Cricket:  Fall of Australia By Dr. Abdul Ruff Colachal

Pakistan, now reeling under all sorts of domestic turmoil and foreign terrorism after effects, has a reason to rejoice now. South Africa which defeated has defeated Australia three times, if not four shortly, and retained its ODI world champions. One can say it was really a fantastic cricket by South Africa against Australia at home at Port Elizabeth playing the 4th ODI on 13 April probably without yielding to pressure tactics of the cricket mafia and has pushed Australia down to deeper troubles now. Unless it gives up the match fixing trade learnt, presumably, from India and UK and others quickly, Australia would be reduced to one of the weakest teams around. India will have the last laughter.  

A "strategic partner" of India undertkaing joint militalry excercises, Australia's crushing defeat is a great insult to India. As Australia is gradually falling to disgrace, Herschelle Gibbs hit a sparkling century and Dale Steyn took four wickets to lift South Africa to a series-clinching 61-run win over Australia in the fourth one-dayer. South Africa began the series as the world's No. 1 ODI side and they have finished it in the same position after Herschelle Gibbs' 21st one-day international century helped them to an unassailable 3-1 series lead in Port Elizabeth. Gibbs's near-even time innings of 110 repaid the faith placed in him by South Africa after a stint in rehab late last year, propelling them to a commanding 317 for 6. The mammoth total crossing 300 could not have been reached by Australia and as the innings reached the half it became clear that SA has already won the match as well as series.

South Africa defeated Australia in the fourth ODI to take an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series on Monday on the back of a match-winning performance from spinners Roelof van der Merwe and Johan Botha. The Proteas eventually dismissed Australia for 256 with more than four overs to spare, to win by 61 runs. In South Africa's innings, Herschelle Gibbs hit his 21st century in a one-day international, hitting nine boundaries and two sixes in his 110. He and AB de Villiers set up the Proteas' big total with a third-wicket partnership of 136, scoring at nearly seven an over at St George's Park. De Villiers smashed 84 off 74 balls with six fours and three sixes, two of which came off successive balls from off-spinner Hauritz to reach his half-century.

It was an innings that alternated between frenetic and controlled and, on the whole, Gibbs waited for his opportunities in a composed effort. His hundred came from 106 deliveries with a clip for two off Harwood, who at 35 is the same age as Gibbs, yet was making his debut. Harwood won his spot because of a fractured foot suffered by Brett Geeves during the loss in Cape Town.

When he reached his 21st one-day international century Gibbs acknowledged the crowd then sank to his haunches and appeared to wipe tears from his eyes. It was the first major innings played by Gibbs, 35, since drink driving charges against him were withdrawn last month in return for agreeing to do 100 hours of community service. Earlier in the season he spent time in rehabilitation for alcohol-related problems after his arrest last year. He made his runs off 116 balls with two sixes and nine fours. The 100 partnership came at a run per ball and Gibbs lofted spinners Michael Clarke and Nathan Hauritz into the stands as he closed in on his century. The pressure told on Australia as Callum Ferguson dropped De Villiers in the deep, the first of three chances which went begging.

The 61-run victory ensured Graeme Smith's men the honor of becoming the first team to triumph in three successive bilateral ODI series against Australia - a streak that dates back to their historic victory in the 438 match in Johannesburg three years ago. It also means that when the teams return to the Wanderers for Friday's fifth and final match, it will be to contest a dead rubber.

It was South Africa's third successive one-day series triumph against Australia and ensured they would retain their world number one ranking in one-day cricket. It was another impressive all-round effort by Graeme Smith's men against an Australian side who gave a 50-over debut to 35-year-old seamer Shane Harwood following three appearances in Twenty20 internationals.

II

After losing the toss, South Africans were asked by Australia, which thought fielding would do them well, to bat first, but they made good use of it and scored a monumental 317. They were under the hammer after Australia got off to a good start but the spinners bowled very well to make sure that Australia do not run away with the game. Then there was a mini scare thanks to Ponting's ballistics but it was too late and too little.

