14 Tuesday 29th September, 2009 Shah helps England defeat England make a mockery of Champions Trophy by Mike Norrish Clearly, it’s now time to scrap the South Africa by 22 runs Champions Trophy. Because if England can reach the semi-finals, then something, somewhere, is deeply wrong. Bonkers. There’s no other word for it. Dynamite in the middle overs, bril- liant in the field. Sri Lanka thrashed; South Africa too. In the semis with a game to spare. Bonkers. (And, I imag- ine, more than a little annoying if you paid £70 to watch them against Australia; a series that became a fort- night-long party political broadcast for the Scrap ODIs Coaltion.) When Sri Lanka played South Africa in the Group B opener, Ian Chappell described the match as a passport to the semis. Because England, he reasoned, were so bad, so pathetic, that the Lankans and the Proteas were guaranteed two points. Often, when pundits are so spectac- ularly wrong, it’s tempting to snigger. But really, what else was he supposed to say? That Owais Shah can clear the ropes like Yuvraj Singh? That Eoin Morgan is the new Michael Bevan? That England are always dangerous on the big stage, are natural and inno- vative one-day players and should never be written off ? Chappell was simply calling it as we all saw it. England were pathetic against Australia. Their two big hit- ters are still limping around on crutches. With the odd exception, South African wicket keeper, Mark Boucher watches closely as England’s Owais they’ve been a shocking one-day side Shah faces the bowling of South African bowler JP Duminy during the Champions for years. This surge to the semi-finals Trophy cricket match against England, at Super Sport Park, in Centurion, South was as unpredictable as it is unex- Africa, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009. Shah, who scored a blazing 98 in just 89 balls, hit six plainable. So let’s just enjoy England’s per- sixers and five boundaries in his innings. (AP Photo) formances, which have been the high- CENTURION, South Africa (AP) - Smith’s innings gave South Africa a light of another wonderful cricket South Africa captain Graeme Smith chance of reaching its victory target of tournament in South Africa, with scored a career-best 141 in an ultimate- 324, but once he was out the host were good crowds, great pitches, beautiful ly futile run chase as England won by unable to press on. sunsets, the evocative whiff of braai 22 runs to eliminate the hosts from the “We lost wickets at key times, and smoke and yet another hilarious Champions Trophy on Sunday. lost our way a bit,” said Smith. “We just choke from the tournament hosts, Smith hit 16 boundaries in his 134- needed a partnership late in the who have confirmed once again their ball stay, but he was cramping badly innings, and when it didn’t come, chas- status as the worst favourites in sport. toward the end and had to rely on ing 320 was just too difficult for us.” South Africa have now hosted the attempted boundaries to score when Smith’s previous highest was 134 South African batsman captain Graeme Smith celebrates scoring 100 runs during the World Cup, the World Twenty20 and the Champions Trophy and each time his England counterpart Andrew not out against India in Kolkata in 2005. Champions Trophy cricket match against England, at Super Sport Park, in Centurion, Strauss denied him a runner. “It’s hugely disappointing,” said they’ve found a new way to screw it “The umpires were not comfortable Smith. “Sport is about giving your all, South Africa, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009. (AP Photo) up. Only the All Blacks come close as with letting him have a runner and I and I was just hoping someone could times, particularly by James Anderson Eoin Morgan to cut loose, and he raced bottlers par excellence, but at least felt that a batsman who has made a stay with me. But there is no point in who finished with 3-42. to the fastest half-century of the tour- they’ve won one World Cup. For hundred is always going to be tired, so I making excuses.” “James has been superb over the nament when he reached his 50 off 26 Graeme Smith’s men, the agony goes was not prepared to let him have one The partnerships were broken by last 18 months,” said Strauss, “even balls. on. either,” Strauss said. some clever bowling at important when the ball has not been swinging, “Shah was great, Collingwood (C) The Telegraph Group, because he has found the kind of line superb, and they laid the platform for London, 2009 SCOREBOARD and length and variation which makes Morgan to show what he can do in the him very difficult to get away.” powerplay overs at the end,” said England H. Gibbs c Wright b Anderson 22 Owais Shah narrowly missed his Strauss. A. Strauss c Boucher b Parnell 25 J. Kallis c Denly b Broad 12 second one-day international century, Morgan was eventually caught by Sutil fined for J. Denly c Duminy b Kallis 21 A.B. de Villiers c Denly b Collingwood 36 but his 98 off 89 balls helped England Smith off the bowling of Dale Steyn for O. Shah c Boucher b Botha 98 J.P. Duminy b Swann 24 post an intimidating 323-8. 67 off 34 balls, which included four Heidfeld crash P. Collingwood b Parnell 82 M. Boucher b Anderson 8 He was especially destructive fours and five sixes. E. Morgan c Smith b Steyn 67 A. Morkel run out (Morgan) 17 against South Africa’s spinners as he Parnell remains the tournament’s L. Wright run out (Parnell) 8 J. Botha c Onions b Broad 0 shared in a speedy third-wicket part- top wicket-taker, finishing with three at Singapore GP R. Bopara c Morkel b Botha 1 R. van der Merwe b Anderson 0 nership of 163 with Paul Collingwood, in the match, but at the cost of 60 runs SINGA- S. Broad b Parnell 0 W. Parnell not out 10 which took just 26 overs and one ball. for his 10 overs. PORE (AP) G. Swann not out 8 D. Steyn not out 17 He hit five fours and six sixes as Off-spinner Botha got among the - Force J. Anderson not out 2 Extras: (8lb, 5w, 1nb) 14 South Africa’s bowlers battled to find a wickets at the end of the innings and India’s Extras: (1b, 4lb, 5w, 1nb) 11 TOTAL: (for 9 wickets) 301 line and length which would contain took 2-56 off nine overs. TOTAL: (for 8 wickets) 323 Overs: 50. Adrian Sutil him. “We conceded more than 300 runs in was fined Overs: 50. Fall of wickets: 1-42, 2-64, 3-142, 4-206, 5-230, Collingwood made 82 off 94 balls to two of our three games, and chasing $20,000 Fall of wickets: 1-48, 2-59, 3-222, 4-262, 5-291, 6-255, 7-255, 8-263, 9-274. continue his good run of form in the over 300 is always tough,” said Smith. Sunday at 6-295, 7-297, 8-320. Bowling: Anderson 10-0-42-3 (1nb, 4w), tournament, and the pair was only sep- “South Africa had to take the risks,” Did not bat: G. Onions. Onions 7-0-52-0, Broad 10-0-67-3 (1w), Wright arated when Shah was caught by wick- agreed Strauss, “and we were able to the Bowling: Steyn 10-0-59-1 (1w), Parnell 10-2-60- 5-0-31-0, Collingwood 10-0-58-1, Swann 8-0-43-1. etkeeper Mark Boucher off the bowling take advantage.” Singapore 3, Kallis 3-0-14-1 (1w), Morkel 6-0-45-0 (1nb, 1w) Toss: England. of Johan Botha. South Africa’s defeat keeps Sri Grand Prix Merwe 9-0-67-0 (2w), Botha 9-0-56-2, J.P. Result: England won by 22 runs. Collingwood went five overs later, Lanka in the tournament for now, and a for crashing Duminy 3-0-17-0. Umpires: S. Davis (Aus) and T. Hill (NZ). dragging on a wide ball from left-arm victory for England over New Zealand into Nick South Africa Third umpire: B. Bowden (NZ). paceman Wayne Parnell. in the remaining group B match will Heidfeld, G. Smith c Shah b Broad 141 Match referee: R. Mahanama (SL). But his departure was the signal for put the Sri Lankans in the semifinals. ending the BMW Force India Formula Sauber dri- One driver Adrian Sutil ver’s remark- of Germany. Cristiano Ronaldo a telly Unseeded Chang able run of (AP Photo/Mark Baker) race finishes. addict during Manchester On lap 19, Sutil tried to pass Toro Rosso’s Jaime Alguersuari but ousts Safina in Japan touched wheels and spun. The United matches German immediately restarted and by Jim Armstrong her third match point on Safina’s fore- by Telegraph staff hand error. tried to turn his car around on the track, but ran the nose of his car into TOKYO (AP) - Top-ranked and Safina’s status as the world’s top- the path of compatriot Heidfeld. “Every time I can I try to defending champion Dinara Safina ranked player has been under scruti- The ensuing crash immediately watch United’s games on tele- was knocked out in the second round ny and a third-round loss to 72nd- vision,” Ronaldo told the of the Toray Pan Pacific Open on ranked Petra Kvitova of the Czech ended the race for Heidfeld while Mirror, who has adapted Monday by Taiwanese qualifier Chang Republic at the U.S.