Kirsten, McKenzie bludgeon Kenya

By G. Viswanath

CAPE TOWN, OCT. 22. South Africa amassed a whopping score of 354 for three wickets in Newlands on Monday, the last 45 minutes of which saw almost every South African batsman basking under sunshine and Mark Boucher celebrating his 100th one-day international making the fourth fastest - after Sanath Jayasuriya, Simon O'Donnell and Shahid Afridi - half century in limited over internationals (50 off 19 balls, 2x4, 4x6). The Kenyans really wilted in the end.

Gary Kirsten has scored 6000 runs in 160 one-day internationals. He scored a workman-like 124 - his 12th century - in the Summer Spice Series cricket match that was more like a warm up for the final for the home team. Neil McKenzie was the second batsman to notch a century; his second in 35 one-day internationals.

Last Friday in East London, the South African team physio for many years, Craig Smith said: ``We have not decided when he (Gary Kirsten) should return to the side.'' What he confirmed was that Kirsten was recovering from a thigh strain. The left-hander's name appeared on the brightly lit scoreboard even before the first ball was bowled at 2. 30 p.m. South African time. So his return was well timed. Newlands is his backyard, so to say. And he scored runs, aplenty and as did his team.

The South African skipper Shaun Pollock did Kirsten a great favour. He won the toss and asked Kirsten and Herschelle Gibbs to open the batting for his side. It has been a routine thing, the pair separated, only because one or the other suffering from a strain or pull somewhere in the body.

The opening was not a blitzkrieg, though there were signs of it happening when Kirsten on drove new ball bowler Martin Suji between square leg and mid wicket and flicked him behind square leg and Gibbs hit Thomas Odoyo through extracover.

They had put on 39, though not without being let off by fielders. Kirsten was the first to offer a catch. He was on 12 in South Africa's score of 21 when Martin Suji put down a catch. The pair had stretched the partnership to 33, when Odoyo dropped a waist high catch, the ball being hit firmly by Gibbs. Probably the ball did not stick in his palms. Soon, Gibbs off drove, Odoyo, the middle of the bat carrying the ball to the long off fence.

Gibbs, drove Odoyo, attempting a shot on the on side. The result of which was a top edge that came down swirling into the hands of Tikolo. The Kenyan captain took the field without a seamer who had became a hero at St. George's Park, Port Elizabeth. Joseph Angara returned home on Monday morning to attend the funeral of his mother who died on Sunday. Angara is not likely to return for Kenya's last league match against India in Paarl on Wednesday.

South Africans went into match making four changes. Pollock opted for three seamers in Charl Langeveld, Justin Kemp and Mornantau Hayward. Those rested were Makhaya Ntini, Andre Nel and Lance Klusener. Boeta Dippenaar made way for Kirtsen.

After the exit of Gibbs, Kirsten and McKenzie added 207 for the second wicket, a record for South Africa in one-day internationals. McKenzie, a highly talented batsman, but not really called upon to play a responsible innings so far in the tri-series used the opportunity, promoted in the batting order, to settle down and play an innings free of pressure. Some of his shots were outstanding, especially the two 6s he hit off Tikolo, the second half of which landed on the third tier, above the dressing rooms. He remained undefeated on 131, admiring Boucher's pyrotechnics in the end. Boucher struck four 6s, after Kirsten had hammered two, McKenzie three and Pollock one.

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