Who was Kenya in disguise?

An insane one-day match happened yesterday, with Australia and South Africa scoring 872 runs between themselves, which eventually meant that South Africa won the game by a wicket and the 5 match series 3-2. I remember posting a year or so ago about some Australian cricketers talking about scoring 400 in a one-day international. I can't find that post right now since Blogger's search is giving problems. I'll put it up here when I do locate it! Found it! It was Dean Jones recommending usage of two white balls.

If you didn't watch the game on TV or follow it live online, you ought to go and relive the game, ball-by-ball.

I normally don't like the South African side. But yesterday, what amazed me was their conviction that a target of that nature could be chased down! They certainly deserved the victory. I don't know how much of an impact this would have on the test series, but Australia will have Warne. I'm fairly sure there will be lots of phone calls and text messages to Warne over the next two days asking him to reconsider his decision to retire from one-dayers and play the 2007 World Cup.

There was a serious absence of quality bowling yesterday. No McGrath and no Pollock. The best bowler on view was Bracken, with 5/67, and he was going at 6.7 runs per over. That gives you an idea of how mad the whole game was. Graeme Smith got South Africa to a good start along with Herschelle Gibbs. I thought Gibbs blew it when he got out. In fact, he had a wonderful chance to score a double century! But by dropping Gibbs earlier, Australia had made it easier for South Africa. Yet, after he was dismissed, all Australia needed to do was to string together some 5-6 run overs. Easier said than done? Perhaps. Yes, the pitch was unquestionably a batting wicket, but then again, 90% of all pitches for one-dayers are! The ground was certainly small, which meant that sixes and fours were easier. But you expect a world class team to get its act together sooner rather than later.

They didn't. Andrew Symonds should have used some of that grey matter in between his ears before he dived to catch Kallis. Jacques Kallis does not bat according to the situation, a fact that has been proved against Australia and against India in the recent past. Kallis had scored 20(21) and the asking rate had gone from 7.5 to 8.5. Coincidence? Perhaps not! So why did he take the caught & bowled chance? Mind you, he had already ran Kallis out at the Gabba a couple of months ago during a VB Series game, a hit which possibly turned the game in South Africa's favour.

What on earth was Ponting doing when he kept throwing the ball to Mick Lewis, who ended up with 0/113 in 10 overs? Lee bowled the 42nd over which went for 11. Ok, so he screwed up and was taken off the attack [after one over, mind you]. Mick Lewis was given the ball. His next three overs went for 16, 9 and 17. Andrew Hall did his best impersonation of Klusener at the 1999 World Cup. He had to score 2 runs in 4 balls, and dragged the ball to mid on with only Ntini to come! I really thought that one searing yorker would do the trick and all of South Africa would be in mourning yet again. But bizarrely enough, he bowled short outside off-stump and Ntini had no problems slashing the ball towards third man to take a crucial single.

So if if Kenya conceded 398 at Kandy in 1996 against Sri Lanka, which of those two teams yesterday was impersonating Kenya?