KOLKATA: If South Africa were wondering what the cyclone, said to be forming over eastern India, would be like, they got a taste of it early on at the Eden Gardens here on Thursday.
The overcast conditions were good enough for the Australia pace duo of Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood to wreak havoc in the South African batting lineup. Even though David Miller weathered the storm with a brilliant 101, South Africa’s 212 in 49.4 overs in the second World Cup semifinal had a below-par look to it.
However, that wasn’t the end of the story, though, as the Eden bared its fangs during Australia’s reply, giving South Africa spinners Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi enough bite to extract vicious turn. The pair bowled together from 14th over onwards. When they finally separated in the 30th over, Australia had slipped from 98 for
two to 156 for five.
Eventually, Australia won by three wickets in the 48th over to labour into their eighth final and set up the Sunday date with India. South Africa’s semifinal jinx continued, despite a gallant fightback.
The start to Australia’s innings was in contrast to South Africa’s as David Warner and Travis Head pounced on the Proteas pacers like two-headed dragon, pounding 60 in six overs. That allowed the later batters enough cushion to play with caution.
Head’s 62, along with his two wickets, was the cornerstone of Australia’s triumph.
Glenn Maxwell, however, did not play with caution and paid the price. He went for the shots too early and Shamsi’s celebration after uprooting the Australian’s stumps seemed unending.
South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma followed the expected lines in opting to bat first. Australia captain Pat Cummins indicated he would have done the same, adding that given the conditions it wasn’t a bad deal as there would be something for his bowlers.
That something turned out to be quite a lot, as Bavuma learnt in Starc’s opening over. There was movement from the word go and Bavuma, gone for a duck, would surely introspect whether he should have overlooked his “not 100 per cent fit” hamstring.
Starc and Hazlewood struck in tandem, reducing South Africa to 24 for four in no time. It was the latter’s accuracy on the off-stump that did the most damage. South Africa managed 18 for two in Powerplay 1, just about beating Sri Lanka’s 14 for six against India.
Top batters Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram and Rassie van der Dussen were all back in the shack by the 12th over. It was down to the last recognized batting pair of Miller and Heinrich Klaasen to make a match of it. And they did so, after rain forced a 45-minute break at the end of the 14th over.
Hazlewood was clearly the bowling star with figures of 8-3-12-2. The interruption helped South Africa regroup as Miller and Klaasen combined for a 95-run partnership to put up the much-needed fight.
The stage was set for Miller to do a ‘Maxwell’, and he decided to take on Adam Zampa, with the leg-spinner having an off day.
Head played the role that Zampa normally does to turn the game again on its head. He grabbed two wickets (Klaasen and Marco Jansen) in his first over to put pressure back on South Africa.
