February 15, 2003	Saturday	Zul Hijjah 13, 1423

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POTCHEFSTROOM (South Africa), Feb 14: The blazing bat of Herschelle Gibbs led South Africa to a crushing 10-wicket win over outclassed Kenya in World Cup Group ‘B’ on Wednesday.

Chasing just 141 for victory, the hosts reached their target in the 22nd over, Gibbs finishing undefeated on 87 with his partner Gary Kirsten on a more sedate 52.

It was a chastening exposure of the gulf in class between the two sides for the Kenyans, who never remotely threatened to cause an upset.

The result put South Africa’s World Cup campaign back on track after their narrow loss to West Indies in the tournament’s opening game.

Gibbs reached his fifty from 46 balls and then cut loose in search of a rapid victory in the knowledge that net run rates could prove significant in the World Cup’s later stages. The right-hander’s 87 came off 66 balls with 12 fours and four sixes.

Kirsten looked supremely confident, facing 63 balls and hitting nine fours in his second fifty of the tournament.

Earlier, Lance Klusener confirmed his return to form with both bat and ball in a excellent spell of bowling to wrap up the Kenyan innings in the 38th over.

After his batting heroics had come so close to taking South Africa to an improbable win over West Indies on Sunday, Klusener’s form with the ball against the Kenyans confirmed that he remains a potent force despite a poor run coming into the World Cup.

Klusener’s all four wickets came late in the innings as the Kenyans struggled to consolidate after a rocky start.