Ken Borland

Flyhalf Freddie Michalak posted 19 points as the Sharks won the physical battle and beat the Cheetahs 34-20 (half-time 21-14) in an all-South African SuperRugby match at the Free State Stadium on Saturday.

In a bruising battle between two powerful forward packs, it was the Sharks who enjoyed a slight edge as their direct running took them over the advantage line and allowed their backs the space to run in four tries and notch a vital bonus point.

Frenchman Michalak scored a try and kicked four conversions and two penalties to keep the Sharks on the front foot.

The Sharks laid down an early marker as they kept the ball from the kickoff for 12 phases and two minutes and 25 seconds, loosehead prop Tendai Mtawarira and hooker Bismarck du Plessis carrying the ball strongly to fracture the Cheetahs defence and provide outside centre JP Pietersen with the space to dot down.

Michalak converted to give the Sharks an early 7-0 lead, but their ill-discipline at the ruck and the strong running of Cheetahs forwards Philip van der Walt, Adriaan Strauss and George Earle led to two penalties for flyhalf Riaan Smit.

The Cheetahs backs also have plenty of flair with ball in hand and outside centre Robert Ebersohn’s marvellous break from the restart led to powerful hooker Strauss muscling his way over for a try in the 32nd minute.

But Michalak struck back almost immediately with his try after a booming kick by fullback Riaan Viljoen had been allowed to bounce inside their 22 by the Cheetahs defence. The 29-year-old leapt up to get a hand to the ball, re-gathered and scored just his second SuperRugby try.

Wing Paul Jordaan then obstructed the Cheetahs chase at the restart and conceded a penalty, which Smit kicked to level the scores at 14-14.

But the Sharks attacked again with renewed vigour and, with the half-time hooter having just gone, they ran a penalty, with eighthman Keegan Daniel and Jordaan impressing with their handling to give wing Lwazi Mvovo the chance to beat the cover defence with dancing feet and a strong hand-off.

Michalak converted and then stretched the Sharks’ lead to 24-14 with a penalty six minutes into the second half.

Replacement flyhalf Sias Ebersohn kicked a penalty for the Cheetahs in the 53rd minute, as the Sharks, with Du Plessis in the sin-bin after a second shoulder charge earned him a yellow card, had their hands in the ruck.

The Cheetahs went into the final quarter just 20-24 down after Mtawarira infringed in the scrum and Sias Ebersohn kicked his second penalty.

The Sharks dominated the closing stages, however, as Michalak increased the lead to 27-20 with a penalty and the bonus point try came in the 73rd minute after Pietersen had stolen the ball on the right wing, Mvovo jinked his way deep into the Cheetahs 22 and replacement centre Meyer Bosman dived over the tryline.

Michalak added the conversion as the Sharks kept themselves inside the top six and the playoff places in the southern hemisphere competition.

Scorers

Sharks – Tries: JP Pietersen, Freddie Michalak, Lwazi Mvovo, Meyer Bosman. Conversions: Michalak (4). Penalties: Michalak (2).

Cheetahs – Try: Adriaan Strauss. Penalties: Riaan Smit (3), S. Ebersohn (2).

South Africa leg-spinner Imran Tahir is so intent on making an impression against England in their Test series later this year that he turned down lucrative county offers so that he could spend time in Pakistan with the legendary Abdul Qadir.

South Africa visit England in July and August for three Tests in a battle between the number one and two ranked teams on the International Cricket Council’s rankings and the Pakistan-born Tahir is likely to be the leading spinner in a squad that features three of the best pacemen in the world in Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander.

“It’s a very big series against England and if we can win it would be something special, one of the biggest achievements in my career,” Tahir told reporters in Johannesburg on Wednesday.

“I did have offers from counties and I actually accepted one from Surrey, which I then turned down, because I’ve been working really hard on my fitness and I’m going to back to Pakistan to get some help from Abdul Qadir. I’m kind of a bowler like him and he’s been really helpful to me before, since the first time I met him in 2000.

