Australia top in ding-dong battle
Source: Supercricket - September 06, 2002

Australia A recovered from two telling collapses to beat South Africa A by two wickets at Willowmoore Park on Friday.

Set a reduced target of 190 in 47 overs after rain and the lights twice failed and after South Africa had been dismissed for 194, Australia made 191 for eight with 38 balls to spare to take a 2-0 lead in the seven-match series.

As he did in Potchefstroom, David Terbrugge bowled with intelligence and discipline up front, swinging the ball appreciably to engineer the first collapse.

He bowled both Ryan Campbell and the troublesome Justin Langer in his opening spell while Steve Elworthy accounted for Greg Blwett to leave Australia tottering somewhat at 21 for three.

Simon Katich and Michael Hussey though blasted the visitors out of any immediate trouble with a 60 run stand. Having reached 50 from 39 balls by cutting Justin Kemp savagely over point, Katich was run out quite brilliantly the next ball when Kemp swooped, turned and threw down the stumps.

By then though the Australians were back on track and had progressed to 124 for four, apparently cruising to victory when three wickets fell in three consecutive Robin Peterson overs.

Michael Clark was run out coming back for the second before Peterson bowled Michael Hussey for 38 and had Brad Hogg caught behind for 12 to reduce the Australians to 141 for seven.

Once again though the vistors were able to hammer their way out of trouble, this time through Ian Harvey (21) and Damien Wright (24 not out), though Harvey was caught behind with just five runs needed for victory.

That South Africa A managed to reach 194 all out with three balls remaining was due almost totally to
Martin van Jaarsveld and Errol Stewart who led a remarkable recovery.

The hosts had crashed to nine for three and later 38 for six before Van Jaarsveld (82) and Stewart (59) set about repairing the awful damage with a 125 run stand for the seventh wicket.

For Van Jaarsveld it was the second time in three days that he been called upon to right an innings that had gone horribly wrong.

The carnage began as early as the third ball when Gary Kirsten -- hoping to bat himself into contention for the World Cup squad next year -- was caught at point for a single, having made just seven in Potchefstroom on Wednesday.

In quick succession, his opening partner Loots Bosman was run out for one, Robin Peterson was caught behind off Brad Williams and then skipper Neil McKenzie steered Williams into the slips without scoring -- all before the end of the fifth over, with Williams having picked up three wickets.

South Africa managed to push on from 14 for four to 38 before Ashwell Prince was run out with a direct hit from Brad Hogg for 14 and Williams had Justin Kemp caught at slip for a duck.

Having lost Stewart in the 45th over, Van Jaarsveld battled on until he skied Nathan Bracken into the covers in the second last over.

By then though South Africa had made 187 and ensured a measure of respectability.
Williams ended with four for 29.

Scoreboard in the limited overs match between South Africa A and Australia A at Willowmoore Park on Friday.

The Australian target was reduced to 190 in 47 overs after rain and floodlight failure.

South Africa A innings
G Kirsten c Hogg b Williams 1
L Bosman run out (Katich) 1
R Peterson c Campbell b Williams 4
N McKenzie c Hussey b Williams 0
M van Jaarsveld c Katich b Bracken 82
A Prince run out (Hogg) 14
J Kemp c Hussey b Williams 0
E Stewart c Langer b Blewett 59
S Elworthy lbw Harvey 2
D Terbrugge c Clarke b Harvey 12
M Hayward not out 1
Extras (4lb, 3nb, 11w) 18
Total (all out) 194 -- 49.3 overs
Fall of wickets: =BC 2/6 3/9 4/14 5/38 6/38 7/163 8/167 9/187 Bowling:
Williams 10-0-29-4 (1nb, 4w), Wright 10-0-45-0, Harvey 9.3-0-32-2 (3w), Bracken 10-0-40-1 (1nb, 1w),
Hogg 5-0-23-0 (2w), Blewett 5-0-21-1 (1nb, 1w)

Australia A innings
J Langer b Terbrugge 15
R Campbell b Terbrugge 0
G Blewett c Kirsten b Elworthy 1
S Katich run out (Kemp) 50
M Hussey b Peterson 38
M Clarke run out (Elworthy) 19
B Hogg c Stewart b Peterson 12
I Harvey c Stewart b Kemp 21
D Wright not out 24
B Williams not out 6
Extras (3lb, 3w) 6
Total (for 8 wkts) 191 -- 40.4 overs
Fall of wickets: =BC 2/9 3/21 4/81 5/124 6/130 7/141 8/185
Elworthy 10-2-39-1 (1w), Terbrugge 9-1-35-2, Kemp 6.4-0-46-1 (2w), Hayward 9-0-37-0, Peterson
6-0-31-2