Date-stamped : 30 Mar97 - 14:23
Report - Electronic Telegraph

Cullinan finishes off Australia

By Matthew Hannah


A SPARKLING unbeaten 85 by Daryll Cullinan and three crucial
run-outs by South Africa gave them an emphatic six-wicket
one-day international win over Australia at Buffalo Park in East
London.

Cullinan, named man of the match, set the South Africans on the
winning trail in a 122-run fourth-wicket partnership with
Jacques Kallis, who made 63, in the chase to better the
Australian score of 223 for nine.

But it was the running out of Steve Waugh, Greg Blewett and Adam
Gilchrist that proved pivotal.

"Those three run-outs turned what looked to be a 260-270 game,
when we were nicely placed at 120 for two, into a 220 match and
that was the difference," said Australian captain Mark Taylor.

"You're always going to take your chances in a game like this,
but Hershelle Gibbs and Jonty Rhodes are perhaps not the guys to
take those chances to."

South African captain Hansie Cronje - responsible for running
out Blewett - agreed with Taylor's assessment. "The three
run-outs were the turning point," he said, "but Daryll and
Jacques batted superbly."

Australia, sent in to bat after Cronje won the toss, were well
placed on 129 for two, with Waugh and Stuart Law at the crease
having added 97 runs after Mark Taylor (7) and Michael Di Venuto
(23) had been dismissed by the time the total reached 32.

But then Waugh fell to a stunning run out by Gibbs and Law to a
catch by Kallis off Pat Symcox's bowling, both batsmen scoring
50.

The next five wickets tumbled for just 15 runs as Gil- christ
became the third run-out victim at the hands of Rhodes and Lance
Klusener grabbed the wickets of Paul Reiffel and Jason Gillespie
off successive deliveries.

But then came Australia's record-equalling and unbroken last
wicket partnership of 45 off 64 balls by Michael Bevan (51) and
Adam Dale (15) to give the score some respectability.

South Africa lost the wickets of Gibbs (10), Adam Bacher (27)
and Klusener for a duck with only 50 runs on the board before
Cullinan and Kallis came together.

When Kallis was stumped by Gilchrist off Shane Warne's bowling
with the total on 172, Cullinan was joined by Jonty Rhodes (24
not out) in a partnership of 55 that ended the match with three
overs to spare.


Source :: Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk)

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