“He’s a legend and he can help me big time … I just need to get him out on to the cricket ground because it’s 48 degrees outside!” Tahir said.

Qadir took 236 wickets in 67 Tests for Pakistan between 1977 and 1990, including 82 in 16 Tests against England.

The 33-year-old Tahir made his Test debut for his adopted country in November and just 18 wickets at an average of 37.05 in seven Tests have led to some English critics writing him off as a threat.

But Tahir pointed out that he has yet to play in a test in helpful conditions.

“There’ve been five Tests in South Africa and three in New Zealand, and maybe one of those pitches took spin, so I had to have defensive fields.”

Tahir, who has played at first-class level for a staggering 18 different teams, said he liked to attack and was unconcerned about criticism that he might try too hard, bowl too many different deliveries in an over or celebrate wickets too exuberantly.

“If I’m playing for my country, I try as hard as I can. I make sure I don’t relax because then I might lose concentration and bowl a bad ball. I like to try too hard!

“I just want to enjoy my cricket and the celebrations just come, I go with the flow. Even in club cricket in England I used to do it … I don’t know if I just lose myself,” Tahir said.

The start of the English season has been marred by terrible weather and Tahir, who has played for Middlesex, Yorkshire, Hampshire and Warwickshire between 2003 and 2011, admitted he hoped for hotter conditions before South Africa arrive.

“It’s normally drier in July and August and I hope there’s a good summer for us, it will be harder for me if the pitches are like they are now. But the fact that most Tests in England are now going into the fourth or fifth day is good for spinners,” Tahir said.

England batsman Kevin Pietersen described Tahir as being “world-class” when they played together in the KZN Dolphins team in 2010.

“He is in a different league. He spins the ball both ways and he’s got incredible control. If you can spin the ball both ways you get wickets.

“He does bowl the odd bad ball, but if managed properly and given lots of confidence, the man can bowl any team out,” Pietersen said.

Herschelle Gibbs returned to Indian Premier League action and the manner in which he did so suggests the South African veteran could have a key role to play for the Mumbai Indians as the playoffs rapidly approach.

Gibbs played his first game of this year’s IPL competition last week, having sat out due to a combination of a broken finger and Mumbai preferring James Franklin and Richard Levi, but if people thought the 38-year-old’s T20 career was on the wane, he quickly disabused them of the notion with a well-considered 66 not off 58 balls against the high-flying Kolkata Knight Riders.

The Western Cape star played the perfect supporting role to Rohit Sharma, who made a sensational century, as they added 167 off 106 deliveries for the second wicket, the third highest partnership in IPL history.

With Gibbs back to form a dangerous opening partnership with Sachin Tendulkar, Mumbai now seem to have the batting to back up their powerful bowling attack and you would have to tip them as one of the favourites for the title.

It was another satisfactory week in terms of South African performances in the IPL, with lanky fast bowler Morne Morkel still top of the pole in terms of wickets taken.

Morkel locked down top spot by taking two wickets in three matches, although the Delhi Daredevils spearhead did go for more runs than he has previously, with figures of 1-35 against Kolkata, 1-32 against the Chargers and 0-31 against Chennai.

His brother Albie made an impressive return to action for the Super Kings after going home for Louis Vorster’s funeral, hitting two towering sixes as he lashed 18 not out off six balls as the defending champions beat the Rajasthan Royals in an exciting finish. He has also settled back nicely into his role of new-ball bowler, providing good support for Ben Hilfenhaus with figures of 0-19 in three overs against the Royals and 1-15 in four overs against the lethal Delhi Daredevils top-order.

Jacques Kallis continues to perform, without any airs or graces, for the Kolkata Knight Riders.

He starred with the bat in the loss to the Mumbai Indians, scoring 79 off 60 balls, although 40 runs would come off his four overs.

Kallis bowled superbly against the Delhi Daredevils, however, removing deadly openers David Warner and Virender Sehwag and conceding just 20 runs in his four overs, before scoring 30 off 27 balls in the succcessful run-chase and winning the man of the match award.

