CLARE LOVELL, London | Sunday 12.15pm.
– South Africa underlined their position as World Cup favourites when they crushed England by 122 runs in a Group A match on Saturday, dismissing them for 103 in only 41 overs at The Oval.
Fast bowler Allan Donald ripped the heart out of the England batting with four for 17 in eight overs as the host nationa just managed to struggle past their previous lowest World Cup score of 93, against Australia at Leeds in 1975.
England looked to have a chance after limiting South Africa to 225 for seven in their 50 overs despite an opening partnership of 111 between Herschelle Gibbs (60) and Gary Kirsten (45).
The win virtually assured South Africa of a place in the next round of the tournament.
”I’m more than happy with three (wins) out of three,” South Africa captain Hansie Cronje said.
England could perhaps count themselves unfortunate in the dismissals of both their openers as they slumped to six for two, paceman Jacques Kallis taking both.
Captain Alec Stewart was ajudged lbw when the ball appeared too high and Nasser Hussain was given out caught behind when he apparently failed to make contact as the ball went down the leg side.
A tight-lipped Stewart said afterwards he could no comment on the decisions.
”We lost two early wickets and never recovered,” he said.
Graeme Hick put up some resistance for his 21, including successive fours off Kallis before pulling a shot to Gibbs at midwicket off seamer Steve Elworthy with the score on 44.
Andrew Flintoff then pulled Donald to Jonty Rhodes to be dimissed without scoring and Mark Ealham joined the sorry procession to the pavilion after making just five when he was caught by Darryl Cullinan at second slip, also off Donald.
Rhodes pulled off a spectacular catch to dismiss Robert Croft, leaping to knock the ball up, then turning as he fell to catch it before it hit the ground.
Croft had scored a cautious 12 to take the score to 78 for seven and only England’s frail tail was left to save them from their lowest World Cup score.
Darren Gough played bravely before falling for 10 to a catch by captain Hansie Cronje off Elworthy and Neil Fairbrother managed 21 being trapped leg before for Donald’s fourth wicket.
There was nothing left after that.
Their innings faltered after Ealham struck in the 25th over, having Gibbs caught by Hick at midwicket. Gibbs hit six fours and a six in his 92-ball 60.
Kirsten fell immediately afterwards, jabbing at another Ealham delivery which caught an inside edge and went to Stewart behind the stumps.
In the next over, left-arm paceman Mullally bowled Kallis, for a duck and South Africa’s run rate was suddenly checked.
Mullally was rewarded again in the 32nd over when Darryl Cullinan was caught in the deep by Fraser.
Gough, who was unfortunate not to take a wicket in his opening spell, returned to remove Rhodes (18) and Shaun Pollock with successive balls.
Lance Klusener once again added a belligerent note to the South African tail as he hammered 48 from only 40 balls and shared an unbroken eighth-wicket stand of 57 with Mark Boucher (16).
Cronje said his own side had room to improve. — Reuters