South Africa won by 141 runs
South Africa 358 runs/4 wickets(50.0 overs)
India 217 runs/10 wickets(40.2 overs)
The 1st match of the 3 ODIs in the series was played today, South Africa were dressed in Pink coloured kits as it was the World Breast Cancer awareness Day and with each 4 or a 6 came donations from several companies for the help of the victims of the Breast Cancer,
India having 2 successive successful series had their confidence sky high while South Africa were trying to heal up fro their last loss against South Africa,
India having won he toss decided to field first and allowed the Proteas to bat on a surface which looked to offer full respect to the batsmen.
South Africa opened up with their latest successful pair of Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla. It looked to be a perfect blend of experience and youth as the two of them progressed pretty solidly. Both of them provided a 152 runs opening stand which was the highest opening stand for the Proteans in the current year. Though the start was a cautious one but the 2 openers never looked back once they found their form. It took a while for the Indian bowlers but it was all too late. Hashim Amla played brilliantly for his 65 runs but unfortunately he was bowled out by Muhammad Shami as he dragged one back on to the stumps from well far on the off-side. However Quinton looked in a complete mode of destruction. He simply devastated the Indian bowling line-up as he played a massive 135 runs(18x4s,3x6s) knock off just 121 balls. Later on he was bowled and caught by Virat Kohli. Though Jacques Kallis(10 runs) departed early without much trouble but the skipper AB de Villiers tried his best to convert the immense start into something pretty substantial. JP Duminy also believed that the skipper was right. Both of them played gem of the knocks as they massacred the Indian bowlers. AB de Villiers played a breezy innings of 77 runs(6x4s,4x6s) off 71 balls while JP Duminy played a flyer as he scored 59 runs(2x4s,5x6s) off 37 balls. This took the Protean camp to a massive total of 358 runs/4 wickets in complete 50 overs. Mhammad Shami took 3 wickets while Virat Kohli took 1 wicket.
India required 359 runs at 7.18 rpo which was a massive target but with such a tremendous and in-form batting line-up you never know that what is enough. India started pretty consciously as Dale Steyn gave away 2 back to back maidens. The attack was equally well patrolled Lonwabo Tsotsobe but it was Morne Morkel who drew the first blood dismissing Shikhar Dhawan for just 12 runs. It took no longer for Morne Morkel to find the edge of Virat Kohli but this time Quinton put it down. Catch dropped! Indians never looked to be on track as Rohit Sharma was soon undone by excellent fielding of David Miller who sent back as a result of a run out. Similarly Suresh Raina was also done in the same fashion but this time the throw came from Dale Steyn.
Later on Ryan McLaren found an edge of Virat's bat which carried to Kallis and this time it was TAKEN!!! India were shaken completely. Even though the skipper looked to be the brave Sparton but his resistance could not add more than 65 runs to the total. At the end it was all Steyn who dismissed the last 3 batsmen and gave his side a massive 141 runs victory. Ryan McLaren and Dale Steyn got 3 wickets each while Morne Morkel and Jacques Kallis got 1 wicket.
Man of the Match was awarde to Quinto de Kock for his excellent batting.
Still 2 ODIs to come. Let's see if the Indians can square the series in the next match or this time Proteas seal the trophy right away.. Let's wait and watch.
Man of the Match was awarde to Quinto de Kock for his excellent batting.
No comments:
Post a Comment