It would be an extremely frustrating week for South Africa’s other two major stars at the IPL – AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis.

Because he is inexplicably being batted so low by the Royal Challengers Bangalore, the marvellously in-form De Villiers would bat just once in his two matches and face just four balls, scoring nine not out.

Du Plessis did not play for the Super Kings last week due to illness and would like to climb back up the run-scorer’s table after initially holding the Orange Cap but now slipping down to 11th place.

Dale Steyn returned to action for the Deccan Chargers after a foot niggle and tried his best to deny the Punjab Kings XI victory in their thriller at Mohali, but his outstanding figures of 2-26 in four overs were not supported at the other end.

Off-spinner Johan Botha also returned to action and fine form for the Rajasthan Royals, bowling 12 overs for just 73 runs and taking three wickets, sending him into the top 15 of the most economical bowlers who have delivered at least 25 overs.

Other South African performances: Wayne Parnell – 2* & 2-0-12-1 Pune Warriors v Rajasthan Royals; David Miller – 28* off 18 balls Punjab Kings XI v Deccan Chargers; Juan Theron – 4-0-29-0 & 7* Deccan Chargers v Punjab Kings XI; JP Duminy – 13* off 9 balls Deccan Chargers v Delhi Daredevils; Alfonso Thomas – 4-0-46-0 & 7 Pune Warriors v Bangalore Royal Challengers; Roelof van der Merwe – 3-0-17-0 Delhi Daredevils v Chennai Super Kings.

Did not play: Marchant de Lange (KKR), Robin Peterson (MI), Faf du Plessis (CSK), Richard Levi (MI), Gulam Bodi (DD), Kyle Abbott (PK), Davey Jacobs (MI), Charl Langeveldt (BRC), Rilee Rossouw (BRC).

http://www.supersport.com/cricket/indian-premier-league/news/120514/A_week_for_the_veterans

The Stormers failed to pitch up for the second half but an enormous defensive effort meant they hung on for a 16-14 victory over the Free State Cheetahs in their all-South African SuperRugby match at Newlands on Saturday.

The first half was one-way traffic as the Stormers cruised into a 16-0 half-time lead.

Flyhalf Peter Grant kicked three penalties in the first 16 minutes as the Cheetahs’ repeated infringements caught the eye of referee Steve Walsh and, after concerted pressure inside the opposition 22, lock Eben Etzebeth then muscled his way through three defenders to score the Stormers only try, in the 24th minute.

The Cheetahs came out inspired in the second half and a series of top-class drives by their forwards took them deep into the Stormers’ 22, where a slick pass by wing Willie le Roux allowed fullback Hennie Daniller to score in the corner.

Replacement flyhalf Riaan Smit kicked a fine conversion from the touchline to close the gap to 7-16 after 48 minutes.

Stormers flank Rynardt Elstadt then received a yellow card for a knee to the back of the head of Cheetahs wing Cameron Jacobs and a massive brawl then broke out between both teams, with a white card being issued for further investigation.

The Stormers defence held true, however, as the Cheetahs bombarded their line through 26 phases without reward.

Ironically, the visitors did score a second try in the 66th minute, but it came from deep within their own territory.

Right wing Gio Aplon sparked one of the Stormers’ few second-half attacks but, when scrumhalf Dewaldt Duvenhage tried to pass to him again from a ruck, Le Roux pounced for the intercept and sprinted clear for a try from 90 metres out.

The accurate boot of Smit once again succeeded with the touchline conversion (16-14), but the Stormers prevented any further damage on the scoreboard and held on for a win that keeps them just one point behind the Bulls at the top of the South African Conference.

Scorers

Stormers – Try: Eben Etzebeth. Conversion: Peter Grant. Penalties: Grant (3).

Cheetahs – Tries: Hennie Daniller, Willie le Roux. Conversions: Riaan Smit (2).