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PERTH, Dec 5: Allan Donald allayed concerns over his fitness with a strong display as South Africa’s won their opening tour match against an Australian Cricket Board Chairman’s XI at Lilac Hill Park, near here, Wednesday.
The Proteas romped home by 47 runs, scoring 256 for nine wickets in their 50 overs before ousting the opposition for 209.
Donald, a 35-year-old veteran out of Test cricket since March through illness and an abdominal strain, stretched out convincingly in two spells, of six overs and later two overs, and took 2-42.
South African skipper Shaun Pollock has indicated his potential trump card is most likely to play against Western Australia in a four-day match starting Friday.
Donald looked anything like a world-beater in his opening two overs, with dynamic right-hander Ryan Campbell blazing shots around the ground.
Donald’s first two overs cost 23 runs, but once the big speedster found his rhythm, he struck back in quick time, removing Campbell for 29 (off 20 balls) caught behind by Mark Boucher.
Swashbuckling former Test opener Michael Slater went soon after, caught at point by Herschelle Gibbs for 14 to have the home side 2-49 in the eighth over.
The Chairman’s side were soon in deeper trouble, with captain Simon Katich falling to Steve Elworthy (4-27) for five as his side slipped to 3-68.
Michael Hussey (56) kept his team in the contest and was joined by an evergreen Dean Jones — a former Test batsman — who made a dashing 38 off 41 balls.
But the pair departed in the same over from Lance Klusener (2-15) as the home side dipped to 6-188 in the 41st over, Hussey providing Gibbs with his fourth catch of the day.
Earlier, Klusener and Man-of-the-Match Neil McKenzie saved South Africa from some embarrassment when they provided some substance to the tourists’ innings in a partnership of 98 for the fifth wicket.
McKenzie made 76 off 88 balls, hitting 12 fours and a six while Klusener took 75 balls for his 63, with seven fours and a six.
Paceman Andy Bichel, after serving as 12th man for Australia in the three-Test series against New Zealand, relished the chance to roll his arm and in an aggressive opening spell captured two early wickets before coming back to remove Boucher (26) late in the innings.
He took 3-28 off eight overs.
SOUTH AFRICA:
H.H. Gibbs c Carey b Angel 39
G. Kirsten c Slater b Bichel 7
J.A. Rudolph c Hussey b Bichel 4
N.D. McKenzie c and b Carey 76
H.H. Dippenaar c Bichel b Williams 0
L. Klusener c Williams b North 64
M.V. Boucher c Katich b Bichel 26
S.M. Pollock c Katich b North 0
S. Elworthy c Campbell b Angel 1
C.E. Henderson not out 21
M. Ntini not out 8
EXTRAS (LB-2, W-9) 11
TOTAL (for nine wkts, 50 overs) 257
FALL OF WKTS: 1-13, 2-30, 3-74, 4-89, 5-187, 6-212, 7-212, 8-219, 9-232.
BOWLING: Bichel 8-0-28-3 (3w); Reid 5-0-26-0 (1w); Angel 8-1-56-2 (1w); Williams 5-2-25-1; Hogg 8-1-34-0 (1w); Carey 8-1-47-1; North 7-0-36-2; Jones 1-0-3-0.
ACB CHAIRMAN’S XI:
M.J. Slater c Gibbs b Donald 14
R.J. Campbell c Boucher b Donald 29
S.M. Katich c Gibbs b Elworthy 5
M.W. Goodwin c H’derson b Elworthy 13
M.E. Hussey c Pollock b Klusener 56
M. North c Gibbs b Henderson 20
D.M. Jones c Gibbs b Klusener 38
B. Hogg c Boucher b Elworthy 5
A.J. Bichel c Boucher b Elworthy 5
B. Williams c Klusener b H’derson 12
J. Angel not out 0
EXTRAS (LB-3, W-8, NB-1) 12
TOTAL (all out, 44.1 overs) 209
FALL OF WKTS: 1-40, 2-49, 3-68, 4-71, 5-125, 6-187, 7-188, 8-196, 9-209.
BOWLING: Pollock 6-0-27-0 (1nb); Donald 8-0-42-2 (5w); Elworthy 7.1-0-27-4 (1w); Hayward 6-1-21-0 (1w); Ntini 6-0-38-0; Henderson 8-1-36-2; Klusener 3-0-15-2 (1w).
RESULT: South Africa won by 48 runs.—AFP/Reuters
