OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Sunday 6.00pm.
A RECORD opening partnership between captain Nasser Hussain and Nick Knight swept England to a crushing nine-wicket win over South Africa in their one-day international on Sunday.
England passed South Africa’s mediocre total of 184 in the 40th over, finishing on 185 for one.
Fast bowler Darren Gough, the man-of-the-match, laid the foundation for England’s victory with a haul of four for 29 and then Hussain and Knight finished the home side off with a stand of 165.
It was the highest partnership for the first wicket against South Africa in limited overs matches, surpassing the unbroken 154 shared by Desmond Haynes and Brian Lara for West Indies at Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad in 1991-92.
Hussain scored 85 off 114 balls with 12 fours before cutting a ball from left-arm spinner Nicky Boje to Herschelle Gibbs at short cover in the 35th over. Knight was unbeaten on 71, having faced 112 balls and hit seven fours and a six. Graeme Hick was not out on 12.
South Africa slumped to their low total despite a sound, if slow, batting pitch and Jacques Kallis’ 17th one-day international half-century, an innings of 57 off 105 balls with five fours that ended in the 39th over when Gough uprooted his off-stump with a perfect away-swinger.
Opening bowlers Gough and Andy Caddick did the initial damage by reducing South Africa to 23 for four in the seventh over.
Gough had Gary Kirsten caught behind by wicketkeeper Chris Read, bowled Dale Benkenstein off the edge and pad, and had Hansie Cronje taken behind by wicketkeeper Chris Read in his first spell of five overs in which he took three for 17.
Caddick trapped Herschelle Gibbs in front in bowling 10 tight overs on the trot to finish with one for 23.
However, England looked to have had some help from the umpires, with the delivery that dismissed Gibbs probably missing leg stump and the ball hitting Cronje’s pad rather than his bat.
Kallis and Boucher seemed to have stopped the rot, but their fifth-wicket stand foundered at 30 when Boucher, on 11 with the total 53, drove a ball from medium pacer Craig White to Gough at mid-on.
Pieter Strydom then joined Kallis to add 69 runs for the sixth wicket before Strydom was caught for 34 by a diving Caddick at mid-on off medium pacer Mark Ealham.
South Africa’s last hope of posting a sizeable total disappeared in the 46th over when Lance Klusener heaved one of Graeme Hick’s off-spinners to Caddick at long-on to be out for 27.
Only quick wickets could have rescued the situation for South Africa but Hussain and Knight rapidly got into their stride and looked to be able to score almost at will.
The next game in the triangular series, which also includes Zimbabwe, will be in Cape Town on Wednesday when South Africa again play England in a day/night match. — Reuters