OWN CORRESPONDENT | Wednesday, 9.00PM
A BRILLIANT unbeaten 141 by South African vice-captain Gary Kirsten set the tone for the limited overs match against England’s B&H champions, Essex, at Chelmsford on Wednesday.
Essex, chasing a 50-over target of 311, were bundled out for 133 in just 31,4 overs, with veteran offspinner Pat Symcox 5/40 picking up his second five-wicket haul of the tour. Winning by 177 runs, the South Africans lost just five wickets in compiling their 310 runs thanks to Kirsten, Mike Rindel (50) and Jonty Rhodes (69).
With only five of their B&H Cup team available, Essex were stretched to the limit against a side rated as one of the best exponents of the one-day game in the world. Replacement Rindel made an immediate impact by notching up 50 (9x4s) off only 55 balls. In an hour he and Kirsten put on 97. But Brian McMillan and Shaun Pollock gave less than the South Africans hoped for. McMillan fell to offspinner Peter Such when he had six, while Pollock went on a charging drive against the same bowler only to nick the ball to wicketkeeper Barry Hyam. Pollock could also have been stumped when he had one.
As a result the innings, which had been speedig along, slowed to 139/3 after 30 overs.
Rhodes, at the wicket for 58 minutes, came to the rescue, hitting six fours and 2x6s in his 69 which was scored off only 52 balls. With Kirsten in top form at the other end the two put on 124 for the fourth-wicket in an hour.
Kirsten, who reached his 50 (9x4s) off 48 balls went on to his sixth hundred of the tour off 105 balls. His 141 off 132 deliveries contained 15 fours and a six. The only other wicket to fall was that of Jacques Kallis.
Essex’s’s challenge was limited to a second-wicket partnership of 43 between captain Paul Prichard and Tim Hodgson.
Prichard scored 20 off 39 deliveries before giving Rhodes, at point, some catching practice. Hodgson, who hit three fours in his 14, lost out to McMillan at slip. From then on traffic between wicket and pavilion was thich and fast.
Scoreboard:
Essex innings:
P Prichard c Rhodes b McMillan 20 (56m 39b 3×4)
D Robinson lbw Elworthy 0 (5m 2b)
T Hodgson c McMillan b Pollock 14 (37m 27b 3×4)
P Grayson c and b Elworthy 1 (6m 5b)
A Hibbert not out b Symcox 9 (33m 24b 1×4)
D Law c Elworthy b Symcox 3 (12m 11b)
D Wilson c McMillan b Pollock 24 (34m 25b 4×4)
B Hyam c McMillan b Symcox 27 (38m 33b 2×4)
A Cowan c Rhodes b Symcox 16 (25m 24b 2×4)
D Cousins c Rindel b Symcox 1 (5m 4b)
P Such not out 0 (5m 0b)
Extras (2b 6lb 4w 6nb) 18
Total (all out) 133 — 31,4 overs 134 mins
Fall of wickets: 1/1 2/44 3/45 4/47 5/50 6/77 7/91 8/119 9/127
Bowling: Pollock 8-0-25-2 (3w 2nb), Elworthy 7-3-20-2, McMillan
6-0-27-1 (1w 1nb), Symcox 8,4 -1-40-5, Ntini 2-0-13-0.
Result: SA won by 177 runs.
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