SA clinch a thriller

SA clinch a thriller
AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE

EAST LONDON, (S Africa), FEBRUARY 5: South Africa scrambled a crucial victory over England in their Standard Bank international triangular limited overs cricket match at Buffalo Park last night.

Shaun Pollock hit two successive boundaries in the last over off Mark Ealham as South Africa won by two wickets, reaching 233 for eight with two balls to spare after restricting England to a modest 231 for six in 50 overs.

The win took South Africa out of a logjam after they had been tied with Zimbabwe and England going into the last round of league matches.

The match was evenly poised throughout. Neil McKenzie, 24, made a bright 37 in his second international and Jonty Rhodes made 42.

But hard-hitting Lance Klusener, South Africa's one-day cricket phenomenon, gave the innings vital momentum when he pounded the first two balls he faced for four at the start of a seventh wicket stand of 38 with Rhodes at better than a run a ball.

England's Mark Alleyne took the Man of the Match award after a fine all-roundperformance. He hit 53, took three for 55 and held a great diving catch to dismiss Rhodes as the match went down to the wire.

Rhodes' dismissal meant Pollock came in with 11 needed off 10 balls and it was seven off four before Pollock played a delicate lap shot to fine leg for four off Ealham, then charged the next ball and pounded it on the full to the square leg boundary.

Nick Knight hit 64 and Alleyne weighed in with his maiden international half-century as England made 231 for six after being sent in.

It was the fifth time in successive matches that England captain Nasser Hussain had lost the toss -- and South African captain Hansie Cronje's fifth consecutive successful spin of the coin.

Cronje's decision to send England in was surprising on a slow pitch at a ground where the floodlights are not renowned for their brightness.

The left-handed Knight started aggressively but moderated his tempo as wickets fell at the other end. He made 64 off 111 balls.

Scoreboard

England: N Hussain cBoucher b Pollock 10, N Knight c&b Strydom 64, G Hick c Koen b Hayward 11, V Solanki c Pollock b Kallis 10, D Maddy c Strydom b Cronje 22, M Alleyne c Kallis b Pollock 53, M Ealham not out 29, C Read not out 10; Extras: (lb4, nb5, w13) 22. Total (6 wkts, 50 overs) 231
Fall of wickets: 1-22, 2-35, 3-61, 4-105, 5-144, 6-218

Bowling: Pollock 10-0-36-2, Hayward 8-0-46-1, Cronje 10-0-25-1, Kallis 8-0-51-1, Klusener 9-0-51-0, Strydom 5-0-18-1

South Africa: H Gibbs c Read b Mullally 14, L Koen c Read b Ealham 28, M Boucher c Knight b Caddick 5, J Kallis c Read b Alleyne 36, N McKenzie run out 37, H Cronje c Ealham b Alleyne 10, J Rhodes c Alleyne b Gough 42, L Klusener b Alleyne 26, P Strydom not out 7, S Pollock not out 9; Extras: (lb5, nb7, w7) 19. Total: (8 wkts, 49.4 overs) 233
Fall of wickets: 1-36, 2-46, 3-79, 4-110, 5-126, 6-163,7-201, 8-221

Bowling: Gough 10-0-46-1, Caddick 10-0-50-1, Mullally 10-1-24-1, Ealham 9.4-0-53-1, Alleyne10-0-55-3.

Result: South Africa won by two wickets.