Australia's openers had got off to a flying start, putting on 129 for the first wicket as they attempted to chase down South Africa's imposing total of 317-6. An out-of-form Australia was always likely to be on the back foot in Port Elizabeth and they took a couple of gambles by sending South Africa in. Australian bowlers suffered at the hands of Gibbs, who posted his first ODI century in 14 months - the most recent had come against West Indies in Johannesburg last February. Gibbs dispatched both slow bowlers into the stands and de Villiers sent consecutive Hauritz deliveries over the long-on and midwicket boundaries as he became the aggressor in the partnership.

Australia was all out for 256-10 (45.5) unable to complete the 50 overs.

Facing such a big target, Australia had no choice but to bat aggressively and it paid off initially, with Haddin showing the attacking prowess of his wicket-keeping predecessor Adam Gilchtrist as he collected four sixes and seven fours. But his assault came to an end when he was caught just inside the rope off Johan Botha and Van der Merwe's slow left-arm then did terminal damage to the run chase.

The Australian skipper did his best and brought up a half century with four boundaries in five balls off Steyn in the first over of a batting powerplay. The fast bowler had his revenge, however, when Ponting mis-timed a pull from the final delivery of the same over and Morkel took the catch at mid-wicket to send him on his way for 53. With that the match was all over, though game went on for some more time to kill all remaining batsmen one by one. Van der Merwe first bowled Clarke between bat and pad and then spun one past the outside edge of Ferguson's bat, allowing Boucher to make an easy stumping. Van der Merwe struck again by having Mike Hussey lbw for two and when Hussey's brother David (20) gave Steyn a return catch, the onus was on Ricky Ponting to see his side home.

SA skipper said: The batters did a great job, it is an unusual thing for Australia to do like that (Bowl first) in big games, was a little worried after the few overs, but Gibbs and ABD did a fabulous job. He hopes to finish off the season on a high with a win in Johannesburg. "It was just a matter of getting partnerships, it has been boiling for a while, I have a renewed energy, I try to restrain myself a little sometimes".

Last Word; Can International cricket survive?

The 5th game in Johannesburg is dead now for the visitors but Ponting and Co.. will play just for pride and fun. South Africans have won 7 ODIs so far recently against Australia while Australia got just 2. It's only fitting that South Africa remain the No. 1 ranked team in the world. They have earned it. Indian sport media guys, who keep on insulting South African players while praising Aussies, are badly annoyed now with the result handed out to Austria, but India should realize it is the root cause of Australian defeats in the first place.

Obviously, India would very like to make Gibbs, the man who scripted the match into home theatre, also a big zero by making him play for Indian industrialists in IPL as paid servants of India. Last ILP provided a forum for India to closely watch the moves and tricks each best player employs so that Indian team could effectively tackle each and every one of them in future.

India is keen to keep Pakistan and Bangladesh out of International Cricket while it would become the champions to showcase its power and prestige to them. It was India that wanted to finish off the Aussies, rather stock and barrel, it succeeded through proxy war as well as the effective tricks including joint cricket exercises and PIL strategy, and now South African clean washed Australia and without spreading it for drying, has thrown it into the cricket dustbin. Clearly it is deserving punishment for Australia which played with India more than cricket.

Needless to add here that India remains the most affected worried team today at defeat suffered by Australia at the hands of South Africa. Hopefully, they will learn to repent to let Australian play their original game when playing against India and make their victories as before the "joint cricket exercises" began between them.

Those media commentators and cricket activists from India who feel trebly upset over the defeat of Australia in South Africa should feel the same for them when they meet India either in India or outside so that the Aussies thrash Indians to avenge their continuing defeats in some measures. Australians have been made ineffective now. Will India let Australian team shine again or not? 

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Yours Sincerely,

DR. ABDUL RUFF Colachal