OWN CORRESPONDENT, Kuala Lumpur | Thursday 8.30pm.
SOUTH Africa will play a confident Australia in the cricket final at the Commonwealth Games, after the Australian team disposed of New Zealand in a crushing defeat in the semi-final on Thursday.
Steve Waugh’s Australians warmed up for Saturday’s final with an emphatic nine-wicket win that was completed 45 minutes before lunch. New Zealand crashed to just 58 in the 27th over and Australia romped home in their 11th with Adam Gilchrist hit the winning runs with a straight six off Nathan Astle.
Brad Young ripped through the Kiwi lower order, having Matt Bell caught at point before removing Daniel Vettori and Paul Wiseman off the next two deliveries through catches in the slips by Tom Moody.
Young finished with four wickets for four runs from four overs to build on Damien Fleming’s quick successes earlier in the innings after Australia’s Steve Waugh won the toss and elected to field. Fleming took three wickets in his first four overs to become the tournament’s most successful bowler with 13 wickets.
New Zealand skipper Stephen Fleming’s 20 was his team’s best score as eight batsmen failed to reach double figures against the steady Australian attack. New Zealand gained the consolation wicket of Mark Waugh for 10, but Gilchrist hit an unbeaten 43 off 36 balls to end the match in quick time.