Showing posts with label SOUTH AFRICA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SOUTH AFRICA. Show all posts

Sunday, July 10, 2011

India vs South Africa highlights, 2011 Cricket World Cup

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

SACHIN-FIRST CRICKETER TO SCORE 200 IN ODI


Sachin Tendulkar became the first man to register a double-century in One-Day International cricket in the second game in Gwalior.

Tendulkar's 200 not out enabled India to smash their way to 401 for three before South Africa were bowled out for 248, the emphatic victory putting India into an unbeatable position of 2-0 up with one game to play.

India won the toss and chose to bat but quickly lost Virender Sehwag (9) when he was caught by Dale Steyn off Wayne Parnell.

but they quickly got recovered courtesy 194-run partnership for the second wicket between Tendulkar and Dinesh Karthik (79).

Yusuf Pathan promoted to number four after Karthik's dismissal, and he continued the assault with 36 in 23 balls, the all-rounder got out to AB de Villiers off spinner Roelof van der Merwe after blasting four fours and two sixes.

That brought Tendulkar and Mahendra Singh Dhoni together and they brutally attack the South African bowlers. Dhoni made excellant innings of 68 in 35 balls with seven fours and three sixes.

Tendulkar finally got his shot at history, and in perfect style,hitting Charl Langeveldt to point for a single, and the double-century.

He had earlier passed the record of 194, held by Saeed Anwar and Charles Coventry, flicking the ball into the midwicket region off Parnell.

In reply, South Africa failed to live with the pressure of scoring at eight runs per over, losing their way, and wickets, despite a wonderful century from AB de Villiers.

Gibbs (7) and Jacques Kallis (11) both played on while Alviro Petersen was bowled by Ravi Jadeja attempting to pull for nine and JP Duminy's miserable run of form continued when he was trapped in front by Pathan for a golden duck.An experiment to promote Roelof van der Merwe worked briefly before he got out for 12 and Hashim Amla scored 34 in 22 balls before he pulled Sreesanth to Ashish Nehra at mid-on.

De Villiers showed fine form, playing an innings that might win most other ODIs, left unbeaten on 114 in 101 balls with 13 fours and two sixes, but today was Tendulkar's, and India's day.Sreesanth returned three for 49 to be the pick of the Indian bowlers.

India won the opening match by one run in Jaipur and the final game is in Ahmedabad on Saturday 27th February.


Saturday, June 20, 2009

SWASHBUCKLING SHAHID AFRIDI BOOK THE FINAL PLACE FOR PAK

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Afridi - stunning performance carried Pakistan through to their second successive ICC World Twenty20 final against South Africa.

Afridi's 51 provided the impetus in an oddly-paced Pakistan total of 149 for four - and he then took two for 16 in four overs of wrist-spin to help leave his opponents seven runs short at Trent Bridge, despite Jacques Kallis' 64.

The first defeat of South Africa's campaign eliminated them - the fourth time they have gone out at the semi-final stage of a major ICC tournament - and Pakistan will instead face either Sri Lanka or West Indies at Lord's on Sunday.

South Africa remain desperate to shed the 'chokers' tag now inked in against them, having left themselves too much to do against Umar Gul et al in the 'death' overs.

Pakistan lived up to their own reputation for eccentricity, in a minor way, by bizarrely leaving only three overs for their most reliable bowler Gul. But they had enough in reserve to ensure that self-inflicted disadvantage amounted only to a puzzling rather than damning statistic.

Pakistan chose to bat first on a pitch with more pace than most have had here in this competition - and less obvious assistance to spin.

Their innings, on a bright evening, was a curious stop-start affair which was nonetheless eventually vindicated.

It started at break-neck speed, Kamran Akmal blazing a succession of early boundaries despite the departure of Shahzaib Hasan for a second-ball duck when he mistimed an attempted pull at Wayne Parnell to be very well-caught by Roelof van der Merwe running back at mid-on.

Akmal and Afridi bludgeoned Pakistan's way to 43 for two after five overs, the opener gone by then when he too mispulled to be caught at mid-on off Dale Steyn.

The relaxation of fielding restrictions explained a second five overs in which Pakistan could add only 25 runs. 

But it was harder to rationalise the split of 52 in the next five and then only 29 in the last quarter, particularly because only one wicket fell in each of those sections.

Afridi had announced himself with a brutal four over mid-on off Parnell, from the first reachable delivery he received.

