Proteas warm up in style

The South Africans arrived at the Castle Avenue Ground, Dublin determined not to go the same way as neighbours Zimbabwe who were recently turned over by the Irish by the unlikely margin of ten wickets.

Graeme Smith, South Africa's youngest-ever captain, won the toss and duly elected to bat, putting on 55 in an opening partnership with Herschelle Gibbs who contributed 33. Boetha Dippenaar made 76 and Jacques Rudolph 54 as the Proteas cruised to 294-8 off their 50 overs.

For the Irish, seamer Gary Neely bagged three wickets, and Griqualand West's Andre Botha grabbed a brace.

Ireland, not overawed by their more illustrious opponents got off to a fine reply, skipper Jason Molins and Jeremy Bray adding 45 for the first wicket, but as soon as Charl Langeveldt broke through, the wickets tumbled with increasing regularity.

Shaun Pollock was dealt with easily enough, but the added pace of Makhaya Ntini blew the upper order away, taking a brisk 3-21.

Paul Adams bamboozled, picking up a couple himself and Martin van Jaarsveld ended matters by grabbing the last two wickets as Ireland finally succumbed for 162 with Niall O'Brien top-scoring on 31.

South Africa 294-8 (Dippenaar 76, Smith 61, Rudolph 54, Neely 3-40)
beat
Ireland 162 (O'Brien 31, Ntini 3-21, van Jaarsveld 2-11, Adams 2-25)
by 132 runs


Posted by Eddie