WEDNESDAY, 7.00PM:
SOUTH AFRICA rattled up an impressive 283/7 in their alotted 50 overs against Minor Counties at a cold and blustery Stone on Wednesday, with veteran all-rounder Brian McMillan scoring 79 runs in his stand at the wicket.
The 34-year-old, dropped for the one-day Texaco series, cracked seven fours and four sixes off the 95 deliveries he faced, showing that he is far from a spent force at the one-day game.
While the county attack was hardly fearsome, McMillan, in only his second knock on tour, must have earned a tick of approval from the tour selectors. If he can repeat the feat against Gloucester he will have his foot in the door of the Test team.
The tussle for the opening bat between Gerhardus Liebenberg and Adam Bacher ended in a stalemate, with both scoring 15 and both hitting the pickets three times.
At 42/2 the South Africans were a bit vulnerable, but McMillan and Daryll Cullinan (26) pulled them back on course with 70 for the third wicket.
Jacques Kallis continued his good run with 55 off 60 balls, but skipper Hansie Cronje stole the show by racing to his 50 off only 34 deliveries.
Scoreboard:
South Africa innings:
A Bacher b Richardson 15 (29m 15b 3×4)
G Liebenberg c Dean b Thomas 15 (17m 20b 3×4)
D Cullinan b Fielding 26 (68m 50b 4×4)
B McMillan c Potter b Oakes 79 (103m 95b 7×4 4×6)
M Boucher c Ward b Potter 1 (11m 12b)
J Kallis lbw Richardson 55 (68m 60b 3×4 1×6)
H Cronje b Thomas 58 (44m 38b 4×4 4×6)
S Elworthy not out 12 (13m 9b 1×6)
P Adams not out 3 (2m 4b)
Extras (6lb 7w 6nb) 19
Total (for 7 wkts) 283 — 50 overs (283 mins)
Fall of wickets: 1/30 2/41 3/111 4/114 5/170 6/256 7/278
Bowling: Thomas 10-1-74-2 (2w 1nb), Richardson 10-2-49-2 (4w 1nb), Oakes 10-0-44-1 (1nb), Fielding 10-0-50-1, Potter 10-0-60-1 (1w)