England overcame their sternest test of the competition to date with a 39-run victory over South Africa in Barbados on Thursday thanks once again to an audacious half-century from Kevin Pietersen. Graeme Smith would have been confident of restricting England to a small total with the likes of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel eager to run in on a pitch that promised both pace and bounce. Instead Smith completely misread conditions allowing England to post a formidable 168 for 7 with Paul Collingwood's versatile bowling line-up then able to use conditions to their advantage.
Over the past twelve months England have continued to frustrate South Africa in limited overs cricket. Success in the Proteas's back-garden at the end of 2009, and a win in the second warm-up match of the World Twenty20 has seen Smith's men unable to get a strangle hold on England, especially with Pietersen in the starting eleven! The South African-born stroke-maker has often saved his best for bouts with his home-country and today was no exception. A second wicket partnership of 94 with Craig Kieswetter highlighted Smith's miscalculation of conditions. Rarely has Dale Steyn been dispatched to all parts of the ground so readily in recent years. Between himself and fellow paceman Morkel they conceded a unprecedented 90 runs in their combined eight overs.
Surprisingly it was not Smith's choice to field a pace-heavy attack that came as his greatest misjudgement of the day. Prior to Pietersen and Kieswetter's match-winning partnership, Johan Botha had been chosen to open up for South Africa. As it turned out it was a master-stroke by Smith, Botha striking in his very first over trapping Michael Lumb plumb in front. Smith's downfall came though in his decision not to retain the spinner, and it was not until the twelfth over that Botha returned only to break the Pietersen-Kieswetter partnership ad leave the South African skipper a certain shade of red.
Charl Langeveldt saved further blushes with some outstanding death bowling, inspiring Morkel to recover his figures somewhat as England finished on 168 for 7, Botha bagging figures of 2 for 15 from his four overs.
South Africa's chase began far more circumspectly, Jacques Kallis and captain Smith choosing to gently rotate the strike rather than take advantage of the fielding restrictions. Tim Bresnan was allowed to get into his rhythm courtesy of the two openers lack of enterprise and soon struck, Kallis driving loosely to Pietersen at mid-off in the fifth over. South Africa's miserly continued when Michael Yardy was given the nod and dismissed Herschelle Gibbs with his first delivery. Crucially though Colly had learnt from Smith's mistake, and armed with two experienced spinners the duo went about unravelling South Africa's middle order. Graeme Swann joining forces with Yardy to take five wickets between them.
Jacques Kallis wears one as South Africa are
punished for a remarkably sedate start to their run-chase
Image courtesy of cricinfo.com
At 53 for 5 South Africa's task was likely to be too steep, but Ryan Sidebottom was not content to keep it tight, and following a sublime catch in the deep to remove the dangerous Gibbs he managed to pick up three wickets in his final two overs to bowl the Proteas out for 129 and complete an emphatic England victory. South Africa's one-dimensional approach with both bat and ball was an example of the versatility required to succeed in Twenty20 cricket - versatility luckily that England seem to have in abundance!
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