Akmal struck the pace of Steyn dismissively over long-off for six. But it soon became apparent his replacement Shoaib Malik was content to push the gaps to get Afridi on strike in a third-wicket stand of 67 in 10 overs.

Afridi responded with four successive off-side fours in one over from Johan Botha, who has been the slow-bowling cornerstone of South Africa's gameplan over the past two weeks but this time went for 23 runs in only half his scheduled allocation.

Afridi charged on to a 32-ball 50, only to fall immediately afterwards when he aimed a huge hit at the first of JP Duminy's off-spinners and skied a catch to short midwicket.

Malik never reached a run-a-ball tempo - and had still found the boundary only twice - before picking out long-off when he went after van der Merwe's left-arm spin.

It was therefore down to Younus Khan and Abdul Razzaq to try to rescue the 160-plus total which had seemed likely.

Graeme Smith turned to his two frontline pace bowlers for the last four overs, and they took their cue for a series of impressively well-directed yorkers.

The impression was that Pakistan had failed to make par with the bat, and South Africa still looked favourites as Kallis and Smith got their reply off to a wicketless near eight-an-over start in the first five overs.

Smith was dropped by Gul, who almost did himself a mischief when he mis-judged a skier at mid-on off Razzaq. But the South Africa captain went soon afterwards when he badly mistimed another pull and was caught and bowled by Mohammad Amir.

It was Afridi's entrance into the attack that changed the game, though.

Herschelle Gibbs and AB de Villiers were transfixed by his variations, bowled in contrasting but equally comprehensive fashion as he took two big wickets in four balls.

Kallis and Duminy responded to the loss of three team-mates for 10 runs with a stand of 61. But the increasing suspicion was that they were falling worryingly off the pace.

So it proved, despite Kallis taking advantage of a spare over from seventh bowler Fawad Alam which saw him complete a 46-ball 50 and celebrate with a straight six to add to his seven fours.

Gul's false start at the Radcliffe Road end had left him with only two more possible from the other direction.

But Kallis finally fell to the first ball of the 18th over, with an unlikely 38 still needed, when he lofted Saeed Ajmal high to long-on - where Shoaib Malik kept his cool to hang on to a tough, pressure catch.

Duminy did his best to narrow the margin, but it was always going to be too little too late for a team who had pushed perfection through the tournament yet were again found wanting when it mattered most.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

INDIA LOST EVEN THEIR LAST MATCH OF THE TOURNAMENT

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South Africa booked a semi-final ticket with a fifth successive ICC World Twenty20 victory by defeating defending champions India.

India were already out of the equation after their defeat against England at Lord's on Sunday. But if their millions of supporters were hoping for a winning response against the tournament favourites in Nottingham, they were disappointed again as their heroes could muster only 118 for eight to lose by 12 runs to the batting of AB de Villiers (63) and then a collective effort from South Africa's slow bowlers.

 

On a pitch which helped the slow bowlers all day - Ajantha Mendis held the key for Sri Lanka against New Zealand this afternoon - South Africa's exponents were superior.

Their combined spin-bowling figures were 9-0-32-5, to India's 14-0-75-4 - and that was more than enough to decide the outcome and ensure Graeme Smith's men will face Pakistan here in the last four on Thursday.

After restricting their opponents to 130 for five thanks to a hard-working performance in the field, India were exactly up with the early run rate established by their opponents - on 47 for none at the end of the six overs of powerplay.

But it was at that point Smith turned to the off-spin of Johan Botha (three for 16) for the first time, and with only his second delivery he had Gautam Gambhir caught at extra cover.

Four wickets then fell for 14 runs in 28 balls as a succession of batsmen failed to deal with spin on and pace off the ball at both ends.

Even the big-hitting Yuvraj Singh, dropped on nought when he offered a return catch to off-spinner JP Duminy, could not make the difference, and by the time he went caught behind off fast bowler Dale Steyn in the 19th over, the game was up.

After winning the toss, South Africa began the contest by losing Herschelle Gibbs to an under-edged pull on to his stumps off RP Singh in the second over, and Smith followed in the ninth when he holed out in the leg-side off Harbhajan Singh.

De Villiers found near immediate fluency, but South Africa still lost a little momentum as they added only 21 runs between the five and 10-over mark.

Their number three struck Yuvraj over extra-cover for his team's first boundary in nine overs, and added a second - his sixth in all - wide of long-on from the very next delivery to bring up a 41-ball half-century.

