|
|
|
| December 4, 2003 | Thursday | Shawwal 9, 1424 |
Ganga, Lara shine for Windies
RANDJESFONTEIN (South Africa), Dec 3: Daren Ganga made a solid 70 and Brian Lara hit a lightning half-century as the West Indies scored a 12-run win against the Nicky Oppenheimer XI in the opening match of their tour of South Africa on Wednesday.
The tourists made 241 for four and restricted the home team to 229 for five in a 45-overs-a-side match played at mining magnate Oppenheimer’s private ground midway between Johannesburg and Pretoria.
Ganga, expected to be in the team for the first Test which starts in Johannesburg on Friday week, did not play in the West Indian side during a five-match one-day series in Zimbabwe which ended on Sunday. He was promoted to open the batting in his first innings in more than two weeks and hit 10 fours and a six in a 102-ball innings in benign batting conditions.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul was also moved up the order and made 53 off 72 balls in an opening stand of 87 with Ganga. But the fireworks were provided by tour captain Lara, who ceded the captaincy on the day to vice-captain Ramnaresh Sarwan. Batting at number five, Lara smashed an unbeaten 53 off 28 balls with four fours and four sixes.
The Oppenheimer team was captained by all-rounder Lance Klusener, bidding for a recall to the South African side after being dropped following South Africa’s early elimination from the World Cup earlier this year. Klusener, the leading wicket-taker in South Africa’s domestic first-class competition this season, bowled just four overs, conceding 18 runs.
Surprisingly, the hard-hitting Klusener did not bat but another left-hander, 18-year-old schoolboy Vaughn van Jaarsveld, gave the Oppenheimer team a glimpse of victory, hitting an unbeaten 49 off 35 balls. Van Jaarsveld hit five sixes, including four off off-spinner Omari Banks.
Although innings were limited to 45 overs, there were no fielding restrictions or limitations on the number of overs sent down by each bowler.
The West Indians start their first-class programme with a four-day match against Free State in Bloemfontein on Friday.
Scoreboard
WEST INDIES:
D. Ganga b De Bruyn 70
S. Chanderpaul b Mpitsang 53
R.R. Sarwan run out 23
C.S. Baugh lbw b Kruger 23
B.C. Lara not out 53
O.A.C. Banks not out 4
EXTRAS (B-1, LB-14) 15
TOTAL (for four wkts, 45 overs) 241
FALL OF WKTS: 1-87, 2-148, 3-152, 4-201.
DID NOT BAT: W.W. Hinds, C.H. Gayle, R. Rampaul, C.D. Collymore, F.H. Edwards.
BOWLING: Willoughby 9-0-43-0; Kruger 8-0-56-1; Morkel 10-1-37-0; Klusener 4-0-18-0; Mpitsang 7-1-36-1; De Bruyn 7-0-36-1.
NICKY OPPENHEIMER XI:
M. van Wyk c Collymore b Hinds 37
G. Bodi c Gayle b Rampaul 12
B. Hector st Baugh b Gayle 48
A.G. Prince st Baugh b Banks 19
Z. de Bruyn c and b Gayle 31
V. van Jaarsveld not out 49
A. Morkel not out 22
EXTRAS (B-2, LB-8, W-1) 11
TOTAL (for five wkts, 45 overs) 229
FALL OF WKTS: 1-18, 2-76, 3-117, 4-135, 5-164.
DID NOT BAT: L. Klusener, G. Kruger, V. Mpitsang, C.M. Willoughby.
BOWLING: Edwards 4-2-13-0; Rampaul 9-2-50-1; Hinds 9-1-31-1; Collymore 5-0-16-0 (1w); Banks 9-0-54-1; Gayle 9-0-55-2.
RESULT: West Indies won by 12 runs.—AFP
|
|
|
|
