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South Africa was all business in the cauldron as it completed an eight-wicket win over Zimbabwe in a World Cup practice match at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium here on Saturday.
It dismissed Zimbabwe for 152 after Elton Chigumbura elected to bat and then shot down the target in 23.3 overs through Hashim Amla (45, 33b, 7x4), Graeme Smith (41, 54b, 1x6, 3x4) and the back-from-injury Jacques Kallis (49 n.o., 39b, 3x6, 3x4).
But then, this was to be expected. A much superior side, South Africa oozed commitment and preparedness. Significantly, the game provided its motley collection of spinners a chance to comprehend the conditions.
Leggie Imran Tahir, left-arm spinner Robin Peterson and off-spinner Johan Botha accounted for six Zimbabwe wickets, giving away just 74 runs in 20.5 overs. The pick of South Africa's bowlers however was paceman Morne Morkel, who impressed with figures of three for 16 in six overs.
A.B. de Villiers, who had expressed concerns over the uneven bounce, snapped up three catches keeping to the spinners, and appeared comfortable behind the stumps all through. South Africa's left-arm quick Lonwabo Tsotsobe hurled down two overs before injuring his right knee fielding at fine leg. Team officials said the bowler will recover in time for the group matches.
Flattering to deceive
Zimbabwe's beginning flattered to deceive. Its openers — Taylor and Charles Coventry — added 49 before Morkel struck off successive deliveries in the 10th over, sending back Coventry and Tatenda Taibu.
Thus began Zimbabwe's slide to 95 for six, but another miniature rescue act — a 46-run association between Sean Williams and Regis Chakabva for the seventh wicket — took the underdog to relative respectability.
A little earlier, Tahir came on in the 14th over to a loud cheer from the surprisingly packed ‘B' and ‘C' stands. The recently nationalised leg-spinner dislodged Brendan Taylor in his second spell and added two more wickets to end with three for 35.
The second innings was always going to be about how emphatically South Africa handled its chase. Amla and Smith set the foundation with a 69-run opening stand. Amla was dropped by Raymond Price off his own bowling but was out to the same bowler an over later.
Smith and Kallis then added 48 in 7.3 overs, before Greg Lamb had Smith stumped. A racy 36-run alliance in 4.5 overs, between Kallis and de Villiers for the third wicket, took care of whatever little remained of the target.
Brief scores: At Chennai: Zimbabwe 152 in 41.5 overs (B. Taylor 40, S. Williams 35, M. Morkel three for 16, I. Tahir three for 35) lost to South Africa 153 for two in 23.3 overs (H. Amla 45, G. Smith 41, J. Kallis 49 n.o.).
At Nagpur: New Zealand 311 for six in 50 overs (M. Guptill 130, J. Ryder 48, R. Taylor 33, J. Franklin 49, S. Styris 29 n.o.) bt Ireland 279 in 48.2 overs (W. Porterfield 72, P. Stirling 39, E. Joyce 41, N. O'Brien 32, D. Johnston 33, K. Mills three for 52, D. Vettori four for 42).
At Colombo: Sri Lanka 351 for five in 50 overs (T. Dilshan 78, T. Samaraweera 60, Chamara Silva 54, C. Kapugedera 50) bt The Netherlands 195 in 47.3 overs (Tom de Grooth 76).
West Indies 253 for eight in 50 overs (R. Sarwan 123 n.o., D. Bravo 54, Odoyo three for 34) bt Kenya 192 in 45.3 overs (S. Waters 43, C. Obuya 68, K. Roach three for 23, A. Russell four for 43).
At Chittagong: Canada 112 in 37.3 overs (A. Bagai 30, Shakib three for five) lost to Bangladesh 113 for one in 19.2 overs (Tamim Iqbal 69, I. Kayes 39 n.o.).
It dismissed Zimbabwe for 152 after Elton Chigumbura elected to bat and then shot down the target in 23.3 overs through Hashim Amla (45, 33b, 7x4), Graeme Smith (41, 54b, 1x6, 3x4) and the back-from-injury Jacques Kallis (49 n.o., 39b, 3x6, 3x4).
But then, this was to be expected. A much superior side, South Africa oozed commitment and preparedness. Significantly, the game provided its motley collection of spinners a chance to comprehend the conditions.
Leggie Imran Tahir, left-arm spinner Robin Peterson and off-spinner Johan Botha accounted for six Zimbabwe wickets, giving away just 74 runs in 20.5 overs. The pick of South Africa's bowlers however was paceman Morne Morkel, who impressed with figures of three for 16 in six overs.
A.B. de Villiers, who had expressed concerns over the uneven bounce, snapped up three catches keeping to the spinners, and appeared comfortable behind the stumps all through. South Africa's left-arm quick Lonwabo Tsotsobe hurled down two overs before injuring his right knee fielding at fine leg. Team officials said the bowler will recover in time for the group matches.
Flattering to deceive
Zimbabwe's beginning flattered to deceive. Its openers — Taylor and Charles Coventry — added 49 before Morkel struck off successive deliveries in the 10th over, sending back Coventry and Tatenda Taibu.
Thus began Zimbabwe's slide to 95 for six, but another miniature rescue act — a 46-run association between Sean Williams and Regis Chakabva for the seventh wicket — took the underdog to relative respectability.
A little earlier, Tahir came on in the 14th over to a loud cheer from the surprisingly packed ‘B' and ‘C' stands. The recently nationalised leg-spinner dislodged Brendan Taylor in his second spell and added two more wickets to end with three for 35.
The second innings was always going to be about how emphatically South Africa handled its chase. Amla and Smith set the foundation with a 69-run opening stand. Amla was dropped by Raymond Price off his own bowling but was out to the same bowler an over later.
Smith and Kallis then added 48 in 7.3 overs, before Greg Lamb had Smith stumped. A racy 36-run alliance in 4.5 overs, between Kallis and de Villiers for the third wicket, took care of whatever little remained of the target.
Brief scores: At Chennai: Zimbabwe 152 in 41.5 overs (B. Taylor 40, S. Williams 35, M. Morkel three for 16, I. Tahir three for 35) lost to South Africa 153 for two in 23.3 overs (H. Amla 45, G. Smith 41, J. Kallis 49 n.o.).
At Nagpur: New Zealand 311 for six in 50 overs (M. Guptill 130, J. Ryder 48, R. Taylor 33, J. Franklin 49, S. Styris 29 n.o.) bt Ireland 279 in 48.2 overs (W. Porterfield 72, P. Stirling 39, E. Joyce 41, N. O'Brien 32, D. Johnston 33, K. Mills three for 52, D. Vettori four for 42).
At Colombo: Sri Lanka 351 for five in 50 overs (T. Dilshan 78, T. Samaraweera 60, Chamara Silva 54, C. Kapugedera 50) bt The Netherlands 195 in 47.3 overs (Tom de Grooth 76).
West Indies 253 for eight in 50 overs (R. Sarwan 123 n.o., D. Bravo 54, Odoyo three for 34) bt Kenya 192 in 45.3 overs (S. Waters 43, C. Obuya 68, K. Roach three for 23, A. Russell four for 43).
At Chittagong: Canada 112 in 37.3 overs (A. Bagai 30, Shakib three for five) lost to Bangladesh 113 for one in 19.2 overs (Tamim Iqbal 69, I. Kayes 39 n.o.).