Despite the departure of Duminy, stumped after missing some turn from occasional left-arm orthodox Suresh Raina, De Villiers tried to up the ante, and when he skied a return catch back to Ravindra Jadeja he had made significantly more than half his team's 110 for four.

South Africa managed to add only 32 in the last five overs. But India always seemed unlikely to have an easy chase in the prevailing conditions, and so it proved.

Monday, June 8, 2009

PROTEAS BEAT SCOTLAND CONVINCINGLY

Scotland bowed out of the ICC World Twenty20 tournament with the second lowest score in the event's history as South Africa lived up to their billing as one of the favourites.
Needing victory to avoid an early exit from the competition following yesterday's defeat to New Zealand, Scotland were unlikely to cause a shock from the moment South Africa powered to a daunting 211 for five after being put in to bat at The Oval.
But the real gulf in class was exposed when Scotland began their reply and were dismissed for just 81 in only 15.4 overs, a total which was only marginally better than the worst ever in this event of 73 recorded by Kenya against New Zealand in Durban two years ago.
It was also the seventh worst total in Twenty20 international history despite Kyle Coetzer hitting a determined 42 off 32 balls before becoming the first of four wickets to fall in a 10-ball spell to end their innings.
South Africa's total, their highest in this format, was achieved by a stunning display of hitting towards the end of their innings by AB de Villiers which helped them add 83 runs from the final five overs.
Teaming up with Albie Morkel after off-spinner Majid Haq and left-arm spinner Glenn Rogers had halted South Africa's earlier run spree, the pair hammered 51 off 19 balls to end any hopes of Scotland limiting them to a modest total.
Openers Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis, who was dropped by Scotland captain Gavin Hamilton at extra cover on 43, had given South Africa a solid start with an 87-run stand.
It took the introduction of off-spinner Haq, who was strangely overlooked for yesterday's match, to halt their progress after he dismissed both batsmen in the space of four balls.
Kallis, who scored a superb 48 off 31 balls, was bowled off an inside edge attempting a drive down the ground and Smith fell at the end of that over for 38 mis-timing an attempted sweep.
Ryan Watson's off-spin also accounted for Herschelle Gibbs when he advanced down the wicket and was comfortably stumped, which prompted the destructive partnership between de Villiers and Morkel.
All-rounder Morkel was initially the most destructive of the pair and hit two sixes and a four off one Watson over before holing out in the deep for a brilliant 24 off 11 balls.
But de Villiers picked up the mantle and helped add a staggering 83 off the final five overs, finishing unbeaten on 79 off 34 balls including five fours and six sixes.
Scotland's innings suffered a disastrous start when they lost four wickets inside the first four overs and looked to be heading for an even more humiliating total.
But Coetzer, who had earlier taken a stunning one-handed catch at long off to remove Mark Boucher, provided impressive resistance to put Scotland on course to at least reach three figures.
He hit all-rounder Morkel for two of his three sixes, but attempting to hit off-spinner Johan Botha back over his head he instead mis-timed it high in the air and was caught with six overs remaining.
Coetzer's demise sparked a late collapse with Morkel wrapping up the lower order with two wickets in three balls to secure South Africa's emphatic 130-run triumph

Friday, April 17, 2009

Aus regains the 2nd spot after winning the 5th odi

Haddin - scored a quickfire 66.

Haddin - scored a quickfire 66.

Australia gained some respectability with a 47-run victory over South Africa in Johannesburg but still lost the one-day series 3-2.

The hosts were set 304 to win after Brad Haddin and Michael Clarke helped them into a strong position and despite 82 from Herschelle Gibbs the Proteas crumbled in the latter half of their innings, collapsing from 213 for four to 256 all out with Mitchell Johnson taking three for 58 for the tourists.

Australia struck an important blow before skipper Graeme Smith (20 off 15) could get fully into his flow.

The left-hander waved at a wide Nathan Bracken delivery in the eighth over and got a healthy edge which Haddin did well to hold on to high to his left.

That brought veteran all-rounder Jacques Kallis to the crease and he immediately set about his task in combination with Gibbs.

The pair were untroubled as they easily kept pace with the required rate in a 104-run stand that was brought to an end by a dubious lbw decision against Gibbs.

The 35-year-old attempted to sweep Nathan Hauritz while on 82 and while the ball rapped his front pad, he had made a stride down the wicket which could have offered some doubt about the decision.

