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DHAKA, April 18: Neil McKenzie made a well-paced 80 to lead South Africa to a five-wicket victory over India in the last league match of the triangular series on Friday.
The 27-year-old stroked six boundaries in his 107-ball innings and shared in vital partnerships with Jacques Rudolph and Mark Boucher to see the South Africans home after they had slumped to 42 for three, chasing 215.
Allan Dawson and Makhaya Ntini did the damage for the South Africans, sharing seven wickets between them, with Dawson claiming career best figures of four for 49 as the Indians were bowled out for 215 with five balls to spare.
But South Africa were in trouble early after new captain Graeme Smith, who had been tied down by some tight bowling by Aavishkar Salvi and Ajit Agarkar, was caught behind for two with his side on 11.
Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh then bowled Boeta Dippenaar and trapped Herschelle Gibbs leg before two balls later to reduce South Africa 42 for three in the 12th over.
Rudolph and McKenzie then shared in a 63-run fourth wicket partnership.
McKenzie then dug in with Mark Boucher (44 not out) to share in a 107-run partnership that brought the South Africans to the brink of victory.
INDIA:
V. Sehwag c Smith b Hall 25
G. Gambhir c Hall b Ntini 2
S.C. Ganguly c Pollock b Adams 61
Mohammad Kaif b Dawson 30
D. Mongia c McKenzie b Dawson 29
S.B. Bangar lbw b Ntini 9
A.B. Agarkar c Hall b Ntini 17
P.A. Patel run out 6
Harbhajan Singh c Boucher b Dawson 1
Sarandeep Singh c Smith b Dawson 19
A.M. Salvi not out 4
EXTRAS (LB-2, W-2, NB-8) 12
TOTAL (all out, 49.1 overs) 215
FALL OF WKTS: 1-7, 2-96, 3-124, 4-146, 5-160, 6-182, 7-184, 8-186, 9-192.
BOWLING: Pollock 10-0-48-0 (3nb, 1w); Ntini 10-0-37-3 (4nb); Dawson 9.1-1-49-4; Hall 10-0-36-1 (1nb, 1w); Adams 10-0-43-1.
SOUTH AFRICA:
G.C. Smith c Patel b Salvi 2
H.H. Gibbs lbw Harbhajan 25
H.H. Dippenaar b Harbhajan 11
J.A. Rudolph c Kaif b Sehwag 37
N.D. McKenzie c Salvi b Harbhajan 80
M.V. Boucher not out 44
S.M. Pollock not out 2
EXTRAS (LB-1, W-6, NB-8) 15
TOTAL (for five wkts, 48.4 overs) 216
FALL OF WKTS: 1-11, 2-41, 3-42, 4-105, 5-212.
DID NOT BAT: A.J. Hall, A.C. Dawson, P.R. Adams, M. Ntini.
BOWLING: Salvi 8.4-2-31-1; Agarkar 6-0-34-0; Harbhajan Singh 10-0-43-3; Sarandeep Singh 10-0-32-0; Ganguly 3-0-13-0; Shewag 8-0-43-1, Mongia 3-0-19-0 (1nb).
RESULT: South Africa won by five wickets.
UMPIRES: B.F. Bowden (New Zealand) and A.F.M. Akhtaruddin (Bangladesh).
TV UMPIRE: Shawkatur Rahman (Bangladesh).
MATCH REFEREE: C.H. Lloyd (West Indies).
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Neil McKenzie.
SUNDAY’S FINAL: India v South Africa.—Reuters
