The Hindu : Sport : South Africa poised to post a match-winning total

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Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007
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South Africa poised to post a match-winning total

— Photo: AFP

SKIPPER'S SCALP: Corey Collymore (centre) celebrates with Brian Lara after dismissing South African captain Graeme Smith.

Grenada: South Africa galloped to 170 for one in 32 overs after the early loss of its captain Greame Smith in the vital World Cup Super Eight clash against the West Indies on Tuesday.

The free-stroking A.B. de Villiers (82 batting, 96b, 7x4, 1x6) and the fluent Jacques Kallis (73 batting, 73b, 6x4, 1x6), who came together at 21 for one at the end of the seventh over, were batting their side to a potentially match-winning total.

The West Indies, after Brian Lara won the toss, began well with the South African openers — skipper Smith and de Villiers — finding it hard to force the pace against Daren Powell and Corey Collymore.

Succumbs to pressure

The left-handed Smith (7) finally succumbed to the pressure, making room to smash Collymore through the covers, and edging the ball to wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin. Kallis walked into a pressure situation.

He responded in a manner that was surprisingly aggressive. Kallis slammed Powell through covers, and then flicked the bowler through mid-wicket.

When Dwyane Bravo was introduced, Kallis collected 18 runs in the over, creating the width to clear the cover boundary, and then whipping the ball to the mid-wicket ropes.

De Villiers, a quick-thinking, nimble-footed batsman, lofted effectively over the infield, apart from piercing the off-side gaps.

When the bowlers erred in line, he employed the cut.

Missed chances

Collymore was disciplined with his length and direction but the other West Indian bowlers suffered on a track that encouraged stroke-play, and a fast outfield.

To make matters worse for the host, it failed to cash in on a couple of gilt-edged run-out opportunities.

For the West Indies, the 19-year-old all-rounder Keiron Pollard made his debut. Crucially for the South Africans, Herschelle Gibbs passed a fitness test for a calf muscle strain.

All-rounder Andrew Hall came in for paceman Charl Langeveldt and attacking batsman Loots Bosman replaced the out-of-form heavy hitter Justin Kemp.

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