Tuesday, August 26, 2008

EASY WIN FOR ENGLAND !

Broad claimed five for 23 in a 10-over new-ball spell to help dismiss South Africa for a lowly 83 and secure England's emphatic triumph by 5.35pm in a match billed as a day-night international.

Those figures were the best of his own career, the fifth best by an England player and completely humiliated a South African side who were briefly rated as the best side in the world earlier this year by dismissing them for the second lowest total in their history.

His performance capped another impressive display by an England side galvanised by the appointment of Kevin Pietersen as captain, who is yet to taste defeat since his unveiling after winning the final Test and the opening game of this five-match series at Headingley on Friday.

South Africa's challenge was undermined from the start with Broad given the new ball from the Pavilion End and removed South Africa's leading three batsmen inside the first three overs to set the tone for the remainder of the innings.

Sensing an emphatic triumph, Pietersen went for the kill and brought all-rounder Andrew Flintoff into the attack, who accelerated South Africa's demise by winning an lbw appeal against AB de Villiers with a ball which jagged back into his pads.

Flintoff's hostility also accounted for Mark Boucher, who became the latest of many South African batsmen to edge behind, while Broad followed up by claiming his final wicket in his last over.

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