Australia 154 All out [MR Marsh 67, GJ Bailey 25, M Morkel 5/21, Dale Steyn 3/35 , VD Philander 1/16] lost to South Africa 157/7 [ AB de Villiers 48, RR Rossouw30, JR Hazelwood 5/31] By 3 Wickets
The devastating pace trio, arguably the best in world cricket at this moment Morne Morkel, Dale Steyn and VD Philander destroyed the Australian batting on a lightning fast WACA wicket.
Then AB de Villiers the best batsman of the world at this moment with a quick fire 48 of 41 deliveries chased the small target of 155. The win by three wickets in the second ODI played in two days makes the 5 matches ODI battle royal 1-1 with three still to play.
Poor fielding and atrocious catching in the first ODI made the visitors suffer a huge loss in the first ODI on the same ground but a different wicket on Friday. Australia could compile a huge 300 run which could so different if only traditionally very agile fielding side South Africa could live up to their reputation.
The wicket on which the match was played yesterday was true WACA wicket having tennis ball bounce. Winning the toss and opting to field visitors like wounded tigers looked very menacing right from the word go. Morkel was at his magical best. His balls started kicking at awkward height. Blaster Warner was removed with a very fast short delivery aimed at his rib case which he globed and had to adjudged caught behind on review. Wicket Keeper de Kock like a flying saucer took a spectacular catch. It was the 5th ball of the first over.
From the other end, V Philander moved the ball at pace proving it very difficult to score off. Steyn coming at first change for Morkel was greeted with lovely flicked over boundary on the very first ball. But while trying to play a lofty on drive Man Mountain Morkel took a good catch. Australia was rocked at 2/14.
South African bowlers were enjoying the pace and bounce. The ball was ruling the bat so much that even the part-timer Behardein could bring one sharply back at Watson trapping him marginally in front.
Smith was trying to resurrect with Bailey but he too fell to Morkel trying to pull a sharp rising delivery. Imran Tahir had a comfortable catch. Australia was reeling at 4/34. With Clark not there it was only up to stand in Captain Bailey to resurrect with talented Mitchel Marsh. They could rally for a while till Bailey again trying to pull got out to a great diving catch by du Plessis off Philander.
Returning on his second spell Morkel quickly accounted for Wade, Maxwell and Johnson in a very telling spell. Steyn joining the mission of destruction made Australia to succumb to a score of 150 which was perhaps at least 75 runs short of what could have been a defendable total.
Morkel took 5/21 his career best, Steyn took 3/35, Philander was miserly. He conceded only 16 runs and removed Bailey. South Africans very strongly announced what rest of the world can expect from them in the ensuing ICC world cup.
South African chase however was not that comfortable. Johnson was not in his tune but Hazelwood bowled superbly repeating what Morkel did earlier. His first five wicket haul in ODI made the visitors wobble. Openers Amla and de kock were removed by the 7th over with only 21 on board. At one stage they were also 5/113. But for a very ordinary effort from Nathan Coulter-Nile leaking 54 runs in six overs made Australia lose control on the match. Hazzlewood on his way to five wickets haul was twice on a hat trick.
Talented de Villiers stood like a rock of Gibraltar weathering all storms and guided to boat safely towards the shore with a positively composed 48 in 41 deliveries. But when de Villiers and Philander were removed off successive deliveries excitement again surfaced. But dependable David Miller carried the team through, over and across as Coulter-Nile had leaked 12 runs in a crucial over.
With Michael Clark possibly not available for the rest of the series Australia has genuine batting problem at hand. They are not looking good against very probing protean bowling attack though they managed a score of 300 in the first match mainly exploiting several miss catches.
It is either Warner at the top and new boy Mitch Marsh, in the middle order, who appear to have genuine quality to confront pace barrage of the South Africans. Sooner or later Amla and du Plesis will come on their own and Duminy will be fit again. With the pace battery looking ominously good South Africa is looking the team in form for a crack at ICC World Cup which has so far eluded them.
BDST: 1237 HRS, NOV 17, 2014
