SA A suffer third straight defeat
Source: supercricket - September 08, 2002

Australia A stormed to a three nil lead in the seven match limited overs cricket series on the back of a crushing seven wicket win over South Africa A at SuperSport Park on Sunday.
Chasing South Africa's woefully inadequate 193 all out, Justin Langer with 61 and Greg Blewett undefeated on 84 steered the visitors to 195 for three with more than 10 overs to spare.

Even worse for South Africa was that their potentially match-winning bowler, Mfuneko Ngam, had to leave the field after bowling just six overs.

Having dismissed Ryan Campbell in his first over in top flight cricket after a lengthy rehabilitation for shin splints, the 23 year-old Ngam stumbled when he tried to cut off a Simon Katich boundary.

He strained his right quadricep and may miss the fourth match at the Wanderers on Wednesday.

By the time he limped from the field though the South African cause was a lost one.

Unlike in Benoni on Wednesday when their pace battery took them to within two wickets of defending their modest 194, the SA A attack battled to contain the potent Australian line up on Sunday.

Justin Langer, who seems to make a mountain of runs whenever he plays in South Africa, brought up his 50 from just 46 balls to add to his 86 made in Potchefstroom last week.

Only left arm spinner Robin Peterson met with any real success, taking two for 39 in 10 overs.

That SA A was able to post that modest tally of 193 was due largely to Ashwell Prince (44) engineering a rousing fightback with the tail.

As has been the case throughout the series so far, the hosts were given a horrendous start, losing both openers with the score on 16.

Jacques Rudolph, brought into the side for Loots Bosman, managed just nine while Gary Kirsten failed for the third time, making two before being bowled by Brad Williams. For Kirsten, that third failure saw his chances of fighting his way back into World Cup reckoning nose-dive. He was left out of the SA A squad announced Sunday for the next two games.

Later, skipper Neil McKenzie made just four to go with his two earlier ducks in the series.

And, for once, Martin van Jaarsveld was unable to haul the locals out of trouble. He was run out by Simon Katich for 11.

What early resistance there was came solely from Andrew Hall. Drafted into the side for Justin Kemp, Hall hammered eight boundaries in making 38 before being completely bamboozled by Brad Hogg.

Hogg went onto account for both Robin Peterson and Errol Stewart en route to recording figures for three for 38.

It was not until Steve Elworthy joined Ashwell Prince that the South Africans again showed some fight.

The 37-year old Elworthy, smashed Hogg and then Nathan Braken twice for six to take the total from a precarious 115 for sevn to 153 before he was spectacularly caught on the midwicket fence by Stewart Clark, who stuck up one long arm to snatch the ball as it was about to sail over the boundary.

Prince though continued the fightback with Nantie Hayward, who batted with some aplomb in making 15.

Prince was last out sweeping Ian Harvey to short fine leg.

SA A v AUSTRALIA A SCOREBOARD

South Africa A innings
J Rudolph c Langer b Clark 9
G Kirsten b Williams 2
M van Jaarsveld run out (Katich) 11
A Hall lbw Hogg 38
N McKenzie c Clarke b Clarke 4
A Prince c Clark b Harvey 44
R Peterson c Katich b Hogg 8
E Stewart c langer b Hogg 9
S Elworthy c Clark b Katich 27
M Hayward lbw Katich 15
M Ngam not out 1
Extras (1lb, 1,nb, 23w) 25
Total (all out) 193 - 47.5 overs
Fall of wickets 1/16 2/16 3/52 4/75 5/75 6/89 7/115 8/1539/186
Bowling: Williams 10-1-35-1 (7w), Clark 10-1-39-2 (1nb, 2w), Bracken 5-1-35-0 (1w), Hogg 10-2-38-3,
Harvey 7.5-1-28-1 (8w), Katich 4-0-17-2 (5w)

Australia A innings:
R Campbell c Stewart b Ngam 2
J Langer c Van Jaarsveld b Peterson 61
G Blewett not out 84
S Katich c and b Peterson 9
M Clarke not out 22
Extras (8lb, 5nb, 4w) 17
Total (for 3 wkts) 195 -- 39.4 overs
Fall of wickets: 1/12 2/92 3/123
Bowling: Elworthy 8-1-35-0 (2w), Ngam 6-1-36-1 (4nb, 2w),
Hayward 7-0-44-0, Peterson 10-0-39-2, Hall 6-1-18- 1 (1nb),
Rudolph 1.4-0-11-0, Van Jaarsveld 1-0-4-0