Reminder of the World cup Semi-Final match between Australia and South Africa at the Colonial Stadium

Melbourne, 18^th August: An amazing finish saw the second one-day indoor international between South Africa and Australia end in a dramatic tie.

Australia, needing 227 to win, looked as though they were cruising to their second win and series clincher. But a middle order collapse left them needing 13 runs from the last over.

Shane Warne took the fight to South Africa but on the final ball, needing two runs for victory, he could only score a single.

The draw was a repeat of last year's World Cup semi-final in England which also finished in a tie.

It now leaves the Super Challenger Cup delicately poised with the final match being held at the same indoor Colonial Stadium in Melbourne on Sunday.

South Africa had reached 226-8 in their 50 overs, mainly due to a determined fifth wicket stand of 87 between Jonty Rhodes and Mark Boucher. Australia's Jason Gillespie made a dramatic return to international cricket by taking three for 40 from 10 overs. But Rhodes hit 54 off 51 balls and Boucher supported with 51 from 63 as the visitors recovered to set Australia a challenging target. Rhodes' innings was all the more impressive in that his persistent groin injury meant that he had to use a runner after he had reached 45.

The pair hit 39 runs between the 37th and 41st overs to completely change the complexion of their side's innings, with Rhodes, in particular, playing a number of stunning shots.

Earlier, Gillespie, playing for the first time since fracturing his leg and wrist in a collision with Steve Waugh 11 months ago, clean bowled Jacques Kallis for 22 in his first spell. He then returned to pick up the wickets of all-rounders Lance Klusener and Shaun Pollock as South Africa seemed on the verge of collapse.

RHODES  AND  BOUCHER – SAVIOURS OF SOUTH AFRICAN INNINGS

The second match of the Super Challenge 2000 series between Australia and South Africa commenced with South Africans winning the toss and electing to bat first. The opening five overs favoured the bowling team and the tourists could only manage a score of 0/18. Lift, bounce and away movement featured in Glenn McGrath's bowling attack. But it was Harvey who took the first wicket of Gary Kirsten (22) and gave Australia the required break. The setback came in the thirteenth over, as the medium pacer beat Kirsten's attempt to work an in swinging delivery through the leg side. At this stage the S. Africans were at a score of 1/49.

The second opening partner Andrew Hall (24*) freed his arms and played some crispy drives when Harvey and Shane Warne took the new ball from McGrath and Harvey.
After the completion of the initial field restrictions, Warne continued to bowl well, beating Andrew Hall twice in the sixteenth over. The South Africans continued to treat Warne warily, relying mainly on defence against the leg spinner. The visitors went to drinks at 1/68 from eighteen overs.

Andrew Symonds was the next to be introduced in the Australian attack, and had  immediate success as Hall clipped a ball off his toes in the air to mid wicket where Mark Waugh completed the catch. Hall was gone for 37 and the Proteas were 2/70 in the nineteenth over.

Kallis and Daryll Cullinan, decided to go after Andrew Symonds which costed the Proteas the wicket of Cullinan thus reducing South Africa to 3/78 in the twenty-second over.

Jonty Rhodes joined Kallis and they began rotating the strike. At the conclusion of twenty-five overs, the tourists had reached 3/95 with Kallis on 21 and Rhodes on 7.

Gillespie was the next to acquire success which came in the twenty-sixth over as he beat the defense of an advancing Jacques Kallis (22) thereby hitting his middle stump. Around that success the middle overs of the innings acted as the stage for steady consolidation by the tourists' middle order mainly Jonty Rhodes (25*).

 A fifth wicket stand of 87 between Jonty Rhodes and Mark Boucher helped South Africa to attain a respectable score of 8/226 following the completion of the first fifty overs of today's Super Challenge 2000 match against Australia in Melbourne.

Australian bowling had dominated the early part of the day but it was the batting of Rhodes (54) and Boucher (51), which actually left an impression on the people’s minds. Despite being hindered by the groin injury (which forced him to use a runner after his score had reached 45), Rhodes was at his best. Perfect placement of the ball and clever running between the wickets kept the scoreboard ticking. Boucher too played with perfect timing and as per the demands of the situation.

Michael Bevan's unsuccessful effort to take a simple catch at deep backward square leg, when Mark Boucher had scored a mere 8 was the turning point of the innings.

South Africa vs. Australia 
1st Match, 16th August, 2000