knocked the bowler’s end stumps with his knee again and Broad, typically, has a moan to the umpire about why it wasn’t a dead ball like in the test series. Funnily enough, Finn does it again in the over and this time umpire Rob Bailey does call dead ball … costing Duminy and South Africa a single.

11th over – Left-arm spinner Samit Patel comes on, but his first delivery is a low full toss which Duminy reverse-sweeps for four. The next delivery is full, but Duminy manufactures a splendid reverse-paddle very fine for another boundary.

7th over – A bit of width from Bopara and Kallis chops the ball behind square on the off-side for four. Bopara seems to be trying to bowl too fast, bizarrely, and his next delivery is down leg and tickled away for four by Kallis.

6th over – Kallis steers Stuart Broad past slip for four runs.

5th over – Steven Finn is targeting Duminy outside off stump, but the left-hander drives beautifully through the covers for four.

4th over – Four runs to Kallis with an edgy uppercut over the slips off Dernbach. Two balls later, AB de Villiers unveils a superb back-foot drive for four through extra cover. On the penultimate ball of the over, Dernbach drags down a slower ball and De Villiers slaps it in front of point for four more. WICKET – But De Villiers (10) targets the same area off the next ball, but the delivery is too full and too straight and he ends up getting an edge and presenting a simple catch to wicketkeeper Craig Kieswetter.

3rd over – WICKET – Faf du Plessis comes and goes for four as he tries to drive Finn through midwicket, misses a straight ball and is plumb lbw.

2nd over – WICKET – Richard Levi is out for eight as he tries to chop Dernbach down to third man, but the line is too tight and he ends up edging the ball to slip.

1st over – Levi gets going with a forehand smash straight down the ground for four off Finn, and he then pulls the next delivery through wide mid-on for another cracking boundary.

England innings

England’s ailing batsmen could only muster 118 for seven against South Africa’s incisive attack in the first T20 international at the Riverside Ground in Chester-le-Street on Saturday.

20th over – And Graeme Swann starts the final over brilliantly too as he cleverly steps across to off-stump and flicks Dale Steyn over short fine-leg for four.

19th over – Swann starts the penultimate over in fine fashion for England as he smites Jacques Kallis over extra cover for four.

18th over – Swann reaches a long way down the pitch to sweep Robin Peterson in front of midwicket for four. Stuart Broad ends the over by leaning back and whacking the ball straight down the ground for another boundary.

16th over – WICKET – Samit Patel (4) mishits a lofted drive off Peterson and Kallis comes storming in from long-off, dives forward and takes a great catch.

14th over – WICKET – Another big blow for England as Jonny Bairstow (15) just clips a fullish delivery from Albie Morkel straight to long-on.

13th over – WICKET – Peterson strikes now in his first over back. Jos Buttler (6) waltzes down the pitch to drive, but Peterson has held the delivery back beautifully and it turns past the bat to bowl the youngster.

11th over – WICKET – Eoin Morgan is deceived by a wonderful step up in pace by Johan Botha. The left-hander tries to sweep, but is beaten for pace and bottom-edges the ball on to his stumps to be bowled for 10.

9th over – Wonderful power and timing from Bairstow as he just strokes off-spinner Botha through extra cover for four.

8th over – WICKET – Ravi Bopara falls to Steyn once again! The hapless Bopara is out for six as he edges a flatfooted push at a delivery that just shapes away a bit, straight to slip. Great attacking captaincy by AB de Villiers to bring Steyn back and to have a slip.

7th over – WICKET – Botha strikes with his first ball back for South Africa in five months as Craig Kieswetter steps across to try and play the delivery to leg, but is beaten by sharp turn into him and trapped lbw for 25 off 24 balls. Morgan gets his first boundary as he drives beautifully, with superb timing, just to the right of the diving extra cover, for four.

5th over – Another wild heave by Kieswetter off Lonwabo Tsotsobe is edged over the vacant slips for four. More misfortune for Tsotsobe ends the over as Kieswetter, on 22, mistimes a cramped stroke to deep mid-on where a leaping Botha can only get fingertips to the catch at full-stretch.

4th over – WICKET – Kieswetter inside-edges Morkel into the leg-side and Alex Hales comes charging for the quick single. But Kieswetter doesn’t respond, Hales has to try and turn and make his ground, but Kallis beats him with a direct hit. Hales is out for 11 off just six balls.

3rd over – Glorious shot by Kieswetter as he comes down the pitch, giving himself room, and cracking a sweetly-timed shot through the covers for four off Tsotsobe. It prompts captain De Villiers to take slip out and Kieswetter edges a wild heave at the next delivery just past the wicketkeeper’s right hand for four! Kieswetter ends the over by heaving Tsotsobe over cow-corner for six.

1st over – Hales ends the first over with successive boundaries off left-arm spinner Peterson, whishing a sweep through square-leg and then driving beautifully through cover-point.

