OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Monday 9.30am.
SHAUN POLLOCK’s cricket team put in a lethargic performance to beat Bangladesh by six wickets after the cricketing minnows posted a paltry 79 all-out.
The South African batsmen then lost the plot completely, and were five wickets down before opener Herschelle Gibbs steadied the ship. The South Africans will face Barbados on Tuesday and, if they do not move up a gear, will not make the semifinals.
The South African hockey women’s team beat Canada 3-0 on Sunday evening, ahead of Wednesday’s match against Namibia.
Karen Roberts and her team remain unbeaten in their pool after beating Wales 4-0, then drawing 1-1 with England on Saturday.
South Africa’s boxers had a good day on Sunday, with three boxers going into the quarterfinals, and one winning his first bout. Middleweight Danie Venter came from behind to clinch his opening fight, beating Trinidad and Tobago’s Kirt Sinnette 12-10 on points.
Flyweight Phumzile Mathyila won 20-16, bantamweight Silence Mabuza won 21-12 and featherweight Siphiwe Nonqayi took his bout 8-6 to progress to the quarterfinals.
Sunday did not bode well for the squash contingent as Claire Nitch, Carla Venter and Natalie Grainger all went down to opponents rated in the world top five. Only Craig Wapnick, ranked 49th in the world, managed to beat an opponent, downing world number 15 Australian Byron Davis, 1-9, 9-4, 9-4, 9-4.
Three South African swimmers reached finals, but could not win any medals. Deaf swimmer Terence Parkin, was fifth in the 400m individual medley, but beat two of his own national records in the process, Theo Verster came sixth in the 100m butterfly, while Julia Russell finished last in the 200m breaststroke.
Women’s cyclist Anke Erlank was forced to call it a day in the 92km road race after coming down with a viral infection.
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