Actually Lasith Malinga took four from four balls …. but it was not in a dramatic 50th over
49.1
Boult to Khawaja, 1 run, low full toss, swinging back in, and he drives it down to long off. Bowled at 144kph
49.2
Boult to Cummins, 1 run, fuller ball, around the stumps, and he can only tap it towards short midwicket
49.3
Boult to Khawaja, OUT, GONE THIS TIME! Perfect full ball again, delivered at 137kph, and with a hint of reverse again back in from outside off. Khawaja walks across to access the on side, but misses out on contact and in fact walks right outside the line of the ball. Vital half-century from Khawaja, though, as he acknowledges the crowd on his way out ……………………..…UT Khawaja b Boult 88 (129b 5×4 0x6) SR: 68.21
49.4
Boult to Starc, OUT, OH YOU BEAUTY! We might get to see a bit of this from Starc later — a perfect yorker, that swings in at good pace and goes under his blade even as he looks to jam it down. Almost as good as the ball that Starc delivered to Ben Stokes just a few days ago …...MA Starc b Boult 0 (1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00
49.5
Boult to Behrendorff, OUT, HE’S GOT IT! Full, swinging away from him after pitching around leg, and given. Australia have reviewed this! It’s a perfect full length, and there’s no sign of bat near that. The only question could be where it pitched, I would think. The bat hits ground, but that is after the ball passes through and crashes into his right foot. It’s out, and that’s a hat-trick for Trent Boult! …… JP Behrendorff lbw b Boult 0 (1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00
49.6
Boult to Lyon, no run, full, wide outside off, and he looks to back away to get this down to fine leg, but misses. Almost got FOUR IN FOUR!
New Zealand were at the receiving end of the first hat-trick in World Cups — all the way back in 1987 — and Trent Boult gets them their first ever on this day!
*** ****
the MALINGA SAGA in a losing cause with a dramatic finish
South Africa was nearly undermined when strolling to victory in a Wold Cup match in the West Indies in 2007 .
Malinga bowled the 44th and 46th overs …. Result
6-206 (Shaun Pollock, 44.5 ov),……. 7-206 (Andrew Hall, 44.6 ov),
8-207 (Jacques Kallis, 46.1 ov), 9…….-207 (Makhaya Ntini, 46.2 ov)
PROCEEDING BACKWARDS
Phew! What a nerve-wracking finish. South Africa were cruising at one stage and were hit by a double strike by Murali. They recovered again, via a calm Kallis, and then, just when they were staring at the victory, they blinked. Malinga slinged slower ones and fiery yorkers and blasted out four in a row. From there the game was hanging on a knife’s edge. And in the end, an edgy drive to third man sealed it for South Africa.
48.2
4
Malinga to Peterson, FOUR runs, Peterson does it for SA with a edge past the slip. Fullish, outside off stump, Peterson drives, gets a outside edge and it runs down to third man boundary. SA have won. They nearly choked but have pulled it off. Peterson jumps in the air, pumps his fist and then smashes the stumps down at the other end. Immediately apologises! What a cracker of a game!
48.1
0
Malinga to Peterson, no run, Swing and a miss. What a cracking game this has been. Full and just outside off stump, slants away, he has a drive, but inside the line and the ball rushes past the outside edge.
One slip in place.
END OF OVER:
48 | (maiden) | SA: 208/9 (2 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 4.33, RRR: 1.00)
- Charl Langeveldt1 (9b)
- Robin Peterson0 (6b)
- Chaminda Vaas10-1-31-1
- Lasith Malinga9-0-50-4
47.6
0
Vaas to Langeveldt, no run, Beaten again. Another one that angles away from Langeveldt who pushes at it, bat meets air, ball heads to Sangakkara. Malinga to bowl the next over.
47.5
0
Vaas to Langeveldt, no run, again another off cutter, around off stump, Langeveldt leans forward and defends. They were 206 for 5 staring at a win and what a turn around from there
47.4
0
Vaas to Langeveldt, no run, off cutter, slanting away from the off stump, Langeveldt stretches forward, opens the bat-face, steers to point. Pure drama.
47.3
0
Vaas to Langeveldt, no run, pushes it across Langeveldt who lets it go. He has taken the first three deliveries away. Will he bend the next one in?
47.2
0
Vaas to Langeveldt, no run, beaten! Lands back of length, on the off stump line and shapes away, Langeveldt has a tentative poke – nervousness, can’t blame him and is beaten
47.1
0
Vaas to Langeveldt, no run, fullish, just outside off stump, pushed to cover
1 to tie and 2 to win. Only one wicket. It doesn’t get closer than this. Slip in place. Mahela is making sure he gets the field right. Two slips in now.
END OF OVER:
47 | 1 Run 2 Wkts | SA: 208/9 (2 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 4.42, RRR: 0.66)
- Robin Peterson0 (6b)
- Charl Langeveldt1 (3b)
- Lasith Malinga9-0-50-4
- Chaminda Vaas9-0-31-1
46.6
0
Malinga to Peterson, no run, beauty, another delivery that teases the outside edge. Full and tailing away from off stump, drives and is beaten. What a fab over it has been.
46.5
1
Malinga to Langeveldt, 1 run, Jayasuriya mis-fields at squareleg and SA sneak in one run. SLower one, on the middle and leg, turned to behind square. Jayasuriya moves to his right but misfields.
46.4
0
Malinga to Langeveldt, no run, full, straight, on the off stump, pushed to mid-off. 3 to win from 20 balls. Camera pans to South Africa dressing room. They look stunned
46.3
0
Malinga to Langeveldt, no run, beaten Just kissed past the off stump. Tremendous nerves out there. Full and just outside off, yorker-length, Langeveldt pokes at it and gets beaten
46.2
W
Malinga to Ntini, OUT, And then they were one! Malinga gets four in four. Unbelievable! Screaming yorker and Ntini drives, plays all over it and ball crashes into the middle stump. Malinga is slinging down magic deliveries and SA are nine down.
M Ntini b Malinga 0 (2m 1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00
46.1
W
Malinga to Kallis, OUT, Would you believe it? Malinga has got the hat-trick! Full, furious, outside off stump, Kallis goes for a square-drive and nicks it behind. Loud appeal. Kallis stays rooted. Even louder appeal and Harper raises the fatal finger. SA eight down and choking real badly.
JH Kallis c †Sangakkara b Malinga 86 (187m 110b 4×4 0x6) SR: 78.18
Malinga on a hat-trick. What a funny little game this has been.
Malinga: “I am feeling bad that we lost the game but I am happy that I took a hattrick.
*******