CAPE TOWN, South Africa, 8 February 2005 — Herschelle Gibbs hit his 14th One-Day International century to set up an emphatic 108-run win for South Africa in the pivotal fourth limited overs international against England at Newlands Sunday.
South Africa hammered 291 for five after being sent in on a good batting pitch. It proved far too many for England who were bowled out for 183. Kevin Pietersen played a virtual lone hand for England, hitting 75 off 85 balls.
The win put South Africa 2-1 up in the seven-match series. Gibbs and Jacques Kallis (71) shared a third wicket stand of 143 off 189 balls to set up a savage assault in the last ten overs by Justin Kemp, who pounded 57 off 35 balls with four sixes and four fours before being run out off the last ball of the innings.
Gibbs, who batted at number four, played his third successive innings of 50 or more since he moved into the middle of the batting order. All his previous One-Day International hundreds were made as an opening batsman.
The stand between Kallis and Gibbs started slowly against some steady bowling from Darren Gough, Kabir Ali and Paul Collingwood after South Africa lost their first two wickets for 50 runs. The pair needed 85 balls to put on their first 50 runs but Gibbs in particular picked up the pace after making a half-century off 73 deliveries.
On 71 Gibbs skied a drive against Kabir Ali and Darren Gough at long-off leapt to hold a good catch but fell over the boundary in taking it. It was the first of three sixes by Gibbs, who raced through his second 50 off only 41 balls. But he was out off the next ball he faced, slogging Steve Harmison to long-off. His 115-ball innings included eight fours and three sixes.
Kemp played a spectacular innings, with Kabir Ali taking the heaviest punishment, conceding 36 runs off his last two overs.
Harmison was included in the England team in place of Matthew Hoggard but he proved inaccurate and expensive, conceding 65 runs and sending down five wides.
Marcus Trescothick and Geraint Jones hammered 30 off the first five overs but Jones was caught behind off Makhaya Ntini in the sixth over. Two more wickets fell in the next two overs, with Vaughan caught at slip off Pollock and Trescothick bowled by a full-length delivery from Ntini. Pietersen played another hard-hitting innings but the highest partnership in the innings was his fourth wicket stand of 38 with Andrew Strauss. Pietersen was seventh out when he skied a catch to deep midwicket off left-arm spinner Nicky Boje after hitting a four and two sixes off the previous three balls.