Springbok fans will be dying of embarrassment as one of the weakest Australian teams in recent memory won a record fifth successive Test against South Africa, 26-19 in Perth on Saturday.

This is an Australian team that has only one or two players that would be considered for a World XV, had lost their opening two Rugby Championship games, blanked by the All Blacks last time out, and were under immense pressure leading into the game.

That pressure only intensified in the first half as the Springboks strangled them, pinning them in their own territory for lengthy periods. Possession may have been 50/50, but South Africa spent 66% of the first half in Australian territory.

The Wallabies, on the verge of disarray, should have been put away in that first half, but these Springboks totally lack a ruthless touch, especially on attack.

Australia went into the shed relieved to be just 6-13 down and were a much-improved outfit in the second half.

But the Springboks still enjoyed 50% possession and 61% territory in the second half, yet they could score just six points. Frustratingly, good ball was kicked away when they were inside the Wallabies half, Morne Steyn missed a crucial penalty in the 50th minute and a lineout throw was lost inside the 22 in the dying moments.

South Africa’s much-maligned kicking game worked a treat in the first half, creating the platform for victory as Australia’s weak kickers simply could not get them out of their territory, resorting to disastrous grubbers.

But the Springboks were once again limp on attack. Apart from Bryan Habana, who popped up everywhere before he left the field with a leg injury in the 53rd minute, there was no spark. The backline looked pedestrian and simply did not gel, failing to seize on a number of opportunities when they created holes in the Wallabies defence.

While flyhalf Morne Steyn is the obvious target as scapegoat, there is another issue which coach Heyneke Meyer may have to wrestle with, and that is his captain, Jean de Villiers, at 13.

A fine captain and person, a great Springbok and a highly-respected inside centre De Villiers may be, but the 31-year-old didn’t threaten once on attack and, the one time he did find himself in space on the outside, he and replacement wing Lwazi Mvovo managed to get in each other’s way and the turnover ball and overlap yielded nothing.

That was in the 58th minute and, just two minutes earlier, De Villiers also missed the midfield tackle on Dom Shipperley that led to Scott Higginbotham’s try. South Africa have some right to feel hard done by, however, as the move started from a scrum penalty against them that even the Australian commentators agreed was unjust.

But the Springboks clearly also still have problems with their pillar defence around the fringes as Higginbotham burst between Willem Alberts and Steyn at a ruck in the shadow of the poles, while Australia’s second try, by prop Ben Alexander, also came after gaps were left close to the breakdown.

South Africa have a ready-made replacement captain when Schalk Burger is fit, although Meyer might prefer to move De Villiers to his favoured position at inside centre. The coach will then, however, have to sacrifice the physical presence and direct running of Francois Steyn that he loves so much at 12.

Meyer belatedly introduced Pat Lambie into Rugby Championship action in the last 10 minutes, but it was the debut of the 20-year-old Johan Goosen in place of Morne Steyn at flyhalf that perhaps shows the coach the way to go in future.

Goosen, in his brief cameo, showed a willingness to take the ball to the defence, beat tackles and generally just looked a better attacking option. Plus we all know there is nothing wrong with his boot, and he can tackle.

There are arguments, of course, that Meyer should wait before thrusting Goosen into a starting role against the All Blacks. But the longer he waits, the more the Springboks will frustrate on attack. What everyone agrees on, however, is that Goosen is bound to have a long international career.

Whether Meyer enjoys the same remains to be seen. He will plead that it is very difficult to turn naturally conservative players into attacking dynamos overnight. But to dominate a poor Wallaby team for so long and still not manage to put them away means he has to add something more adventurous, more incisive to the current mix.

http://dailymaverick.co.za/article/2012-09-08-boks-with-no-spring

A dramatic revival in the final quarter carried the SWD Eagles to a thrilling 64-34 (half-time 27-20) victory over the Leopards in their Absa Currie Cup First Division match at Outeniqua Park in George on Friday.

The Leopards, having fought their way back to 34-34 after 57 minutes, were left stunned as the Eagles scored three more tries, two of them by incisive scrumhalf Johan Herbst to complete his hat-trick, and resuscitated their hopes of making the semifinals.

The Eagles started in magnificent fashion as right wing Clinton Wagman and Herbst scored tries in the first four minutes and fullback Elric van Vuuren converted both and added a penalty to give the home side an early 17-0 lead.

But the Leopards also showed some attacking verve and their fullback, Hoffman Maritz, crossed for a try and flyhalf Andre Pretorius added the conversion and a 19th-minute penalty and suddenly the visitors only trailed 10-17.

Van Vuuren chipped over a penalty in the 27th minute (20-10) and the Eagles then looked after the ball well for outside centre Nicolaas Hanekom to score, the fullback again adding the conversion.

It was like taking candy from babies when 23-year-old Leopards lock Victor Kruger charged over the tryline five minutes before the break and another Pretorius penalty left the Eagles bemoaning the way they had rather wasted their early advantage.

