South Africa win series after India fall short

Tuesday, 25 January 2011 00:17 -     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

(Reuters) – Yusuf  Pathan’s blistering century proved in vain for India as South Africa won the fifth and decisive one-day international by 33 runs on Sunday to take the series 3-2.

Morne Morkel bagged four wickets and Dale Steyn and Lonwabo Tsotsobe two apiece for the hosts who dismissed India for 234.

India had been set a Duckworth/Lewis revised target of 268 to win in 46 overs following a rain delay.

India were in desperate trouble at 119 for eight before Pathan resurrected their hopes by thumping 105 off 70 balls - the fastest ever for India against South Africa.

Hashim Amla had earlier batted through the South African innings, his 116 not out anchoring a total of 250 for nine in 46 overs.

The pace and aggression of Morkel and Steyn undermined the Indian innings until Pathan staged a classic counter-attack.

The powerful right-hander slammed eight fours and eight sixes in his remarkable innings before man-of-the-series Morkel eventually ended the entertainment when he had Pathan caught at mid-off after a skied drive.

Because South Africa’s innings was interrupted by rain on 226 for three after 42 overs, the Duckworth/Lewis calculation handed the home team an extra 17 runs.

South Africa’s innings ended in turmoil after the 78-minute delay, the hosts losing six wickets for 19 runs in four overs, including two run outs.

Amla shared a stand of 97 for the second wicket with Morne van Wyk (56) and added 102 for the fourth wicket with JP Duminy (35).

Batting has let us down: Dhoni

Centurion (PTI) Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni today attributed the ODI series loss against South Africa to the batting failure but refused to believe that it will be a cause of worry for his side with the World Cup less than a month away. (Strap)

“I think our batting department did not do well in the ODIs. That was the main reason why we lost the ODI series. But, hopefully with the World Cup coming up all will be set right,” he said at the post-match conference after India lost the fifth and final ODI by 33 runs and the series 2-3.

“Throughout the series our batting department has not scored a lot of runs. It is Virat Kohli who has done well and it’s Yusuf down the order who has done well. We really need to perform as a unit. But it is a matter of one innings or two and some of the batsmen did not get enough preparation time, quality practice sessions. It always plays in your mind but at the end of the day experienced players have gone through a phase like this. It happens in cricket and specially with us as we play 30-35 ODIs a year. So you see the form going up and down in the year. We are used to deal with situations like this,” Dhoni said.

Indian top order collapsed while playing rash shots but Dhoni defended his batsmen, saying it was part and parcel of the game. “It is part and parcel of cricket. You get off to a start, 10 overs, 28 runs one wicket then you are asked why was there no hurry? At the end of the day we were suppose to chase close to six runs an over and it is always a difficult task. You want to take the opposition on and times you lose wickets and that is what happened in this game,” he said.

“At times it really works because if you see Yusuf’s innings, he played a few deliveries and then went after the bowlers. He was really successful that’s his main strength. In a similar way some of the batsmen played their strokes and got out,” he reasoned.

Talking about the positives from the series, Dhoni said, “The full tour was good for both the sides. They won the ODI series, we won the T20 and the Test matches were draw. But overall good cricket was played. The biggest positive out of this game - when we go to the World Cup - the last 10 overs we can chase anything if we have got wickets in hand. I think learning is more than just loss of the game,” said Dhoni.

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