Story SouthAfrica's International Diary(ICC CT 2009) - Boucher tries to Steady the Ship

[shantanu_rooney]

Aussies Strike Twice but De Villiers and Prince Fight Back​

The Australian team followed the two umpires as they came out after the lunch break. Then followed by the two South African batsman. Graeme Smith who was at non striker's end not out on 47 and Jacques Kallis who was on the strikers end on 23. Ricky Ponting decided to bring Brett Lee, Australia's main bowler back into the attack as Australians needed a wicket to break this partnership which had put on 73 runs. Kallis straight away started the scoring with a single towards cover. But next ball it was Lee who finally got the wicket. Lee bowled a quick bouncer and Smith hooked it but got a top edge which was easily caught by Peter Siddle at fine leg. Aussies celebrated as they knew they had got the most important wicket of Graeme Smith for 47 of 83 balls. Ashwell Prince was the next batsman in to face Lee and he did play him well.

Ponting decided to give Johnson a new spell and was hoping for breakthrough and it did happen. The short ball was the trick again. Kallis like Smith went to hook the bouncer, but mistimed the shot and gave an easy catch to Siddle at fine leg. Aussies strike twice in two overs after lunch. Both the settle batsman were back to the pavilion and the latest of them was Kallis for 27. South Africa were in trouble as AB de Villiers came in the middle. De Villiers got of the mark straight away with a straight drive for four. South Africans would be hoping that this two stay at the crease for a long time and steady the innings.

Lee and Johnson were bowling good line and length and weren't allowing the batsman any room. The boundaries were being difficult to come by but the two batsman looked happy taking the ones and twos and keep the strike rotating. De Villiers was looking aggressive with his batting approach hitting each and every ball but to the fielder's hands while Prince was playing it safe by leaving all balls outside the off stump. Krejza was brought back to the attack instead of Johnson who went for 8 runs in his small 2 over second spell. Krejza was welcomed by De Villiers with two consecutive boundaries. The first ball De Villiers cut him through the point and gully region and the second one, he came down the pitch and played against the turn over covers. This aggressive batting by De Villiers had brought life back in the South African supporters and had made Ponting to rethink about his field placings.

While on the other end Prince played the anchor role giving the most of the strike to De Villiers who was hitting every ball from the middle of the bat. Along with boundaries De Villiers and Prince also rotated the strike which amde it dificult for Lee and Krejza to bowl a particular line and length. Soon it was Prince who hit his first boundary of the match as he swept Krejza for four beating the short fine leg fielder. The runs were coming easily and this was worring the Australian captain. This pair had suddenly put on 44 runs in 10 overs after lunch consisting of many ones and twos and 4 boundaries.

South Africa: 139/4( 42 Overs, 1st Innings)
A.Prince: 16(35)
AB de Villiers: 22(29)
Extras: 14

Last Wicket:
J.Kallis c Siddle b Johnson 29(68)
G.Smith c Siddle b Lee 47(83)

 

[Zohaib]

nice update

 

[gutterman]

both de villiars and prince are quality batsmen. give them too much room and they will hit the ball around a bit. great pres as always kutgw

 

[navin-boss]

Graeme Smith missed his 50!Well both the batsmans are out but again a new partnership rising.Hope Australians will be soon put into bat.

Nice Update asusual mate.KUTGW!

 

[Pakistani Army]

Smith & Kallis got out to the same shot. Thats good tactics by the Australians. However, despite Prince and De Villiers started to play their shots I feel that the Australians will strike again.

Fantastic works Shantanu!

 

[shantanu_rooney]

Partnership troubling the Aussies​

After losing Smith and Kallis in consecutive overs, AB de Villiers and Ashwell Prince had quickly added 44 runs in 10 overs. They played some aggressive shots and scored runs mostly in boundaries. They continued their aggressiveness in the next 10 overs also. Andrew Symonds was given the ball for the first time replacing Brett Lee who had bowled a really good second spell. In the last few years Symonds has been a great allrounder taking some crucial wickets when needed. But this time it didn't happen. Ashwell Prince scored his second boundary of his innings with a delightful cover drive which beat Hussey at covers and went for four. With that boundary the 50 runs partnership between these two batsman was brought up.

Tension was growing on the Australian captain's face as these two batsman were scoring runs quite easily and kept the scoreboard ticking with the ones and twos. Krejza continued from the other end and De Villiers decided to attack the offspiner who was playing his second test after taking 13 wickets in the first test match. De Villiers hit consecutive boundaries of Krejza's over. First, went through the empty point region and the second was a cover drive and the fielder at covers had no chance of stopping the ball. South African fans were enjoying this aggressive display by De Villiers and he continued the same batting style as he swept Symonds for yet another four.

