MITCH PHILLIPS, Birmingham | Thursday 4.00pm.
SOUTH African pace duo Shaun Pollock and Allan Donald took nine wickets between them as Australia were bowled out for 213 in 49.2 overs in Thursday’s World Cup semi-final at Edgbaston.
Pollock is the first South African to take five wickets in a World Cup match, finishing with five for 36. Donald took four for 32.
Captain Steve Waugh (56) and Michael Bevan, last out for 65, battled hard to give the Aussies something to bowl at after an early slump to 68 for four but the Springboks are hot favourites to reach their first World Cup final against Pakistan on Sunday.
After Pollock had Mark Waugh caught behind off the glove for nought in the first over Adam Gilchrist and Ricky Ponting put on 51 in quick time.
But Donald had Ponting caught for 37 with his first ball and five balls later got Darren Lehmann, caught behind off a lifter for one. When Gilchrist went for 20, Australia were in real trouble.
In a carbon copy of Sunday’s encounter, this time with Bevan as his partner, Waugh dug in with only survival in mind.
Only 14 runs came from 10 overs as Donald, Jacques Kallis and Lance Klusener were relentlessly accurate.
Kallis’s 10-over figures of one for 27 – compared to the 79 runs conceded by the South African ”fifth bowler” on Sunday – underlined why South Africa were so keen to get him back.
Waugh then accelarated and the next 10 overs yielded 63.
He finally fell in the 40th over, caught behind trying to guide Pollock to third man, for 56. It was the score he had reached when Herschelle Gibbs dropped him at Headingley – en route to 120 not out – and the Springbok celebrations showed what a valuable wicket it was.
Australia’s hopes of posting a tough total disappeared in the same over when Tom Moody, yet to be dismissed and leading the tournament’s strike rate charts, fell lbw to Pollock for nought.
Donald bowled Paul Reiffel and Damien Fleming both for nought. Pollock, who had previously taken only four wickets in the tournament, ended Bevan’s resistance. — Reuters