South Africa Shock Australia

The proteas have staged a major upset by defeating Australia by five wickets in their day/nighter ODI at the Gabba. South Africa who fielded an almost second string bowling line up reduced the might of the Australian batting to have the home side 71/6 before Australia recovered to be all out for 228.

South Africa made a great start when Shaun Pollock enticed out of form Aussie opener Adam Gilchrist to play-on to the first ball of the game. The crowd had no sooner settled back into their seats when the same bowler produced a lovely out swinger to have Simon Katich caught at slip. With both openers dismissed for ducks Australia were in trouble at 4/2. Pollock at this stage was on fire and should have had the Aussie captain caught at the wicket when Ricky Ponting edged a ball to the wicket keeper, unfortunately Mark Boucher grassed the tough chance.

In form batsman Damien Martyn (12 off 18 balls) had a brain explosion and was bowled by Pollock after charging down the pitch in a silly attempt to take control of some consistent bowling. At 29/3 Ricky Ponting was just running into some form and looked set for a big score when he played too early at youngster Monde Zondeki and was caught and bowled for 33 (47 balls).

Enter Andrew Hall who had both Andrew Symonds 9 and Michael Clarke 8 caught behind. At 71/6 on a blameless pitch Australia seemed on their knees, but this summers man for a crises Michael Hussey found a willing ally in Brett Lee and they put on a record 7th wicket stand of 123 runs. Lee showed great courage being hit on the jaw by a Jacques Kallis bouncer, and towards the end of their partnership both batsman pushed themselves through the enervating conditions. Finally Hussey was bowled for 73 (108 balls) and Lee was run out for 57 (72 balls) including 3 sixes. The tail helped by some poor catching and sloppy fielding managed a more then respectable all out 228.

Faced with a competitive, but not substantial total South Africa lost there out of form captain for 12 caught Simon Katich bowled Glenn McGrath. When Andrew Symonds fielded brilliantly to run out the dangerous Jacques Kallis for a duck the Proteas were suddenly 27/2. Boeta Dippenaar was still there and seemingly only needed someone to stay with him, and although Herschelle Gibbs 16 (27 balls) and Ashwell Prince 19 (41 balls) looked the part both came and went, Prince to a spectacular catch by Hussey.

At 125/4 the game was in the balanced, at this stage the brilliant Australian fielding seemed to be giving the home team the advantage, and when Dippenaar was run out by the bowler Stuart Clark in his follow through, they seemed to have the momentum. Dippenaar had batted patiently for 74 (115 balls) and had given his team a great chance for victory, but needing to lift the run rate which had risen to nine an over.

Mark Boucher who had been a little lucky with a number of edges finding the boundary and not a fielder, now ran into some great form and helped by the big hitting Justin Kemp they started to reduce the asking rate to something more achievable. When Kemp hit Brett Lee for a towering six into the second tier of the grand stand the Proteas found themselves in the driving seat for the first time in the innings. Even a short rain delay could not deny the South Africans from posting a team- boosting win. Kemp who could not bowl because of shoulder trouble finished not out 25 from just 20 balls.

Australia 228
M Hussey 73, B Lee 57
S Pollock 3/30, A Hall 3/43

South Africa 5/231
B Dippenaar 74, M Boucher 63*
G McGrath 2/35

South Africa won by 5 wickets

Cricket Web Man of The Match
Shaun Pollock