Peter Siddle was brought back in the attack for just 3 overs as he conceded 5 runs of his three over which included 2 maiden overs. Those five runs included one four hit by inform and aggressive AB de Villiers, which was delightful and text book straight drive which bisected the mid on and mid off fielder and went all the way for four. Prince who on the other end was just taking one and twos and hit the odd boundary. Symonds was brought back in the attack. Krejza and Symonds tried to contain the runs by keep it tight and bowling wide outside off stump as there was no spin for the spinners. But the Proteas were happy with the singles and kept rotating the strike. The Aussie players looked worried as this partnership had in no time reached in the 70s.

Symonds was given the last over before tea for a breakthrough. But Proteas went to tea in great position as Prince hit Symonds for two fours in the last over. First was through the covers and the next was swept fine and went all the way for four. So with that Proteas went for tea in a good position at 173/4 while the Aussies need to take some quick wickets in the last session. Ponting as he went back to the pavilion looked worried and certainly not happy with his spinners who were absolutely getting nothing from the pitch.

South Africa: 173/4( 52 Overs, 1st Innings)
A.Prince: 32(68)
AB de Villiers: 39(56)
Extras: 15

B.Lee: 14-1-41-2
M.Johnson: 9-0-38-2
P.Siddle: 12-4-31-0
J.Krejza: 13-3-45-0
A.Symonds: 4-0-15-0

 

[navin-boss]

Another Partnership grows to trouble the Aussies here.They need those two wicket as soon as possible.AB de Villiers is showing his aggressiveness over here.He is playing a quite good innings.Prince is well supporting him.Aussies definitely need a comeback now.

Brilliant Work asusual Shantanu!Keep it up going!

 

[Pakistani Army]

Seems that spin is not helping the Australians. I think the best thing for the Australians to do would be to continue with Krejza and Johnson. On a whole, not a bad session for the South Africans.

Great works Shantanu!

 

[gutterman]

the quality of the batsmen are showing. if they keep this up they are both looking at big scores. ive said it before and ill say it again brilliant presentation kutgw

 

[Super Baz]

Ashwell Prince looking confident at the crease ,Australia need to break the partnership up but can`t see where the next wicket will come from , great work , enjoying this story

 

[shantanu_rooney]

Proteas Domination Continues​

The Aussies followed the two umpires as they came out for the last session of the game. The two South Africans batsman who had both put on 78 run partnership for the 5th wickets came a couple of minute after the Aussies and that didn't go well with the Australian captain as he had a word with the umpire. The play started and it was the same old story. Again Krejza was not getting anything out of the wicket that could trouble the two batsman. The two batsman found it easy to not only score in singles and twos but also hit the boundary. AB de Villiers hit the first four of the day with a sweep shot which went passed the square leg fielder for four. Johnson this time was brought in the attack but straight away he was hit for four through the mid wicket area and that quite summoned Johnson's day as he hasn't been bowling in the right line and length and giving batsman many loose balls to hot.

Siddle was brought straightaway in the attack as he replaced Johnson from the pavilion end who had went for 10 runs in his first two overs. Siddle had been the most economical bowler of the day for the Aussies and he could have been rewarded for that stat but was unlucky. Prince went for the drive but the ball just came in a bit and hit the inside edge and went all the way for four. This was an example that nothing went Aussie way today. Siddle was very unhappy and frustrated as he deserved a wicket for his efforts. Krejza on the other end kept it a bit tight by bowling in the right areas. But De Villiers didn't stop his attacking and aggressive batting as he smashed his 9th boundary of the innings through the covers.

Soon he was rewarded with his 16th half century of his career as he square cut Siddle for his 10th boundary of the innings. There was a big round of applause for AB de Villiers for his entertaining and deserved 50 of just 70 balls. Lee replaced Siddle for just two overs and Lee kept it tight by bowling two maidens. Both Lee and Krejza kept it tight by bowling in the right line and length and not giving both batsman any room. The runs were now becoming hard to come by as the ball wasn't coming nicely on the bat. Siddle again was brought into the attack for Lee. He along with Krejza didn't concede more than 3 runs per over. The pitch was good for batting but the bowlers were keep it tight and making the batsman to work hard for the runs.

The 100 run partnership for the 5th wicket was brought with a single towards mid wicket and there was a huge round of applause from the crowd and the South African players in the dressing room. De Villiers had played the major role by scoring some quick runs while Prince had played the anchor role. Prince had gone into the defensive gear since tea as he had scored 8 runs in 35 balls and that showed the Aussies were bowling a very tight line to Prince.

South Africa: 210/4( 66 Overs, 1st Innings)
A.Prince: 40(103)
AB de Villiers: 62(105)
Extras: 21

Last Wicket: 95/4
J.Kallis c Siddle b Johnson 29(68)

 

[saladguy]

Oh yes, a well deserved fifty for de Villiers. This partnership looks very strong and the Aussies have got lots of work to do for sure!

 

[gutterman]

very well deserved 50 for de villiars. prince doing well providing support. kutgw

 

[Storer11]

This story is brilliant thus far.

How did you get all the extras like player faces when they come in to bat?

 

[Akash00]

Great update there Shantanu.
Great 50 by Ab DeVilliers.