Cricket: Gibbs, Kluesner lift South Africa to 306-6

12.55am

JOHANNESBURG - South Africa set New Zealand a mammoth 307 to win their World Cup cricket match and keep their tournament hopes alive.

Opener Herschelle Gibbs smashed a run-a-ball 143 to help South Africa to 306 for six after 50 overs in their World Cup Group B match against New Zealand on Sunday (South African Time).

Gibbs, who initially struggled with his timing, hammered 19 fours and three sixes in his 12th century in one-day internationals before he departed in the 46th over, pulling seamer Jacob Oram to Craig McMillan at deep mid-wicket.

South Africa had got off to a flying start, reaching 113 for one after 19 overs, but were checked briefly by Styris and the slow left-arm of Daniel Vettori, who conceded just 19 runs from the next eight overs before Gibbs broke the shackles.

Gibbs had put on 60 for the first wicket at a run a ball with an aggressive Graeme Smith before Smith, having blasted five fours in a quickfire 23, top-edged a skier off Shane Bond to be well caught behind by Brendon McCullum.

Gibbs and Nicky Boje maintained the momentum in a second-wicket stand of 66 before Boje was bowled through the gate for 29.

Jacques Kallis contributed a 48-ball 33, Mark Boucher and captain Shaun Pollock both made 10 and all rounder Lance Klusener blasted an unbeaten 29 in just 20 balls as South Africa overhauled 300.

South Africa won the toss. Graeme Smith was caught single-handedly by second slip Nathan Astle off the third delivery of the match bowled by Shane Bond, but it was ruled a no-ball. Smith responded by pulling the final ball of the over through mid-wicket for four.

Smith drove Bond for three successive fours in the third over, two sweetly-timed drives through mid off sandwiched around a powerful cut through point. 21-0.

Adams narrowly missed Herschelle Gibbs's off-stump in the fourth over, beating him with an inswinging yorker, and came close to finding the bottom edge of Gibbs's bat as the batsman played and missed aiming an expansive pull. 24-0.

Gibbs pulled Adams for his first four in the sixth over but was well-beaten by an inswinger two balls later and nearly dragged the next delivery on to his stumps via a thick inside edge.

Smith clipped a full-length Adams delivery through mid-wicket for his fifth boundary in the eighth over. 44-0.

Gibbs, who had struggled with his timing, pulled Jacob Oram for six over mid-wicket to bring up South Africa's 50 in the ninth over, then hammered the next ball through the covers for four more. 54-0.

Smith, on the pull, top-edged a skier off Bond and wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum, running back, took a good catch. Smith's 28-ball 23 included five fours. 60-1, 10th over.

The unfortunate Adams again took the inside edge of Gibbs's bat with a fine inswinger in the 15th over, but the ball squirted just wide of leg-stump for four. 92-1, 15 overs.

Gibbs steered the medium pace of Scott Styris wide of second slip for two runs in the 16th over to reach his 50 off 51 balls, 8x4, 1x6. 97-1, 16 overs.

Nicky Boje gave Daniel Vettori the charge in the left-arm spinner's first over, lofting him through extra cover for his fourth boundary. 113-1 after 19 overs.

Boje was bowled through the gate by a Styris off-cutter for 29 in the 24th over -- 37 balls, 4x4. 126-2.

Styris and Vettori halted South Africa's fast start, just 19 runs conceded between the 19th and 28th overs.




- REUTERS

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