ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 - 1st Quarter Final
(Sri Lanka vs South Africa at Sydney)
Pumped-up South Africa end knockout hoodoo
| Sri Lanka | vs | South Africa |
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| 133/10 (37.2) | 134/1 (18) | |
| South Africa won by 9 wickets | ||
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| Photo © ICC |
When South Africa were asked to chase in the big knockout, the mind obviously went to the stats: only one successful chase of 270 or more out of nine in the last four years, and four out of 14 chases of 240 or more. The other side of the statistic was that their bowlers had allowed those scores - hardly big by current standards - extremely rarely. If they were to win for the first time in a World Cup knockout match, their batsmen would have to do it the difficult way or their bowlers would have to do it. The bowlers did it, and how: in the shortest World Cup knockout match of all they bowled Sri Lanka - who once again made questionable moves - out for 133 in a show of pumped-up skill, hostility and aggression.
Kyle Abbott, Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel set it up with probing spells at the top, leaving Sri Lanka at 47 for 2 by the time spin was introduced in the 15th over. Imran Tahir and JP Duminy made sure the pressure wasn't released, and were there to accept the wickets when the pressure became too much. Duminy became the first South African to take a hat-trick at the World Cup.
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| Photo © ICC |
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