Kallis followed for 64 off 69 balls, caught by Haddin off Bracken, and there was little in the way of resistance from the lower order with only AB de Villiers (15) managing double figures outside the top four batsmen.

Earlier, Smith won the toss and inserted the Australians who were looking to earn back some respectability having already conceded the series 3-1.

The tourists had not won since the opening match, but were soon on the front foot through Haddin (64 off 66) and Clarke (66 off 60) who made full use of the early powerplays to clear the in-field with regularity in their opening 127-run stand.

Both fell in quick succession but skipper Ricky Ponting (40 off 45) and rookie Callum Ferguson (41 off 33) picked up the pace to have the Australians at one point 191 for two after 31 overs and dreaming of a total in excess of 350.

But when both fell - to soft dismissals - all momentum the Australians built was soon lost.

Ponting's dismissal, caught at mid-on as he went in search of back-to-back sixes off the part-time spin of JP Duminy, prompted a collapse of four wickets for 23 runs in a four-over spell that left Australia on 246 for seven and with more than 10 overs still to bat.

Instead of loosing heart, they achieved the grand total of 303 runs,thanks to an unbeaten 57-run partnership between Michael Hussey (49) and Nathan Hauritz (24).

Duminy finished with figures of three for 48, while fellow spinner Roelof van der Merwe chipped in with two for 44 as the slow bowlers again restricted Australia.

After winning the 2nd ODI,Australia have regained the 2nd position in the ICC ODI ranking,which they lost to India.

Monday, April 13, 2009

GIBBS' TON PROVIDES SERIES WIN FOR SOUTH AFRICA


Herschelle Gibbs made an emotional return to form as he hit a century which set up a series win for South Africa in the fourth one-day international at St George's Park on Monday. South Africa won by 61 runs to take a winning 3-1 lead in the five-match series.


It was South Africa's third successive one-day series triumph against Australia and ensured they would retain their world number one ranking in one-day cricket.


Gibbs hit 110 as South Africa made 317 for six after being sent in to bat on a slow pitch. Australia made a good start in reply, with Brad Haddin (78) and Michael Clarke (50) putting on 129 for the first wicket. But their innings lost momentum against the slow bowling of Roelof van der Merwe (three for 46) and Johan Botha (one for 48).


Fast bowler Dale Steyn took four for 44 to wreck the bottom half of the Australian innings as the tourists were bowled out for 256. Gibbs and AB de Villiers (84) put on 136 off 123 balls for South Africa's third wicket in a partnership filled with sparkling strokes and audacious running between wickets.
When he reached his 21st one-day international century Gibbs acknowledged the crowd then sank to his haunches and appeared to wipe tears from his eyes. It was the first major innings played by Gibbs, 35, since drink driving charges against him were withdrawn last month in return for agreeing to do 100 hours of community service.


Earlier in the season he spent time in rehabilitation for alcohol-related problems after his arrest last year. He made his runs off 116 balls with two sixes and nine fours.


Ponting's decision to send South Africa in to bat in a must-win game for Australia was influenced by a good record for teams batting second on the small Port Elizabeth ground, including a successful chase by Australia, who were set to make 327 in 2001/02. Australia had won four out of five previous matches against South Africa at the ground.



Haddin raced to a half-century off 41 balls as he and Clarke gave Australia an ideal start. Haddin appeared to target Johan Botha, the off-spinner who has bowled economically in two series against Australia, hitting two sixes in Botha's first over, which cost 14 runs. Botha was taken off and was hit for another six by Haddin when he returned four overs later. But in trying to hit another ball out of the ground he lofted a catch to long-on.


Van der Merwe took the next three wickets with his left-arm spin as the required rate climbed rapidly. Ponting hit four boundaries off Steyn in the first over of a batting power play in the 41st over but hit the last ball to midwicket to be out for 53, effectively ending his team's hopes.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

SOUTH AFRICA BEAT AUSTRALIA AND TAKE 2-1 LEAD IN THE SERIES

 

Kallis celebrates his half-century.

                                                                                              

 

 

 

South African AB de Villiers raises his bat to celebrate scoring a half-century

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Half-centuries from Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers proved decisive as South Africa eased to a 25-run victory over Australia in the third one-day international in Cape Town.

Kallis and De Villiers shared a 114-run partnership for the third wicket to rescue the home side from early trouble to post 289 for six.

