RoastedLinuxAlbie Morkel the new rockstar in town
January 17th 2009 00:05
There is no better mind than Shane Warne when it comes to picking Cricket’s most lethal batsmen.
Over the course of the Twenty20 matches and the One dayers, Warne often labelled Albie Morkel as the dangerman for South Africa in the limited over’s version of the game of Cricket.
Yesterday evening, we finally know why.
Morkel hit 40 runs off 18 balls under immense pressure to seal victory for the Proteas against an Australian side that nearly pulled off mission impossible.
Although Australia's total of 272 was a very competitive score, the likes of JP Duminy and Neil McKenzie were batting superbly for the Proteas, and it seemed that victory for the South Africans was a formality.
Enter Ponting's supreme one day fast bowler in Nathan Bracken and everything starting falling apart for the Proteas.
South Africa lost four wickets for just eight runs in a devastating spell from Bracken and Shaun Tait to once again add a twist to what has been a terrific summer of Cricket.
Australia were now the ones ahead in the game and Ponting was going in for the kill when Morkel took centre stage at the MCG.
But Warne knew what he was talking about when he labelled Morkel as one of the Proteas great weapons with the bat.
With the South Africans in a dire state of mind, captain Johan Botha eventually chose to use his batting power play at the start of the 44th over to increase his slim chances of victory.
It proved to be a master stroke thanks to the exploits by Morkel.
With pressure increasing with every ball, Morkel took advantage of the open spaces at the MCG to hit 40 runs off just 18 balls to seal victory for the Proteas.
His masterful drive for six off the bowling of Bracken showcased the skill and raw power that Morkel possesses.
With all the talk of David Warner being the rock star of the limited over’s contests, South Africa have also shown that they too possess some hits.
In the end, it was a cameo performance from Morkel that rocked the Australians to the core, and left many asking the question of why their own rock star, Warner, was left out of the side.
Although it now looks increasingly likely that Warner will play in Hobart, his ghostly figure at the MCG has already cost Australia victory against the South Africans.
Morkel on the other hand is the new act in town and could well put on a show again in Hobart tomorrow morning.
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