South Africa are through to the semi-final of the ICC Champions Trophy after rain-shortened match against the West Indies was again disrupted during the second 27th over of the second innings and was declared a tie.
The match was first reduced to 31 overs a side and when the West Indies reached 190 for six by 28.1 over, heaven opened and it was declared a tie allowing South Africa that gathered 230 for six in 31 through to the semi-final with Duckworth Lewis law come in to play.
South Africa summoned their inner Twenty20 selves to set West Indies a target which would require them to score at 7.42 runs an over if they hope to avoid Champions Trophy elimination. A 68-run fifth-wicket partnership between Faf du Plessis and David Miller off eight overs was the difference between an acceptable total, and one that South Africa will feel comfortable with going into the break.
They took advantage of a West Indian attack that lacked bite upfront and leaked runs in the latter stages. But most importantly, they found their marquee spinner unable to make an impact. In the absence of Kemar Roach, Ravi Rampaul, Tino Best and the rest of the seam pack struggled despite the overhead conditions.
Clouds hovered throughout the day and light rain fell all morning and as predicted, it affected the start time. When the drizzle abated enough for a patch of blue to reveal itself, the toss was taken, but then the rain came back to delay proceedings for a further 45 minutes. As a result, the total length of the pause between the scheduled and actual start time was over three hours, but it did not seem to do anything to shake Ingram’s concentration.
He saw off Ravi Rampaul’s first over of unthreatening shortish bowling, reminiscent of the stuff South Africa sent down when they played India at this venue, and then opened the boundary count with a pull over square leg.
He also brought out the square drive when offered width, but acquitted himself particularly well against Sunil Narine. Despite being foxed by his first ball – for once just the regular offspinner which took the edge past slip – Ingram moved to the pitch of the ball and launched him out of the ground.
Tino Best hoped to use pace to break the opening partnership, and sent down a fiery yorker at 149.9kph, but Hashim Amla had his bat down in time. South Africa adjusted to all the changes of pace they were presented with and posted their highest opening stand of the competition so far.
It took a stroke of fortune to break it. Amla hit Marlon Samuels in the air to extra-cover, with the intention of clearing extra-cover, but Chris Gayle was able to juggle it twice before holding on to it with his left hand on the third try.
AB de Villiers promoted himself to No.3 to play the aggressor role, but it was actually Ingram who continued in that vein at first. De Villiers got going with a top-edge for six off Best, and with half the overs still left, West Indies could not afford for him to hang around.
Bravo brought on Kieron Pollard and after two short balls, he bowled Ingram a slower one on a length, which he skied to mid-wicket. That opened things up for West Indies, and when they removed JP Duminy in the next over – caught down the leg-side – they had a chance to restrict South Africa.
De Villiers was brilliantly caught by Darren Bravo at midwicket when he pulled and Bravo dived full length and hung on one-handed. Then came the attempt at a strangle.
For 19 balls, South Africa could not find the boundary, but David Miller finally broke through when Narine bowled a short, wide ball that invited the cut. He was hit for six in that over as well and South Africa took the Powerplay immediately after. The three-over period brought 29 runs, despite six dot balls, to allow for a two-over burst at the end.
Ryan McLaren’s top edge for six was sandwiched in between du Plessis’ run-out – South Africa’s seventh of the campaign – and Miller’s soft dismissal, but South Africa finished strongly as a sprinkle sprouted once again at Sophia Gardens.
SCOREBOARD
South Africa
CA Ingram c Bravo b Pollard 73
HM Amla c Gayle b Samuels 23
AB de Villiers c Bravo b Rampaul 37
JP Duminy c Charles b Bravo 2
F du Plessis run out (Bravo) 35
DA Miller c Sammy b Bravo 38
R McLaren not out 7
RJ Peterson not out 0
Extras (b 2, lb 4, w 9) 15
Total (6 wickets; 31 overs) 230
Did not bat CH Morris, DW Steyn, LL Tsotsobe
Fall of wickets 1-80 (Amla, 12.1 ov), 2-124 (Ingram, 17.3 ov), 3-128 (Duminy, 18.4 ov), 4-153 (de Villiers, 22.1 ov), 5-221 (du Plessis, 30.1 ov), 6-229 (Miller, 30.5 ov)
Bowling: R Rampaul 6-0-37-1, TL Best 5-0-35-0, SP Narine 7-0-47-0, DJG Sammy 2-0-18-0, DJ Bravo 5-0-43-2, MN Samuels 2-0-14-1, KA Pollard 4-0-30-1
West Indies
CH Gayle c du Plessis b Morris 36
J Charles c de Villiers b Steyn 16
DS Smith lbw b Peterson 30
MN Samuels b Steyn 48
DM Bravo run out (Amla/McLaren) 12
KA Pollard c Steyn b McLaren 28
DJ Bravo not out 8
Extras (lb 5, w 7) 12
Total (6 wickets; 26.1 overs) 190
Did not bat DJG Sammy, SP Narine, TL Best, R Rampaul
Fall of wickets 1-35 (Charles, 6.6 ov), 2-75 (Gayle, 11.5 ov), 3-87 (Smith, 14.6 ov), 4-104 (DM Bravo, 17.5 ov), 5-162 (Samuels, 23.2 ov), 6-190 (Pollard, 26.1 ov)
Bowling: JP Duminy 3-0-29-0, LL Tsotsobe 6-0-37-0, DW Steyn 6-0-33-2, CH Morris 4-0-30-1, RJ Peterson 4-0-22-1, R McLaren 3.1-0-34-1
Toss West Indies, who chose to field
Points South Africa 1, West Indies 1
Umpires SJ Davis (Australia) and RJ Tucker (Australia)
TV umpire BNJ Oxenford (Australia)
Match referee AJ Pycroft (Zimbabwe)
Reserve umpire Aleem Dar (Pakistan)