The tourists struggled in their chase, with Callum Ferguson (63) and James Hopes (63 not out) only briefly threatening as outstanding fielding and Roelof van der Merwe's three for 37 restricted the visitors to 264 for seven.

They made a solid enough start in their response, reaching 30 before the first wicket fell - Brad Haddin run out via a direct hit from JP Duminy fielding at cover.

Ricky Ponting was then dropped twice in successive balls by Mark Boucher and Kallis, although the first chance to the South African wicketkeeper seemed to have been taken on the bounce.

Ponting again survived a run-out chance after running halfway down the track, only to be saved by a poor throw from Albie Morkel at mid-wicket.

But he finally perished for 20 caught and bowled after being outfoxed by a flighted delivery from Johan Botha.

Van der Merwe was introduced into the attack and he struck a double blow in his third over, bowling Michael Clarke (35) and trapping Michael Hussey (one) leg before wicket, despite the batsman getting a big inside edge.

Duminy too was an instant hit when he was brought on to bowl, claiming the wicket of David Hussey (20) with his second ball, caught at long-on by Dale Steyn as Australia fell to 114 for five.

But Ferguson brought up his fifty in 59 balls and shared a 97-run partnership with Hopes, perishing to Van der Merwe, caught by De Villiers running back from cover.

Another brilliant piece of fielding by Duminy in the deep accounted for Mitchell Johnson (nine) being run out as Australia fell well short.

Earlier, after winning his first toss of the series and electing to bat, Graeme Smith was sent on his way in the seventh over when he walked down the track to Johnson (four for 34) and edged a seaming delivery behind to Haddin.

Herschelle Gibbs was next to go when he holed out to a good catch by Hopes at deep mid-wicket off Nathan Bracken.

But in company with De Villiers, Kallis reached his fifty from 69 balls. And Kallis soon followed him to a half-century, at a marginally quicker tempo.

Brett Geeves grabbed a fortuitous breakthrough when Kallis (70) slammed a short and wide delivery straight to Hopes.

Johnson then removed De Villiers for 80 with a slower delivery that took a leading edge and was snapped up by Nathan Hauritz at mid-off.

After Duminy had smashed Johnson straight to Michael Hussey at cover, Boucher and Morkel plundered late runs.

 

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Sunday, April 5, 2009

STEYN,PARNELL CRUSH AUSTRALIA IN THE 2ND ODI

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Opening bowlers Dale Steyn and Wayne Parnell produced devastating performances as South Africa bounced back with a convincing seven-wicket victory in the second one-day international against Australia at Centurion Park here on Sunday.

Australia were bowled out for 131 after their top order batsmen were blown away by Steyn and the teenaged Parnell.

South Africa needed just 26.2 overs to level the five-match series after being beaten by 141 runs in the opening clash in Durban on Friday.

Australia crashed to 19 for five before Callum Ferguson led a partial recovery, making 50.

Steyn took four for 27 and the left-armed Parnell, 19, claimed four for 25 in his second one-day international.

Steyn started the slide when he bowled Brad Haddin off an inside edge with the sixth ball of the match.

Australian captain Ricky Ponting hit the first ball he faced from Steyn for six but made only two more runs before edging a drive against Parnell to wicketkeeper Mark Boucher.

Man-of-the-match Parnell dismissed Michael Clarke and Mike Hussey leg before wicket with full deliveries that swung late and had figures of three for three after four overs, while Steyn had David Hussey caught behind.

Ferguson and Mitchell Johnson put on 63 off 107 balls for the seventh wicket in the only substantial partnership of the innings before Johnson was deceived by a doosra from off-spinner Johan Botha.

Ferguson made 50 off 83 balls before falling to a vicious lifter from Steyn in the fast bowler's second spell, gloving a catch to backward point.

Ponting won the toss and batted on a hard, almost grassless pitch that looked ideal for batting. But the Australian batsmen were undone by the pace and swing generated by Steyn and Parnell.

Herschelle Gibbs fell early to Johnson but South African captain Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis put on 69 for the second wicket to take their team more than half way to the target.

Needing wickets to have any chance of salvaging the match, Ponting bowled out Johnson, his main strike bowler, inside the first 22 overs. Johnson took two for 47 in his 10 overs.

Parnell, who was awarded a contract by Cricket South Africa last week, was one of three changes in the South African team. Kallis returned after a groin injury and left-arm slow bowler Roelof van der Merwe was given a first one-day international cap.

Hashim Amla, Morne Morkel and Makhaya Ntini were left out.

SCOREBOARD

Australia

B. Haddin  b Steyn 1
M. Clarke lbw b Parnell 5
R. Ponting c Boucher b Parnell 8
D. Hussey c Boucher b Steyn 1
M. Hussey lbw b Parnell 3
C. Ferguson c De Villiers b Steyn 50
J. Hopes c Botha b Kallis 8
M. Johnson lbw b Botha 30
N. Hauritz c Boucher b Steyn 10
N. Bracken c Gibbs b Parnell 5
B. Laughlin  not out 1
Extras  (lb2, nb1, w6) 9
Total  (40.2 overs) 131

Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-11, 3-14, 4-19, 5-19, 6-40, 7-103, 8-124, 9-129

Bowling:

Steyn 9.2-0-27-4
Parnell 8-3-25-4
Kallis 4-0-11-1
A. Morkel 5-0-15-0
Botha 9-0-29-1
Van der Merwe 5-0-22-0

South Africa

G. Smith c Clarke b Laughlin 40
H. Gibbs c Hauritz b Johnson 2
J. Kallis c Haddin b Johnson 31
A. de Villiers  not out 36
J. Duminy  not out 11
Extras  (lb6, w6) 12
Total  (3 wkts, 26.2 overs) 132

Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-76, 3-93

Bowling:

Johnson 10-0-47-2
Bracken 4-0-23-0
Laughlin 7.2-1-30-1
Hauritz 5-0-26-0

Did not bat: M. Boucher, A. Morkel, R. van der Merwe, J. Botha, W. Parnell, D. Steyn

Result: South Africa won by 7 wickets

Series: Five-match series level at 1-1

Umpires: Asoka de Silva (SRI), Brian Jerling (RSA). TV umpire: Rudi Koertzen (RSA). Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SRI)

Friday, April 3, 2009

AUSTRALIA CRUSH SOUTH AFRICA BY 141 RUNS

 Michael Hussey plays it past the slips, South Africa v Australia, 1st ODI, Durban, April 3, 2009

 

Australia's batsman Michael Hussey

Wicketkeeper Haddin, who opened the batting, hit an aggressive 53 off 60 balls. He and Ponting put on 77 off 81 balls for the second wicket. Then Haddin and David Hussey put on a quick 28 for the third wicket before first Hussey, then Haddin were run out.
But Mike Hussey, who scored only 132 runs at an average of 22 in the Test series and was out for a duck in a Twenty20 international, showed his best form for the first time on the tour. His innings included two sixes and six fours.
He put on 53 for the fifth wicket with Callum Ferguson (25) and 67 for the sixth wicket with Hopes, who made an impressive 38 off 35 overs. He and Hauritz (20 not out) finished the innings in style with an unbeaten 43 off 22 balls for the eighth wicket.
South Africa lost Hashim Amla in the fourth over of their innings but Smith and Gibbs threatened to take control before Gibbs sliced a back foot shot against Hopes to backward point.
AB de Villiers was unlucky to be given out leg before wicket and South Africa's innings disintegrated after Smith chipped back a return catch to Hauritz after making 52 off 56 balls.

Mike Hussey ended a run of poor form with a match-winning innings for Australia in the first one-day international against South Africa at Kingsmead Friday.
Hussey hit 83 not out as Australia piled up 286 for seven.
South Africa were then bowled out for 145 as Australia completed a crushing 141-run win in the opening encounter of a five-match series.
The left-handed Hussey's 79-ball innings enabled Australia to recover from two chaotic run-outs which cost the wickets of two of the team's top four batsmen.
South African captain Graeme Smith made an attacking 52 and put on 74 off 72 balls for the second wicket with Herschelle Gibbs (33). But the South Africans lost their way against accurate bowling by medium-pacer James Hopes and off-spinner Nathan Hauritz.
Hopes took two for 24 and Hauritz four for 29 as South Africa were bowled out with 16.5 overs remaining.
Australia's big win seemed a distant prospect when the tourists found themselves in trouble at 114 for four after Australian captain Ricky Ponting won the toss and made first use of a good pitch.
David Hussey and Brad Haddin were run out in the space of nine balls, on both occasions after mix-ups which saw the dismissed player stranded at the wrong end of the pitch.