EAST LONDON, Feb 27: Unimpressive South Africa ground out an 118-run victory over Canada in their World Cup Group ‘B’ match on Thursday, keeping alive their hopes of qualifying for the Super Six stage.

But the tournament hosts, who have to beat Sri Lanka in their final group game to have a chance of advancing to the next stage, dropped five catches as Canada, chasing 255 to win, finished on 136 for five after 50 overs.

Left-handed opener Ishwar Maraj, dropped four times, anchored Canada’s reply with an unbeaten 53 off 155 balls.

He became only the eighth man to carry his bat through the full quota of overs in a World Cup innings, while his fifty, which included six fours in 148 balls, was the third achieved by a Canadian at this tournament.

Earlier, Boeta Dippenaar rode his luck to rescue South Africa as Canada embarrassed the World Cup hosts with a determined bowling performance.

Dippenaar made 80 as South Africa struggled to 254 for eight from their 50 overs after being put in. Opener Graeme Smith also contributed a half-century.

South Africa, though, made the worst possible start, crashing to 23 for three as debutant medium-pacer Ashish Patel picked up two early wickets.

Patel conceded just one run in his second over and then struck in his third, when he had Herschelle Gibbs caught.

Patel’s 39-year-old strike partner Davis Joseph picked up the wicket of Gary Kirsten for a duck six balls later.

Things got worse in the next over when Patel got rid of Jacques Kallis (one).

It could have been even more humiliating, Dippenaar dropped at slip by captain Joe Harris with the score on 40.

The miss proved costly as Dippenaar and Smith then put on 109 for the fourth wicket.

Scoreboard

SOUTH AFRICA: