Tri Series for Deaf Cricketers...
ENG v RSA ODI Match Report
England v South Africa
One Day International – Geelong Grammar School
England 235 for 5 from 50 overs; South Africa 123 all out from 37.3 overs.
England win by 112 runs.
On a bright sunny day at Geelong Grammar, Umesh Valjee won the toss on the Perry Oval and decided to bat first.
In the second over of the day, opener James Schofield played a backward defensive shot to a short of a length ball, but unluckily for him, the ball span back and hit his stumps, England 1 for 5.
A very competent and patient partnership between the captain, Valjee and Chris Hughes realised 48 runs before Hughes was bowled by Shane Gangan for 17 with the score on 53.
Hughes was replaced by Matt Everett and his partnership of 88 with Valjee proved to be the biggest of the match, Everett being smartly stumped by Abiti Modiba off the bowling of Andre Van Rooyen for 35. Valjee had at this stage made a very patient and classy 76. His good form continuing from the recent test match.
Andrew Wood was next to join Umesh Valjee and a quick fire 16 was scored by him in a partnership of 33, Wood eventually falling to a skied effort which found Shane Gangan under it. England had at this stage reached 174 in the 43 over.
Paul Allen was next it and he too made a quick fire attempt, making 13 with the only six of the innings.
George Greenway was to join Valjee and together they scored a further 32 runs from the last fout overs, during which Valjee completed his second century of the tour as he finished the innings 121 not out from 156 balls in 183 minutes.
Greenway was 19 not out.
This England innings owed so much to Umesh Valjee, who played classic cricket shots throughout his innings, there was no compromising from him, yet he again showed why he is the mainstay of the English batting line up. While at the crease he never seems to panic and is always thinking about his game, and the team’s position. He has a massive calming influence over the players, which is why, one could argue, this current deaf squad are having some success.
After the break, it was the turn of the English Bowlers and Valjee opened up with Jimmy Dixon. This turned out to be an inspired choice as he just ripped up the South African top order with his swing bowling.
Before they knew what had hit then and as early as the seventh over of the innings, the South Africans were in shreds with four wickets down and only 6 runs on the board.
Jimmy Dixon had clean bowled two of the top three, with an LBW and a catch to the wicket keeper, Andrew Wood, the damage had been done.
The South African Captain, Sharmeil Howley joined his Vice Captain Eric Minaar at the crease and the two resisted until Matt Clinton took Howley’s wicket with a very smart reactive catch at short mid on by Paul Allen with the score now 32 for 5.
England introduced the off spin of Michael Weathersby to the attack and in tandem with leg spinner James Schofield, the pair bowled England to victory, Weathersby took the wicket of Venter with a catch to the wicketkeeper, Andrew Wood. The South Africans were 74 for 6 at this stage.
Michael Weathersby then took two more wickets in quick succession when he sent back Shane Gangan for 8 and the Vice Captain, Eric Minaar for a well constructed 60, caught well by Stephen George.
James Schofield then finished off the South African’s innings when he had both Avinash Kallichurian and Andre Van Rooyen caught behind with the score on 116 and 123 respectively. The final two wickets gave wicketkeeper Andrew Wood five victims in the match, with four catches and a stumping.
With South Africa all out for 123, England margin of victory was 112 runs.
England are now due to play Australia tomorrow in the second ODI, however, as the South Africans lost in their opening match to the Australians, the match tomorrow will be for a physiological advantage as both teams have already progressed to the final due to be played on Thursday 27th.