Plays of the day from the Group B game between Netherlands and South Africa in the 2011 World Cup
Firdose Moonda at the PCA Stadium03-Mar-2011The almost catch of the day
The Dutch were on the verge of an early breakthrough when Hashim Amla got the bottom edge of his bat to connect with a Mudassar Bukhari slower ball. Wicketkeeper Wesley Barresi had to get forward to pouch a dying ball and if he’d moved one step further he may have. He got to the ball just as it grazed the grass but Barresi was hoping he’d grabbed it in time. Amla was already walking when umpire Richard Kettleborough sought the assistance of a replay that showed the ball had bounced ahead of the keeper .Whiplash of the day
AB de Villiers rightly chose the Powerplay as the time to lash out and for three balls it looked as though Bernard Loots would suffer the same fate as Dan van Bunge did four years ago at the hands of Herschelle Gibbs – six sixes. The first six was massive enough to illustrate that intent, a powerful swing that sent the ball somewhere into the Punjab sky. The second one, a straight loft, was being so closely watched by the long-on fielder that he tumbled into the advertising boards and the third one was a monster pull over midwicket. Much to Loots’ relief, he got the yorker right with his fourth ball and de Villiers could only manage a nudge for one.The best supporting actor of the day
Morne van Wyk was brought into the team because they thought they would need another batsman on a pitch that appeared difficult to bat on. He only got to spend one ball at the crease, which he watched from the non-strikers end and then galloped through for two runs and managed to put in an athletic dive at the end. He was able to do more in the second half of the match. de Villiers did not join his colleagues in the field because he strained his back while batting, so van Wyk was handed the wicketkeeping gloves.The reflex of the day
Jacques Kallis was made to react quickly off the first ball he bowled. Alexei Kervezee drove straight back at Kallis and the ball drifted a little past his right shoulder. Kallis could have let one of mid-on or mid-off scramble after it but he was up in a flash and reached over to grasp it. He had to juggle a little but had the catch in his clutches on the second attempt.The yo-yo referrals
Things were getting desperate with Netherlands on 119 for 8 and Imran Tahir was bowling every ball at his disposal to end it quickly. He hurled a flipper at Bernard Loots and trapped him right in front of middle stump. Loots wanted to hang around and asked for a review, which showed no contact with the bat and his marching orders were upheld. Tahir rapped Bernerd Westdijk on the pad with his next ball, this time not out was the on-field call and South Africa reviewed. Westdijk was struck outside the line and Kettleborough was proved right again. Westdijk didn’t last long after that, he was hit on the pad for the second time in succession and given out. He had to upkeep the reviewing tradition of that over but it was no use – three out of three for the on-field umpire and Nethrelands bowled out inside 35 overs.
