BELFAST, June 24: Australian-born Alex Cusask took three wickets on his One-day International debut as Ireland held South Africa to 173 for four in a match reduced by rain to 31 overs per side at Stormont here Sunday.

The 26-year-old all-rounder, recently qualified for his adopted country, took three for 15 in four overs to restrict the Proteas, who had been on course for a score in excess of 200.

Morne van Wyk's maiden One-day International fifty was the centrepiece of South Africa's total.

South Africa, after being sent in by Ireland captain Trent Johnston, saw van Wyk (52) and A.B. de Villiers (40) put on 75 for the first wicket.

This was only van Wyk's second ODI, his appearance coming four years after a debut against England at Lord's.Medium-pacer Cusack, the seventh bowler used, removed van Wyk, had Herschelle Gibbs, caught by Northamptonshire wicket-keeper Niall O'Brien, standing up, for just two and dismissed Proteas skipper Jacques Kallis for 46.

Roger Whelan, who bowled Sachin Tendulkar with his sixth ball on debut during Saturday's nine-wicket defeat against India here at Stormont, made the breakthrough when de Villiers played a lofted drive to extra cover where Cusack, running in from the boundary, held a good low catch.

But a stand of 61 between van Wyk and Kallis ended when van Wyk, on 52, chipped medium-pacer Cusack to Johnston at mid-wicket.

Cusack had his third wicket when Kallis skied to Kevin O'Brien at cover.

Ireland made one change to Saturday's side, Cusack replacing Gary Wilson.

South Africa handed ODI debuts to Vernon Philander, on the all-rounder's 22nd birthday, and off-spinner Thandi Tshabalala.

Scoreboard

SOUTH AFRICA:

M.N. van Wyk c Johnston b Cusack 52

A.B. de Villiers c Cusack b Whelan 40

J.H. Kallis c K O'Brien b Cusack 46

H.H. Gibbs c N O'Brien b Cusack 2

J.M. Kemp not out 18

M.V. Boucher not out 2

EXTRAS (LB-4, W-9) 13

TOTAL (for four wkts, 31 overs) 173

FALL OF WKTS: 1-75, 2-136, 3-147, 4-162.DID NOT BAT: J-P Duminy, V.D. Philander, M. Ntini, T. Tshabalala, D.W. Steyn.

BOWLING: Whelan 7-0-43-1 (2w); Fourie 6-0-30-0 (3w); K O'Brien 2-0-15-0; McCallan 6-0-31-0; Johnston 4-0-17-0; White 2-0-18-0; Cusack 4-0-15-3.

IRELAND: W.T.S. Porterfield, K.E.D. Carroll, D.I. Joyce, N.J. O'Brien, K.J. O’Brien, A.R. White, D.T. Johnston, W.K. McCallan, A.R. Cusack, M.J. Fourie, R.K. Whelan.

UMPIRES: B.F. Bowden (New Zealand) and Aleem Dar (Pakistan).

TV UMPIRE: M.R. Benson (England).

MATCH REFEREE: A.G. Hurst (Australia).—AFP