Wednesday, 12th September 2007 at 2:59 pm

Herschelle Gibbs goes mad - again

It brought back memories of the 175 that highlighted the greatest one-day game ever; not so many runs this time, perhaps, but Herschelle Gibbs’s unbeaten 90 included many of the same shots Australia were on the wrong end of on that magical day at the Wanderers. Same ground, similar strokes, same result - a great South African victory, on the back of a monumental run chase.

In hauling in a 20-over total of 200-plus, South Africa gave themselves a further boost, having already lifted their spirits with the warm-up win over Australia, and the omens are looking good for a team with a very clear philosophy: win the toss, bowl first, and then let an all-star hitting collective chase down whatever the opposition can muster. Gibbs, Smith, Kemp, De Villiers, Boucher, Pollock, Van Der Wath, a pair of Morkels - there’s some pretty heavy firepower in the South African line-up…

…and perhaps we’ll get to see it. So far it’s just been the top four, however, two eight-wicket wins taking care of Australia and the West Indies. And while we’ll probably see a change in the opening pairing for the Bangladesh game, given Gibbs’s hamstring strain, the free-swinging South African will be back for the quarters - and on the evidence of South Africa’s displays thus far, the semifinals and the finals as well.