South Africa won the second ODI against Australia by 3 wickets with 134 balls remaining. South Africa successfully chased 154 runs target within 28 overs thus levelling the 5 matches ODI series by 1-1.
Match Report: Australia v South Africa; 2nd ODI; WACA Ground Perth, 16th November, 2014.
Unlike the first ODI, this match was totally about bowling & how the respective teams will decipher their bowlers’ efforts into victory. It was a competition between Morne Morkel’s 5 wickets haul & Josh Hazlewood’s 5 wickets haul, where Morkel stood out with his career best 5-21, there was Hazlewood whose was this first 5-wicket haul in ODI cricket.
Morkel shook Australia’s batting order with his destructive bowling. He didn’t let any of the batsmen to settle & support his team. Half of the Australian team departs without scoring in double figures. Marsh’s remained highest scorer with 67 runs, while Bailey scored 25. None of the other players gave any worth mentioning performance.
Morkel excelled with 5-21 while Steyn sent 3 players back to dressing room including Marsh, the only player who stood for Australia in their one of worst performances in ODI. They managed to score only 154 runs, barely half of the total they scored in the 1st ODI.
Though it seemed to be a piece of cake for South Africa but it didn’t turn out to be. Losing its openers at the mere score of 21, South Africa’s chase was muddled by Hazlewood’s impressive bowling who also completed his first 5-wicket haul but his efforts were ruined by some loose bowling from other bowlers.
Hazlewood who took 5-31 was twice on a hat-trick during South Africa’s innings. Whereas Nathan Coulter-Nile was devastating with the ball, as he gave away 54 runs almost one-third of the target in just 6 overs & taking South Africa to the verge of victory. South Africa thus achieved the target with 3 wickets in hand sparing 22.2 overs. AB de Villiers was the highest scorer from South Africa with 48 runs, whilst Rossouw who scored 30 runs, was the other player who scored some reasonable runs. Morkel was given Man of the Match.
Scorecard:
South Africa 7 for 157 (de Villiers 48, Hazlewood 5-31) beat Australia 154 (Marsh 67, Morkel 5-21, Steyn 3-35) by 3 wickets
Man of the Match: M Morkel (South Africa)
