CAPE TOWN, March 3: Herschelle Gibbs and Justin Kemp hit aggressive but contrasting half-centuries as South Africa posted an imposing total in the second one-day international against Australia at Newlands here on Friday.

Gibbs made an elegant 66 and Kemp bludgeoned an unbeaten 51 as South Africa made 289 for seven on a slow pitch.

South Africa were seeking to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series after winning a rain-affected first match by six wickets in Centurion last Sunday.

While Gibbs made his runs off 71 balls, with eight skillfully-placed fours, Kemp smashed his runs off 41 deliveries, hitting four sixes before a lone four off the last ball of the innings took him to his half-century.

Gibbs and Mark Boucher put on 80 off 79 balls for the fourth wicket to set up a competitive target for the world champions to chase in a day-night match on a ground where teams have struggled to score quickly under floodlights.

South Africa’s innings was given late impetus by Kemp and Shaun Pollock, who put on 62 off 45 balls for the sixth wicket, with Pollock slamming 38 off 27 deliveries.

Australian fast-medium bowler Stuart Clark, who missed the first match because of a rib injury, took a wicket without conceding a run in his first two overs and had a first spell of one for 20 in six overs.

But he took heavy punishment from Kemp and Pollock, conceding 49 runs off his last four overs.

South Africa announced an unchanged team for a match at a ground where they have won 18 out of 21 one-day international matches, including two out of four against Australia.

Replacement batsman Phil Jaques and Clark were in the Australian team in place of bowlers Mick Lewis and Mitch Johnson.

All-rounder Andrew Symonds was again not considered in order to give him more time to recover from a hip-flexor muscle injury.

Scoreboard

South Africa

G. Smith b Clark 24

H. Dippenaar b Watson 31

H. Gibbs c and b Hogg 66

A. de Villiers b Watson 18

M. Boucher lbw b Hogg 42

J. Kemp not out 51

S. Pollock c Clarke b Lee 38

R. Peterson c Martyn b Clark 4

A. Hall not out 4

Extras (b1, lb5, w5) 11

Total (7 wkts, 50 overs) 289

Fall of wkts: 1-45, 2-57, 3-95, 4-175, 5-192, 6-254, 7-262

Bowling: Lee 8-0-51-1 (1w), Bracken 10-0-45-0 (1w), Clark 10-2-69-2 (1w), Watson 10-0-46-2, Hogg 9-1-48-2 (1w), Clarke 3-0-24-0 (1w).

Did not bat: M Ntini, A Nel. Super-sub: A Prince.

Australia: A Gilchrist, S Katich, P Jaques, D Martyn, M Clarke, M Hussey, S Watson, B Hogg, B Lee, N Bracken, S Clark. Super-sub: M Johnson.—Agencies