1st Super League Semi Final: India Under-19s v South Africa Under-19s at Lincoln, 3 Feb 2002 CricInfo Live Report

1st Super League Semi Final: India Under-19s v South Africa Under-19s at Lincoln, 3 Feb 2002
Lynn McConnell

India Under-19s innings: 15 overs, End of game,
South Africa Under-19s innings: Toss, 15 overs, 30 overs, 50 overs,

SOUTH AFRICA THRASH INDIA TO MAKE UNDER-19 FINAL

India struggled against a tight South African bowling attack and were under pressure for all but the first 15 overs of their innings when losing the semi-final of the ICC Under-19 World Cup at Bert Sutcliffe Oval at Lincoln today by 112 runs.

India, needing 269, were all out for 156 in the 38th.

South Africa proved a significantly better side after a fine innings with a minimum of fuss while playing out five superb partnerships.

After a good start which had India 86/2 after 15 overs, India crumbled and lost their last eight wickets for 63 runs.

A significant break through came in the 19th over when Gananeswara Rao was run out in a hopeless mix-up after a South African fumble in the field. Chancing his arm on the mis-field, Rao could not get home and was run out after a long consultation by the third umpire, Dave Quested of New Zealand. He was out for three and India were 93/3.

With Ryan Bailey getting better after conceding 12 runs off his first over, his next four overs went for 18 while Brent Kopps also recovered from a poor first over which saw 10 runs taken to have two for 42 off his 10 overs. He did a fine job and bowled right through to put the pressure right on the Indian middle and lower order.

New player Tirumal Shuman, who was playing his first game of the tournament, joined Deepak Chougule and faced the difficult task of resurrecting the run rate.

He looked the part, standing tall and driving spectacularly.

Chougule was effective to anything short but when on 29 he attempted to follow a swing to the mid-wicket boundary with a cut shot, but he found Chad Baxter well positioned at backward point and he held a good catch low down. India were 125/4 in the 26th over.

Disaster struck in the next over at the same score, bowled by left-arm spinner Ian Postman, when Sumani drove the first ball of the over straight back to Postman to depart for 19.

Then Rakesh Mohanty edged Kopps behind and wicket-keeper Zwelibanzi Homani swallowed a catch to virtually end India's hopes at 136/6.

The collapse continued in the 32nd over when Chandan Madan hit the first ball of Brendon Reddy's second spell straight to Baxter at backward point for 10. That was followed in the next over by Homani whipping the bails off to have Chandrashekar Atram out of his ground and stumped for three.

Hasin Amla, the South African captain then ran out Abhishek Sharma for four to leave India reeling at 152/9.

Ryan Bailey was the only South African bowler who was really taken to with his five overs costing 30 runs for one wicket while Brendon Reddy had two for 38 from his eight overs.

Left-arm spinner Ian Postman proved very effective and tied the batsmen down while taking

South Africa's fielding was also in a different league to the Indians with none of the mistakes that proved so costly for the Indians in the field.

SOUTH AFRICA GET DOUBLE BREAKTHROUGH AGAINST INDIA

India lost two key wickets within the first 15 overs to put themselves under pressure in their bid to score 270 to beat South Africa to claim their place in the final of the ICC Under-19 World Cup final.

Captain Parthiv Patel (20) and fellow opener Maninder Bisla (37) were back in the pavilion with 81 runs on the board.

At the 15-over mark, India were 86/2 with Deepak Chougule on 17 and Gnaneswara Rao on one needing to score the remaining runs at 5.23 runs per over.

It was the last ball of the second over before India scored their first run but they soon settled into their scoring stride. Patel played two well-timed cut shots to the boundary at third man and point from Brendon Reddy's third over while Maninder Bisla chimed in in the next over to hook McLaren for four and then reeled off a magnificent cover drive next ball.

The run chase was on and 29 runs came off the six, seventh and eighth overs for India to be 42 without loss after eight overs.

Bisla responded with a tight fifth over, conceding only one run and twice having the batsmen defending and seeing the ball bounce off their bats in the vicinity of the stumps.

However, the tightening process had the effect of putting the pressure on and Patel felt it when bowled by Reddy for 20. He departed with the score on 43 in the 10th over. Soon after the 50 came up off 59 balls as the momentum was maintained. Reddy bowled five overs at a cost of 35 runs for his one wicket.

Left-arm quick Brent Kopps had a torrid opening over being hit for 12 runs.

Ryan Bailey came in for the 13th over and suffered as Bisla literally took to him. Bailey didn't help matters by bowling two wides. Four were lofted to long and another four was smashed backward of square.

But then off of the fifth ball of the over Bailey pitched one up a little more and Bisla having attempted another leg-side blast was trapped leg before wicket having scored 37 off 41 balls. India were 81/2.

Kopps came back well and conceded only one run off his second over.

SOUTH AFRICA BAT SUPERBLY TO PUT THE PRESSURE ON INDIA

South Africa demonstrated perfectly the value to be had from batting in partnerships while amassing a very competitive total of 268/5 against India in their ICC Under-19 World Cup semi-final match at Bert Sutcliffe Oval today

India, the defending champions, face a huge task if they are to realise their hopes of taking the World Cup back home for another two years.

South Africa's partnerships were 52, 53, 42, 88 and 33, off the last four overs, and allowed a free-hitter like David Jacobs to have an absolute field day in the last five overs.

He produced a Kluseneresque type innings which saw the Indian bowling hammered. When it was combined with disappointing fielding, as affected India throughout the innings, it made South Africa's situation all the more easy.

Jacobs ended with 69 not out off 45 balls with eight fours and a six. Ryan Bailey was sacrificially run out off the last ball for nine.

