Story SouthAfrica's International Diary(ICC CT 2009) - Boucher tries to Steady the Ship

[Prithvi]

I see it from Chrome. Dunno why its happening. Even when I open google, I get gautam gambhir's face in place of google logo. I'll reinstall chrome and see.

 

[MaD]

It's a Chrome problem, I lately uninstalled Chrome and got Firefox, I suggest you do the same...

 

[Prithvi]

Nah. I need chrome as I'm a regular user of Orkut, which runs super fast in chrome

 

[shantanu_rooney]

ICC Champions Trophy
First Match: South Africa v Sri Lanka
Live from Centurion

Proteas in Deep Deep Trouble

Lasith Malinga celebrates the important wicket of Graeme Smith​

South Africa 34/4, 6 overs(4,W,0,4,0,0)
Wicket: JP Duminy run out 1(1)
A big over for the hosts but they lose their fourth wicket in JP Duminy. Smith who kept strike by taking of the last ball of the last over, smashed Malinga through point for four. But at the end of next ball, the Sri Lankans were celebrating the fourth wicket thanks to some brilliant piece of fielding and a direct hit from Tillakaratne Dilshan got the better of JP Duminy. Next man in was allrounder Roelof van der Merwe, and he took just one ball to get off the mark by smashing Malinga's slower one over the mid on fielder Muralitharan for four.

South Africa 35/4, 7 overs(!,0,0,0,0,1)
Yet another brilliant over by Nuwan Kulasekara - who has been Sri Lanka's best bowler of the day so far - by conceding just one run of the over and troubling Graeme Smith. Kulasekara started the over with a brilliant inswinger, which came in very late and struck the pads of Smith, there was a huge appeal by the Sri Lankan players but the umpire remained unmoved. Kulasekara varied his pace, and line and length which kept Smith guessing but on the last ball of the over he failed to stop Smith from taking single.

South Africa 45/5, 8 overs(1,4,1,W,0,4)
Wicket: Graeme Smith c Sangakkara b Malinga 8(23)
Expensive but a fruitful over for Sri Lankans as they got the important wicket of skipper Graeme Smith. Smith took a single of the first ball towards fine leg, Van der Merwe who had just arrived, smashed Malinga for another boundary this time over cover and followed it by giving the strike back to his captain. But it turned out to be a huge mistake as Malinga bowled a brilliant late outswinger which got the thick edge of Smith's bat and went in the safe hands of keeper Kumar Sangakkara. Big blow for the hosts as Mark Boucher came in to replace skipper Graeme Smith in the middle. He got of the mark on the last ball of the over, with a textbook cut shot which beat the fielder at point and raced away for a boundary.

South Africa 49/5, 9 overs(0,0,0,0,0,4)
Good economical over by Nuwan Kulasekara as he concedes just one boundary of the last ball. Kulasekara has been bowling a very tight line and length today and this over was no different. Roelof van der Merwe who was trying to shift the momentum towards the hosts had three hits and misses but none were anywhere closer to his bat or the stumps. But on the last ball of the over, Van der Merwe finally got something of his bat on the ball, and ball could have gone anywhere but went all the way for four beating fine leg fielder Lasith Malinga.

South Africa 55/5, 10 overs(0,1,0,1,2,2)
Since the fall of Graeme Smith a couple of earlier, the new man in Mark Boucher and his partner Roelof van der Merwe tried to steady the ship and they do no different in Lasith Malinga's fifth over has they hit him towards the third man and fine leg area just to keep the scoreboard ticking. Boucher ends the over with a couple towards extra-cover region.

South Africa 61/6, 11 overs(0,1,4,1,W,0)
Wicket: Roelof van der Merwe c Muralitharan b Kulasekara 15(17)
Fruitful over for the Sri Lankans as they get rid of the big hitting Roelof van der Merwe. Van der Merwe who was on strike - as Mark Boucher had ran two of the last ball of the last over - started over by giving the strike back to the experience keeper Mark Boucher with a single. Boucher smashed the next ball in the air in but landed safely and went all the way for four beating the mid on fielder Jayasuriya. Boucher followed the boundary by giving the strike back to Van der Merwe, but again boundary followed by a single turned out to be some bad luck for the hosts as Van der Merwe gave a simple catch to Muralitharan at mid on as he tried to hit Kulasekara for another boundary. The South African supporters were stunned as Albie Morkel walked in to replace Roelof van der Merwe in the center.

South Africa 64/6, 12 overs(1,0,0,1,x,0,0)
It was a tough job for the South Africa batsman in the center and Lasith Malinga bowled a very good over conceding just 3 runs of it. First, Mark Boucher gave the strike to the new man Albie Morkel with a single towards fine leg and then it was Albie Morkel who got off the mark with another single this time towards third man. Malinga showed signs of tiredness by bowling next ball way outside leg stump and a brilliant dive from keeper Kumar Sangakkara saved a certain four.

South Africa 69/6, 13 overs(0,1,0,0,4,0)
Nuwan Kulasekara who was in his 7th over bowled another tidy over giving just 5 runs including a boundary. This pair of Mark Boucher and Albie Morkel was South Africa's last hope of getting anything out of this match which looked very unlikely. Mark Boucher gave strike to Albie Morkel with a single towards extra cover. Albie Morkel who had just arrived to the crease smashes his first boundary of the innings with his full shot over midwicket for four.

South Africa 74/6, 14 overs(1,0,0,4,0,0)
Thilan Thushara who was given the ball to replace Lasith Malinga started of his spell conceding 5 runs of his first over which consisted of a single from the bat of Mark Boucher and a boundary over the point and gully region from the bat of dangerous Albie Morkel. Thushara followed remaining two balls in his over with two yorkers but Albie Morkel was equal to them as he defended them successfully.

