Cricket: Waugh's levelling century

Australia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247-6

South Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .178

Australia win by 69 runs

AUSTRALIA cruised to a 69-run victory over South Africa in Sydney yesterday to square the best-of-three World Series Cup at 1-1. A powerful century by Mark Waugh, aided by Dean Jones' 79, had helped set South Africa a formidable target of 248. South Africa in reply never matched the necessary run-rate and slumped to 178 all out with more than four overs remaining.

Mark Hayden and David Boon, Australia's openers, knocked off some quick, early runs, but the initiative swayed South Africa's way when they were both caught in consecutive overs from Allan Donald. Jones and Waugh then linked up with Waugh in impressive form, needing only 111 balls to score 107 runs, an innings which included eight fours.

Jones and Waugh made full use of a helpful pitch and pushed the score along at 3.5 runs an over before launching a blitz in the last 12 overs. Jones was out for 79, caught by Hansi Cronje off Donald.

Gary Kirsten and Jonty Rhodes led the reply, but with their wickets, South Africa lost any realistic chance of winning the match.

AUSTRALIA

M A Hayden c Snell b Donald. . . . . . . . . . . . 16

D C Boon c Rhodes b Donald. . . . . . . . . . . . .14

D M Jones c Cronje b Donald. . . . . . . . . . . . 79

M E Waugh c G Kirsten b de Villiers. . . . . . . .107

S R Waugh b Donald. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

* A R Border c Richardson b de Villiers. . . . . . .6

] I A Healy not out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

P R Reiffel not out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Extras (lb5 nb1 w3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Total (for 6, 50 overs). . . . . . . . . . . . . .247

Fall: 1-33 2-35 3-210 4-221 5-227 6-241.

Did not bat: S K Warne, C J McDermott, T B A May.

Bowling: Donald 10-0-40-4 (3w); Snell 10-0-59- 0; de Villiers 10-2-39-2 (1nb); McMillan 7-0-40-0; Symcox 6-0-26-0; Cronje 7-0-38-0.

SOUTH AFRICA

P N Kirsten run out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

G Kirsten c Boon b May. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

* W J Cronje st Healy b Warne. . . . . . . . . . . 28

J N Rhodes b McDermott. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52

D J Cullinan c S Waugh b Warne. . . . . . . . . . . 3

B N McMillan lbw b Warne. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0

] D J Richardson b Border. . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

R P Snell b McDermott. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

P L Symcox run out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

P S de Villiers not out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0

A A Donald c and b McDermott. . . . . . . . . . . . 0

Extras (lb7, nb1). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Total (45.5 overs). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178

Fall: 1-50 2-74 3-102 4-106 5-107 6-156 7-176 8- 178 9-178.

Bowling: McDermott 8.5-0-39-3; Reiffel 8-0-23- 0 (1nb); S Waugh 5-0-11-0; May 10-1-35-1; Warne 10-0-42-3; Border 4-0-21-1.