Smith and Hasim Amla added 42 runs for the third wicket before Smith was run out, when Rakesh Mohanty, in attempting to field the ball from his own bowling deflected the ball onto off stump with Smith out of his ground. South Africa were 147/3 at that stage.

Smith scored 61, easily his best score of the tournament, scored off 91 balls and while disappointed to be out, he had certainly created the foundation for the side.

But it was Amla who provided the batting dramatics. With a lovely wristy action he propelled the ball wherever he wanted it around the ground. Initially, it was to work the ball around the field, but once he felt more confident he started launching into his boundary shots, and it was impressive to watch.

The 150 came up in the 36th over. And Amla celebrated by charging Rakesh Mohanty from the first ball of the next over, Mohanty's eighth overs, and hit him over the straight boundary for a sweetly-struck six.

David Jacobs revealed a splendid knack for lapping balls to the boundary straight behind the wicket to undefended territory. And he wasn't afraid to give the ball a good clubbing when it deserved as Siddarth Trivedi found to his cost in his seventh over which went for 13 runs, including a powerfully struck pull shot which cleared the mid-wicket boun dary after taking off with the wind.

From the first ball of the next over, bowled by Irfam Pathan, he hit a magnificent extra cover drive for four. It was a truly elegant shot which produced four and took him to 46.

Amla brought up his half century in the 44th over off 51 balls, an indication of just how splendidly he had paced his innings. It included two fours and a six while the 50 partnership with Jacobs came up off 52 balls.

Amla's end came when he clipped the seventh ball of Pathan's ninth over high to the cover boundary area where Tirumal Suman took a good running catch. Amla had to be satisfied with his effort however as he scored 62 off 62 balls and the 88-run partnership was scored off 74 balls.

Irfan Pathan suffered during his latter overs and conceded 60 runs off his 10 overs. Abhishek Sharma had one for 50 off his 10 while Rakesh Mohanty had none for 37 from his eight.

SOUTH AFRICA LOOKING LIKELY FOR BIG TOTAL

South Africa were building themselves into a competitive position with a promising batting effort in their semi-final against India at the ICC Under-19 World Cup today.

After 30 overs they were 128/2. Greg Smith was 53 not out and Hasim Amla 14 not out.

Smith was holding the innings together, at just the right stage of the tournament. His previous highest score in the tournament had been 20. But the South African selectors showed their faith in him and he responded with a half century scored off 68 balls, including four fours.

It was a workmanlike innings based on moving the ball around for ones and twos and hitting the occasional bad ball for boundaries.

He shared a 52-run opening stand with Chad Baxter (22) and a 53-run second wicket stand with Reil De Kock (32). And ominously from India's point of view the third wicket stand with South African captain Amla was shaping to be a good one as well.

India's bowling was tidy without being penetrating. All the bowlers were conceding runs around the 4/4.5 runs per over. The most expensive being Chandreshekar Atram with one wicket for 37 runs off eight over.

Conditions were difficult for bowlers, however, as they had to contend with a strong cross wind which was also keeping temperatures down at the ground.

Atram did gain Reil De Kock's wicket just as the South African was starting to unleash his shots. He was caught at the wicket by Parthiv Patel for 32 with South Africa 107/2.

DROPPED CATCHES COSTLY FOR INDIA

India were paying for the dropping of three catches in the first 15 overs of their ICC Under-19 World Cup semi-final with South Africa at Bert Sutcliffe Oval at Lincoln University.

After 15 overs, South Africa were 59/1 with Greg Smith on 31, his best score of the tournament and new batsman Reil De Kock was on one.

South Africa, who chose to bat first, had worked the ball around, taking singles and steadily accumulating with only five fours during the 15 overs.

However, the Indian fielding, in windy conditions, was below par. Chad Baxter was dropped when on seven. He hooked the second ball bowled in Chandrashekar Atram's spell to deep fine leg where Abhishek Sharma made a real hash of his catching attempt, and when he dropped the ball, it trickled over the boundary.

Smith, whose previous best score was 20 in the Super League match against New Zealand, swung a ball from Irfam Pathan behind square leg for four, and then next ball was dropped at slip by Chandan Madan. He was on 22 at the time.

Then just after the 50 was posted off 62 balls, Smith was dropped, a very hard chance, at point by Gnaneswara Rao when on 23. It would have been a spectacular catch had he pulled it in.

Fortunately, Atram had his reward when trapping Baxter later in the over for 22 to give India its first succcess of the morning.

Bowling was demanding for all the bowlers with a strong crosswind to content with. Siddarth Trivedi bowled five overs and conceded 25 runs.

SOUTH AFRICA FACE BIG TASK IN FIRST UNDER-19 SEMI

South Africa's batsmen will be looking to make full use of a superb batting track at Bert Sutcliffe Oval in their bid to beat India in the first semi-final of the ICC Under-19 World Cup today.

South African captain Hasim Amla won the toss on a windy, but fine, day at Lincoln, just outside Christchurch, and had no hesitation in batting.

He and his side lost their preliminary round match to India heavily when dismissed for 156 chasing 227/8. However, the South Africans have been slowly picking up their momentum and have been deserved semi-finalists.

India, has been consistent throughout and will be looking to turn the notch up a little higher in this game.

The teams are:

India: Parthiv Patel (captain), Maninder Bisla, Deepak Chougule, Gnaneswara Rad, Tiruman Suman, Chandan Madan, Rakesh Mohanty, Chandrashekar Atram, Abhishek Sharma, Irfam Pathan, Siddarth Trivedi. Stuart Binny (12th man).

South Africa: Hashim Amla (captain), Greg Smith, Chad Baxter, Riel De Kock, David Jacobs, Ryan Bailey, Ryan McLaren, Brendon Reddy, Zwelibanzi Homani, Brent Kops, Ian Postman. Steven Cook (12th man).