South Africa 78/6, 15 overs(1,2,0,0,0,1)
Angelo Mathews replaced Nuwan Kulasekara who had been Sri Lanka's best bowler of the day so far by picking the key wickets of Kallis, de Villiers and van der Merwe.Mathews who has been in good form of late started his spell with a slower one but Boucher read it early and took a single of the first. Albie Morkel then smashed the second ball straight down the ground but could only pick a couple.Morkel kept strike for the next over with a single towards fine leg of the last.

 

[Funknath]

Proteas are trouble here. Need to score runs if they want to win it. Nice update as always KUTGW Shan

 

[BKB1991]

Proteas are in some serious ████ here. Lets see whether they can come back. Good bowling by the Lankans. KUTGW

 

[shantanu_rooney]

ICC Champions Trophy
First Match: South Africa v Sri Lanka
Live from Centurion

Boucher tries to Steady the Ship

Mark Boucher plays the anchor role as he tries to steady the ship​

South Africa 81/6, 16 overs(1,0,1,1,0,0)
Quiet over for the South Africans as just three runs come of it. The two batsmen in middle Mark Boucher and Albie Morkel deal in singles as the left handed fast bowler Thilan Thushara bowls a very disciplined line.

South Africa 87/6, 17 overs(0,4,0,0,1,1)
A good over for the hosts, consisting of a welcome boundary from the blade Albie Morkel towards the midwicket boundary and two singles of the last two balls of the over made it six runs of the over from Angelo Mathews.

South Africa 91/6, 18 overs(1,1,0,0,0,2)
Tidy over by Thilan Thushara, who stuck to his line and length and gave just four runs of the over. Mark Boucher who took strike smashed the ball towards the sweeper cover fielder for a single and Albie Morkel followed it with another single towards fine leg. Thushara came back and bowled three good balls which were left alone by Mark Boucher and then of the last ball Boucher smashed straight down the ground between mid-on and mid-off for a couple.

South Africa 96/6, 19 overs(x,0,1,x,1,0,0,1)
An eight ball over - consisting of two wides - from Angelo Mathews who has struggled so far to find his rhythm in this match. Mathews who has been a hit for Sri Lanka this year started of with a wide and then Albie Morkel took a quick single towards mid-off region where the fielder - Sanath Jayasuirya - was on his heels. Mathews bowled yet another wide, this time towards the leg side of Mark Boucher and then Boucher followed it with another single towards third man. Albie Morkel kept strike for the next over with a single towards fine leg of the last ball.

South Africa 99/7, 20 overs(1,1,0,W,0,1)
Wicket: Albie Morkel lbw b Thushara 10(22)
A very good over by Thilan Thushara as he picks the wicket of the big hitter Albie Morkel. Morkel who kept strike picked a single of the first ball and then Mark Boucher picked another single of the second ball to give the strike back to Albie Morkel. But Thushara bowled a brilliant delivery which came in very late and hit Albie Morkel on the pads straight in front of the middle stump. The umpire had no doubt what-so-ever in his mind and raised his finger quickly. A huge blow for the hosts as the offspiner Johan Botha came in the middle and he got of the mark with a single of the last ball of the over.

South Afria 106/7, 21 overs(1,1,1,4,0,0)
A very good over for the South African as they make Angelo Mathews their target and score seven runs of the over including a boundary. Johan Botha who kept strike with of the last ball of the last over gave the strike to the experienced and settled Mark Boucher, but Boucher gave the strike back to Botha with another single and soon again received the strike when Botha hit Mathews towards fine leg for a single. Boucher then smashed the fourth ball of the over, over the point fielder for a much needed boundary to make it seven of the over.

South Afria 112/7, 22 overs(0,1,1,4,0,0)
Another good over for the South Africa as six runs including a boundary come from the over of Thilan Thsushara. Johan Botha and Mark Boucher rotated the strike in the first three balls but John Botha smashed the fourth ball over the head of Sanath Jayasuriya at mid-on for a boundary which made it six of the over and thirteen of the last two overs.

South Africa 113/7, 23 overs(0,0,1,0,0,0)
A very good over from Angelo Mathews as he restricted the two batsmen for just a run in the over. Mathews kept it straight and bowled a good line and also didn't try much as Mark Boucher took the only run of the over towards fine leg.

South Africa 117/7, 24 overs(0,0,0,4,!,!)
An eventful over this one, just four runs but hosts could have been nine down. Thilan Thushara started the over with three dot balls but then Mark Boucher smashed him over the cover fielder for a boundary. Boucher could have been back to the pavilion as he was drop by Kandamby at midwicket the next ball. Drop catch was followed by a mis-communication between the two batsmen which could have led to a run out but Johan Botha was in the crease when Dilshan's throw hit the stumps.

South Africa 123/7,25 overs(0,0,4,1,0,1)
Good over for the hosts as Boucher and Botha try to steady the ship. Mathews started off quite well with two dot balls but Botha decided to attack medium pacer and he smashed the third ball over the midwicket for a boundary and then followed it with a single towards long-on. Mark Boucher kept strike for the next over with a another single towards long-on.

 

[MaD]

Excellent update, hopefully South Africa can pull it off

 

[Prithvi]

Thats the work of Mark Boucher. Similar to me in my real life. Whenever my team's top order fails, I'll have to play a role of Boucher.
BTW, great write up mate
You provided the pic of Boucher at Centurion. Great work and I'm even planning to steal your presentation. Over wise review.

 

[WubbaLubbaDubDub]

Excellent update

Mark Boucher you beauty

 

[just_cricket]

Pretty good effort by Boucher so far, but there is a lot of work to be done still!
Good update, KUTGW