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Kallis keeps it together South Africa opens World Cup campaign with a winPosted: Tuesday June 22, 1999 10:15 PM
HOVE, England (CNN/SI) -- After winning the toss and electing to bat India put the pressure on South Africa as it posted an imposing score of 254 Saturday in a Group A match that the Proteas would eventually win by four wickets. With the early dismissal of the Proteas openers Gary Kirsten (3) and Hershelle Gibbs (7), South Africa appeared to be in dire straits until Jacques Kallis strode to the crease. With South Africa needing a run-a-ball for the bulk of its innings as it, it's well-publicized depth was tested to the limit. But in the end, Jonty Rhodes and all-rounder Lance Klusener belted 26 runs in nine deliveries to seal the result in the 47th over. South Africa finished 254 for six, with Rhodes unbeaten on 39. Mark Boucher hit 34 off 36 balls and captain Hansie Cronje contributed 27 off 30 balls. The Proteas chase started badly when Javagal Srinath clean bowled Kirsten and had Gibbs given out lbw as South Africa slumped to 22 for two. Srinath also dislodged the bails to complete a run out of Kallis in the 45th over as the fatigued all-rounder -- who also opened the bowling for South Africa -- attempted a third-run with the score at 227 for six. Indian captain Mohammed Azharuddin won the toss and elected to bat first, which seemed a good choice as opener Saurav Ganguly belted 97 in a total of 253 for five off 50 overs. The left-handed batsman, playing in his 100th international, was finally run out by Jonty Rhodes late in the innings. All-rounder Lance Klusener made a first breakthrough in the 16th over when he dismissed India's leading batsman Sachin Tendulkar for 28 with the score at 68. The pro-India crowd was disappointed with the early departure of the World's No. 2 ranked limited-overs batsman but was appeased by a 130-run partnership for the second-wicket partnership between Ganguly and Rahal Dravid. The Indian batsmen dominated South Africa's highly-rated bowling attack for the bulk of the innings until Klusener struck again to bowl Dravid out for 54 with the total at 197 for two. Ganguly was the third wicket to fall with the score at 204 before captain Mohammed Azharuddin combined with Ajay Jadeja to take the score to 235, when Jadeja was caught by Gary Kirsten off the bowling of Allan Donald for 16. Azharuddin was the last wicket to fall, becoming Klusener's third victim when he was caught by Nicky Boje for 24 with the score at 247 for five. Klusener finished with 3-66 off ten overs, while Donald finished with 1-34 off ten.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. | |||||||||||||||||||||
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