GEORGETOWN, Guyana, 30 March 2007 — Sri Lanka fast bowler Lasith Malinga became the first man to take took four wickets in four balls in an international match before South Africa scrambled a one-wicket win in a World Cup Super Eights match at Providence here on Wednesday.
“It was pretty stressful,” admitted South Africa captain Graeme Smith.
“I even caught one or two of the guys having a cigarette!” South Africa were heading for a comfortable win, with four runs needed and five wickets in hand to reach a target of 210 when Malinga yorked Shaun Pollock with the fifth ball of his eighth over.
Andrew Hall then scooped a catch to cover off the next ball.
Jacques Kallis took a single off the next over from Chaminda Vaas but was then caught behind for 86 off the first ball of Malinga’s ninth over.
Makhaya Ntini had his stumps scattered by a fast yorker as Malinga became the first bowler in One-Day International history to take four wickets off successive balls.
Charl Langeveldt, who earlier took a career-best five for 39 as Sri Lanka limped to 209 all out, scrambled a single off Malinga before Robin Peterson edged a boundary to clinch a crucial win for South Africa.
Smith said his team had dominated 95 overs of the match.
“We always knew it was going to be a difficult chase. It was a very good effort on our part to restrict them to 209 and then chase the way we did. Bar the last five overs I think we were very good today.” The win relieved some of the pressure on South Africa, whose 83-run defeat against Australia in St. Kitts Saturday meant they entered the Super Eight phase without any points.
It also ensured that South Africa would collect a $150,000 bonus as the world’s No. 1-ranked team as they cannot be topped by the April 1 cut-off for the International Cricket Councils championship ratings.
Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene was philosophical about the defeat, his team’s first in the tournament.
“The way we batted wasn’t very pleasing. We didn’t deserve to win. But Malinga’s heroics showed that we don’t give up.”
Jayawardene, who delayed taking the final power play until the 45th over, when Malinga took his first two wickets, admitted that Sri Lanka were not in the game until the wickets started to fall.
“We never had a chance. So when he took his wickets I just told him to enjoy it and not put a lot of pressure on himself.” Smith said that despite the late collapse it was a key win for South Africa.
“We have won a tight game and in the last while we have been in tight games a number of times and have won them. It hasn’t always happened that way for South African teams in World Cups,” said the skipper. Off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan had appeared the only major obstacle to South Africa’s win. He ended a 95-run second wicket stand between Smith and Kallis when he had Smith stumped by Kumar Sangakkara for 59 in his second over.
Muralitharan struck twice off successive balls in the second over of a second spell, and his eighth of the innings, when he took a return catch from Herschelle Gibbs and trapped Mark Boucher leg before.
The whole of the Sri Lankan team and many in a small crowd went up when the hat trick ball to Justin Kemp was caught by Russel Arnold at short leg. But umpire Daryl Harper gave Kemp not out and replays showed the ball went off Kemp’s pad. Muralitharan took three for 38, while Malinga finished with four for 54.
Earlier Russel Arnold (50) and Tillekeratne Dilshan (58) were mainly responsible for Sri Lanka, who won the toss, making a respectable total. They put on 97 for the sixth wicket after their side slumped to 98 for five. But after Dilshan was caught at third man off Makhaya Ntini, who took two for 26, Sri Lanka lost their last four wickets for one run, with Langeveldt taking three wickets in his final over all to attempted big hits.
Former prison warner Langeveldt, 32, took two wickets in a first spell of two for 22 in six overs. He came on at a crucial time, replacing opening bowler Shaun Pollock, who was hit for 32 in his first four overs. Following the example of Australia, who appeared to target Pollock, Sri Lankan opening batsman Upul Tharanga and Sanath Jayasuriya went for their shots against the South African veteran, who holds a big lead at the top of the ICC one-day bowling rankings.
