The second Standard Bank one-day international between South Africa and England played here on Wednesday ended in a thrilling tie which kept the capacity crowd glued to their seats right to the end.
Both sides scored 270 runs in their 50 overs.
England go into the third match in Port Elizabeth on Friday with a 1-0 lead.
Set a target of 171 to win, South Africa started off reasonably well, keeping up with the run rate. Graeme Smith and AB de Villiers put on 47 together, but then Matthew Hoggard, who has been Smith’s nemesis throughout the tour, had Smith caught behind by Geraint Jones for 25, and De Villiers went three balls later, caught by the
sub, Vikram Solanki, for 20. In the course of his innings, Smith scored his 2000th limited overs run.
Jacques Kallis and Herschelle Gibbs, sent in down the order, had a third wicket partnership of 134, during which both reached their half centuries.
Gibbs, looking more confident than he did at the Wanderers on Sunday, got there first, off 72 balls. It was his 20th. Soon afterwards, Kallis reached his 50th 50 in his 204th match. It came off 68 deliveries, and included just two boundaries.
The pair were looking very good when Kallis was caught by Marcus Trescothick for 63. Justin Kemp, known as a big hitter, joined Gibbs in the middle. At that stage, the required run rate was close to nine an over, with boundaries difficult to come by on the large ground. There 50 partnership came up off 39, with Kemp contributing
31 runs.
When Gibbs reached 78, he scored his 5 000th run in limited overs cricket, but was out without adding to his score, when he was caught by Darren Gough off Hoggard. Kemp was out five balls later when he was bowled by Gough for 32 off 26 balls, included two massive sixes.
This left two of South Africa’s most experienced players, Mark Boucher and Shaun Pollock, to try to bring South Africa home. With one over left, South Africa needed eight runs to win, with Kabir Ali to bowl.
Boucher hit a four off his first delivery, which was a no-ball, but was caught by Giles off the next delivery. He made 15.
The batsmen had crossed so Shaun Pollock faced the next delivery. He scored one run and Ashwell Prince had to face the next. The first delivery narrowly missed his wicket, and he was run out by Ian Bell off the next.
Andrew Hall came in with South Africa needing two runs off two balls. The first was scored by Pollock to bring the two sides level. Trescothick, standing in as captain for Vaughan who was off the field with a stomach bug, spent some considerable time placing his field, and it worked — Hall was stumped by Geraint Jones without scoring, and the match ended in a tie.
Earlier, a maiden century by South African-born Kevin Pietersen, saw England to a challenging target of 270 for five. His century came off just 91 balls, and included five fours and two sixes. He was involved in a partnership of 80 with Michael Vaughan, who was run out by De Villiers for 41, and he and Paul Collingwood scored 92 off 79 balls before Collingwood was caught by De Villiers at
long on for 40.
Pietersen, was named man of the match, was not out on 108. – Sapa