A maiden ODI five for Lungi Ngidi was the highlight of a good bowling performance by the Proteas on Wednesday. Photo: Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters A maiden ODI five for Lungi Ngidi was the highlight of a good bowling performance by the Proteas on Wednesday. Photo: Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters
JOHANNESBURG – A maiden One-Day International five-for Lungi Ngidi was the highlight of a good bowling performance by the Proteas in the second ODI against Australia in Bloemfontein on Wednesday.
On what is a flat surface the home team did well to limit the tourists to less than 300, and it could have been better had they been able to hold all their catches - dropping four through the innings. Ngidi finished with 6/58, the ninth best figures by a South Africa in ODIs.
The Australian innings was held together by half-centuries from their captain, Aaron Finch and left-hander D’Arcy Short, but besides a rapid start from David Warner, who made 35 off 23 balls, there was little else from the Australian batsmen.
Their target could and probably should have been more however, but South Africa’s bowlers were able to take wickets on a fairly regular basis ensuring the tourists couldn’t launch as emphatically as they wanted to in the final 10 overs.
Warner got Australia off to a flying start after Finch had chosen to bat first on what looked glorious surface for batting at the Mangaung Oval. The powerful left-hand opener, smashed 35 off only 23 balls, as Australia scored 73 runs in the opening 10 overs. By that point Warner was out, the first Ngidi’s six wickets, driving a ball that bounced on him off a good length to Janneman Malan in the covers.
5er For Ngidi |🇦🇺 264-9
Ngidi yells , umpire is umoved
Review: OUT !!☝️
& with Lungi Ngidi notches his first ODI 5er of his career
What a time, what a moment
Shortly after he now has his sixth wicket #ProteaFire #SAvAUS pic.twitter.com/hc54buEYp0
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) March 4, 2020
Steve Smith added 31 for the second wicket with Finch before clipping Ngidi to JJ Smuts at midwicket after scoring 13. The big South African found himself on a hat-trick when he dismissed Marnus Labuschagne first ball - the South African-born right hander punching a short ball to point where Malan held onto a sharp chance.
The hat-trick ball - to Short - was a waste down leg-side and the South Africans were made to pay for letting both Finch and Short off the hook.
Finch was dropped at leg-slip by Smuts off the bowling of Tabraiz Shamsi when he had 35, while Short was missed twice, the first time by Andile Phehlukwayo - a straight forward caught and bowled chance with Short on 11 - the second much harder by David Miller at mid-wicket, the fielder having to dive high to his left, and grassing the opportunity after reaching the ball.
Finch and Short added 77 runs for the fourth wicket.
Finch, notched up his 25th ODI half-century with some powerful striking, but was too loose attempting to smash Nortje over the covers and was caught behind for 69 (87b, 6x4, 2x6). Short matched his skipper, making the same score - his fifth ODI - facing 83 deliveries and hitting five fours.
South Africa’s spinners, Keshav Maharaj and Shamsi squeezed the Australians smartly through the middle overs with the former conceding 53 runs in 10 overs, and Shamsi 54, that included the wicket of Short.
Australia 271 all out.