CRICKET NEWS - There was great drama at Kingsmead in Durban as an excited crowd of 12 000 watched Rassie van der Dussen and Andile Phehlukwayo take the Standard Bank Proteas to a five-wicket victory in a topsy-turvy second Momentum ODI on Tuesday night.
Full ScorecardPhehlukwayo was made man-of-the-match after notching his best efforts with both ball (4-22 in 9.5 overs) and bat (69* in 80 balls) in ODIs. His unbroken sixth-wicket partnership with Van der Dussen (80* in 123 balls) realised 127 runs off 168 balls as South Africa reached their victory target of 204 with eight overs to go.
If Phehlukwayo, who struck seven fours and two sixes in his innings, grabbed the banner headlines, it was Van der Dussen (nine fours) who made a huge bid to be included in the World Cup squad. The bizhub Highveld Lions’ player has now struck 93 and 80* in his first two ODIs for his country. In Durban he was the calm, secure centre of a Proteas’ fightback with the bat that finally earned victory.
"What you look for in new players is composure and calmness at the crease. We're looking for big-match players. He's smashing that door down for a permanent position in our strongest XI," said South African captain Faf du Plessis.
The win levels up the five-match series after Pakistan won the first match by five wickets in Port Elizabeth on Saturday. The next game is at Centurion on Friday.