The Leopards were sighing even louder after the break as they once again conceded a try from the kick-off, left wing Ghafoer Luckan darting over, but North-West’s number 11, Berty Visser, went hard and low to score in the 51st minute.

Six minutes later and, lo and behold, the Leopards were level after a try by inside centre Adriaan Engelbrecht, also converted by Pretorius.

But Van Vuuren kicked a 64th-minute penalty to reclaim the lead for the Eagles, before replacement flyhalf Burton Francis slotted two well-taken drop goals within two minutes to give South-Western Districts a nine-point buffer.

Inside centre Jeffrey Taljard and Herbst, twice, then knifed through for tries in the last six minutes to seal an exciting win for the Eagles, who now close to within two points of the Leopards and the Northern Free State Griffons on the log.

SCORERS

SWD EAGLES – Tries: Clinton Wagman, Johan Herbst (3), Nicolaas Hanekom, Ghafoer Luckan, Jeffrey Taljard. Conversions: Elric van Vuuren (7). Penalties: Van Vuuren (3). Drop goals: Burton Francis (2).

LEOPARDS – Tries: Hoffman Maritz, Victor Kruger, Berty Visser, Adriaan Engelbrecht. Conversions: Andre Pretorius (4). Penalties: Pretorius (2).

http://www.supersport.com/rugby/currie-cup-first-division/news/120907/SWD_Eagles_ease_past_Leopards

The well-drilled EP Kings were in firm control in the second half as they beat the Border Bulldogs 35-19 (half-time 10-6) in their Absa Currie Cup First Division match at the Buffalo City Municipal Stadium in East London on Friday.

Credit must be given to the Kings management for their effective game plan and for keeping the team focused after a frustrating first half.

The Kings, physically superior to the gutsy but outmatched Bulldogs, used their most effective weapon, the rolling maul, well as eighthman Cornell du Preez scored a hat-trick of tries from that tactic.

Du Preez benefited because the Kings were without the services of marquee player Luke Watson, but he was not missed as the sheer physicality and forward power of Eastern Province always gave them the edge over the Bulldogs.
The home side were reduced to surviving on scraps of possession and their banditry did bring them a fine try by eighthman Theunis Lambrechts and four penalties in a brave display.

Border scored first through a seventh-minute penalty by flyhalf Reinhardt Gerber and the Kings only opened their account in the 17th minute when flyhalf Wesley Dunlop slotted a penalty.

The Bulldogs had their best try-scoring chance of the first half six minutes later when an up-and-under by Quinton Crocker was brilliantly claimed by wing Chumani Booi, who then fed the fullback up in support. But Crocker decided to cut inside instead of heading for the tryline as powerful Samoan wing Paul Perez came charging across in cover defence, leading to a ruck and a penalty for Border, which Gerber missed.

By now the Kings were using their dominance in the collisions to good effect and Du Preez scored their first try after 10 phases of driving play. Dunlop converted and, although Gerber cut the deficit to 6-10 with another penalty, the excitement was still upcoming as Eastern Province finally hit fifth gear straight after half-time.

Dunlop, one of the people to relocate to Port Elizabeth in the wake of the Kings’ promotion to SuperRugby, kicked a penalty soon after the restart and the Bulldogs were immediately pinned back in their 22 and desperately trying to defend a series of forward drives that led to a couple of penalties. Border were unable to defend the rolling maul off the lineout and Du Preez had his second try in the 45th minute.

Strong running by Perez and centre Tiger Mangweni then displaced the Bulldogs defence in the 51st minute, leading to another Dunlop penalty (23-6).

But Border have their attacking routines well-rehearsed and a counter-attack allowed them to record their third penalty in the 57th minute, kicked by replacement flyhalf Jannie Myburgh.

Du Preez’s hat-trick try probably won’t make the season’s highlights reel as it came from yet another rolling maul, stretching the Eastern Province lead to 28-9 on the hour mark.

Bulldogs captain and flank Gareth Krause managed to latch on to the ball in a ruck and force a penalty, kicked by Myburgh, three minutes later, but the outcome was settled with the home side trailing 12-28.

The best two tries of the match followed in the last 13 minutes, with Mangweni scything through to add another try to his considerable album, before Border eighthman Lambrechts claimed a loose pass and then showed great deternination to grab his try, bouncing off Mangweni, eluding two other tacklers and then barging through replacement wing Siyanda Grey on his way over the line.

It was merely a consolation score for the Bulldogs but, to their credit, they showed little evidence of low morale after suffering their 11th successive defeat.

SCORERS

BORDER BULLDOGS – Try: Theunis Lambrechts. Conversion: Jannie Myburgh. Penalties: Reinhardt Gerber (2), Myburgh (2).

EP KINGS – Tries: Cornell du Preez (3), Tiger Mangweni. Conversions: Wesley Dunlop (3). Penalties: Dunlop (3).

http://www.supersport.com/rugby/currie-cup-first-division/news/120907/EP_Kings_beat_Bulldogs_in_EL