Boucher and Dippenaar star as South Africa clinch thriller

South Africa have shown why they are the next best side after Australia in this form of the game with a nail biting five-wicket win over Australia in game two of the VB Series at Gabba.

In front of a record crowd, Mark Boucher (63 not out, 62 balls) and one day specialist Justin Kemp (29 not out, 21 balls) took the visitors home with seven balls to spare.

It was an enthralling contest between two of the world’s premier sides, both desperate to take the early honours in the month long competition. Australia fought valiantly with an awesome fielding display which resulted in two brilliant run-outs and copious boundaries saved which resulted in the match going all the way.

Chasing a meagre 229 for victory, South Africa almost made a meal of it early in the chase after their skipper Graeme Smith (12) and Herschelle Gibbs (16) fell to shots which they would not be proud of.

Smith was clearly disgusted with himself when he was caught at mid-wicket by Katich trying to pull a well directed bouncer by McGrath (1 for 27). To make matters worse for South Africa, the Australians were at their best in the field. Dippenaar cut a short pitch delivery towards cover and took off for a single.

A wrong option when you know that Australia’s best marksman ‘Roy’ Symonds was patrolling that area. With only one stump in sight Symonds managed to hit the bull’s eye to send Kallis home without scoring (2 for 27).

Gibbs looked promising but failed to capitalise on his start when he tried to smash a widish delivery off Bracken over the bowlers head which he miss-timed and was caught by Martyn at mid-off (3 for 55).

Opener Dippenaar (74) had one end under control rotating the strike with ease and smashing a few glorious boundaries square of the wicket. He got good support from Ashwell Prince but just when things were looking bright for the visitors, the 70 run stand for the fourth wicket came to an abrupt end through a brilliant one handed diving catch by ‘Mr Cricket’ Michael Hussey at Mid-wicket (4 for 125).

If Symonds and Hussey’s brilliance wasn’t enough, Stuart Clarke pulled off another unlikely dismissal of his own bowling running out the danger man Dippenaar through his direct hit (5 for 162).

Dippenaar’s wicket saw Justin Kemp and Boucher struggle to keep up with the asking rate and it reached desperate proportions when they required 47 of the last 30 deliveries. 17 runs in Brett Lee’s final over and 12 off the next by McGrath turned the tide in South Africa’s favour.

When a further five was required off 10 balls, the game was stopped briefly due to rain but the players returned which allowed Kemp to score the winning runs – a boundary through cover.

Earlier a dazzling seventh wicket stand of 123 between Michael Hussey (73) and Brett Lee (57) rescued Australia from a miserable position as Man-of-the-Match Shaun Pollock ripped through the Australian top order.

Gilchrist was Pollock’s first of three victims dismissed first ball when he was bowled of an inside edge. Simon Katich, the other opener also fell without scoring caught at slips to Pollock and when Damien Martyn’s stump was uprooted, Australia were in deep trouble at 3 for 29.

Ricky Ponting (33) steadied the ship but Monde Zondeki opened the flood gates once again through a sharp catch of his own bowling. Andrew Hall who finished with 3 for 43 combined with Boucher to get rid of Symonds (9) and Clarke (8) to send Australia reeling at 6 for 71.

Lee and Hussey’s partnership helped Australia to a respectable 228 but in the end despite all their efforts in the field, the score proved short of a winning total.

Full scorecard available here.

•  Have a view on this story? Send us your feedback!