South Africa's bowlers, inspired by an exemplary spell from Shaun Pollock and lifted by the controversial run-out of Kevin Pietersen, throttled England's overawed batsmen under the floodlights to seal a vital victory in their opening Group E encounter at Newlands, reports Cricinfo.
A quickfire 43 from 20 balls from Albie Morkel had lifted South Africa to a decent total of 154 for 8, but England made it look positively mountainous thanks to some rash top-order shot selection and a feeble attempt at slogging from the tail.
England's prospects at the halfway mark had been good. Their bowlers had been badly let down in the field, with four gilt-edged chances spurned in the deep, but a target of 155 was not out of the question, especially with Pietersen back facing the country of his birth. On his last visit to South Africa in 2004-05, he scored 454 runs in six ODI innings, and while he was at the crease, looking ominously composed despite (or, perhaps, because of) the chorus of boos that greeted his arrival, England looked well placed to secure an important victory.
Instead Pietersen was run out for 14 after a controversial mid-pitch collision with the bowler, Pollock, and in his absence England's momentum and resolve crumbled. The incident brought to mind a similar moment in Kolkata in 1998-99, involving Sachin Tendulkar and Shoaib Akhtar in the Asian Test Championship. Then as now, the batsman could have no complaints. He was caught ball-watching as Makhaya Ntini produced a pinpoint shy from backward square-leg, and Pietersen was caught inches short as he got his bat wedged between Pollock's legs and flipped dramatically into the crease.
It was the moment of the match, but South Africa were worthy winners regardless. Pollock produced a superb spell. He conceded just 17 runs and a solitary boundary in his four overs, and was involved in each of the first three wickets to fall. Luke Wright - a minnow among sharks in this tournament - squirted a fretful drive to point for his second duck in three games, and moments after Pietersen's demise, Paul Collingwood wafted loosely at his first delivery and was caught behind off a legcutter.
Thereafter, England were listless. Matt Prior, still struggling to impress as a pinch-hitter, swatted one four and one six in a 31-ball stay, but once again fell when apparently well set. The only other batsman to reach 30 was Owais Shah, who seemed well placed to be England's hero until he picked the wrong ball to pull off a good length, and had his bails trimmed by the excellent Albie Morkel.
South Africa stifle feeble England
FE Team | Published: September 18, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00
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