da dobrowin： BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, March 26 – To the surprise of absolutely nobody, South Africa drew their three-day warm-up match against a West Indies Cricket Board XI at the Kensington Oval on Monday
Marcus Prior – MWP26-Mar-2001BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, March 26 – To the surprise of absolutely nobody, South Africa drew their three-day warm-up match against a West Indies Cricket Board XI at the Kensington Oval on Monday. By the time hands were shaken, the Board XI had reached 84 for one, chasing an unlikely victory target of 228 to win from just 38 overs.The only disappointment for the South Africans will be that they did notreinforce their overall superiority by troubling the Board XI more obviouslyin their second innings. Openers Daren Ganga (33 not out) and Leon Garrick(26) both looked untroubled as they accumulated comfortably.Garrick fell as the game dwindled to the kind of inconclusive resultonly cricket can produce after three hard days of competition, the Jamaicanfailing to time a pull off Andre Nel to see the ball loop up towards GaryKirsten at square-leg, who took a good catch as he dived forwards.Despite the flat conclusion to the game, it was a very good workout forthe South Africans and a valuable opportunity for the non-test players tostretch their limbs on a long tour during which they will get little playingtime.Captain Shaun Pollock had earlier declared the South African secondinnings closed with the score on 143 for two. Herschelle Gibbs againexcelled, although the opener fell to a loose shot off an ordinary deliveryfrom left-arm spinner Dave Mohammed and was snapped up by Garrick at firstslip for 55. It was another mature effort from the Capetonian and a decentconfidence booster ahead of the third test which begins at the same venue onThursday.Although Boeta Dippenaar (38 not out) got off to a fluent start, hittingfour crisp boundaries in the early stages of his innings, the introductionof Ryan Hinds and Cameron Cuffy’s continued control at the other end broughthim skidding to a halt. So much so that shortly before the declaration hespent thirty minutes and 23 balls marooned on 34.Earlier, Gibbs and Kirsten made a solid start to the final morning asSouth Africa resumed 113 runs ahead on 29 without loss, Kirsten inparticular accumulating in his familiar fashion with well-timed back-footshots behind square on the off-side. He had reached 26 after an hour whenMohammed got one to pitch and turn away from the left-hander.As Kirsten drove, the ball was taken by Garrick at first slip and theBoard XI went up as one. Umpire Vincent Bullen agreed and the batsman was onhis way, albeit slowly, the impression being it had been bat to groundrather than bat to ball.Gibbs meanwhile was showing the kind of application and patience whichwhen married to his glorious talent make him one of South Africa’s finestbatsmen. He certainly provided the shot of the morning, hammering ColinStuart to the extra-cover fence off the back foot with the purest of timing.