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Featured Sport News

Proteas still head T20 pack

Author: Sir David Smith
Date: 18/06/2009

The ICC World Twenty20 has reached the semi-final stage, with South Africa on course to justify their position as sportsbook favourites for the title.

The Proteas maintained their 100 per cent record in the tournament with a third win out of three in the Super Eights, seeing off deposed champions India by 12 runs at Trent Bridge.

Graeme Smith's team seem to be blessed with strength in all areas, with the captain, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers all top-class performers with the bat.

De Villiers in particular is an adaptable performer, who plays spin and pace with equal ease and is able to score quickly without resorting to the long handle.

The middle order is packed full of potent hitters such as Mark Boucher and Albie Morkel, while South Africa's main strength lies in their varied and potent bowling attack.

Dale Steyn and rising star Wayne Parnell offer pace and swing first up, with the likes of Kallis, Albie Morkel and Morne Morkel all more than useful back-ups.

The surprise element has been the outstanding spin duo of Roelof van der Merwe and Johan Botha, who have given a cutting edge and a huge degree of control for Smith.

Next up for South Africa are Pakistan, who have been their usual inconsistent selves throughout the tournament.

They have suffered losses to both England and Sri Lanka, but sealed a spot in the last four thanks to victories over New Zealand and Ireland.

Their batting line-up contains several useful hitters, with wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal a major danger at the top of the order.

However, it is their bowling which has been their major strength, with paceman Umar Gul the leading wicket-taker in the competition, as well as having become the first man to take a five-wicket haul in a T20 international.

Off-spinner Saeed Ajmal is only one wicket behind Gul on 11 victims, while Shahid Afridi's fast leg-spin has also claimed eight wickets.

The other semi-final sees Sri Lanka take on the West Indies, who are making up for a dismal recent tour of England.

Skipper Chris Gayle will need to fire if the Windies are to reach the final, with the explosive left-hander having hit the highest score of the tournament in registering 88 in the victory over Australia.

Lendl Simmons has also impressed, while fit-again all-rounder Dwayne Bravo has shown his class with both bat and ball.

The Achilles heel for the Windies appears to be their bowling, which lacks a truly outstanding performer such as those who make up most of the Sri Lankan attack.

Spin duo Ajantha Mendis and Muttiah Muralitharan have both proved hard to hit, while Lasith Malinga's pacy yorkers have proved deadly in the closing stages of games.

The batting is almost as reliable, with Tillakaratne Dilshan the leading run-scorer in the tournament and Sanath Jayasuriya and Mahela Jayawardene still high-quality performers.

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