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Cricket
S. Africa thrashes India
WELLINGTON, FEB. 3. South Africa brought an emphatic end to India's reign as `World junior cricket champion' when it beat the title- holder by 112 runs in the first semifinal of the Under-19 cricket World Cup here on Sunday. South Africa made 268 for five in 50 overs and then bowled India out for only 156 in 37.4 overs.
India entered the 16-team tournament as top-seed and had validated that ranking with a series of imposing performances in the competition's group and Super League rounds. But it was comprehensively outplayed by South Africa, which progressed at a measured pace to a total which was always likely to test India.
The African side was 59-1 after 15 overs and 128-2 after 30 as opener Greg Smith produced his highest score of the tournament to hold together the top of the innings.
Smith, whose previous highest score was 20, batted for 131 minutes and faced 91 balls to make 61. He shared partnerships of 52 with Chad Baxter for the first wicket, 53 with Riel de Kock for the second and 42 with Hasim Amla for the third. Baxter made 22, de Kock 32 and Amla 62 in other important contribution's to South Africa's total.
It was David Jacobs, who smashed 69 from only 45 balls batting at No, 5, who did most to ensure South Africa's total would be a heavy one. Jacobs joined Amla in an 88-run fourth wicket partnership to boost the innings in the last 20 overs. India paid heavily for poor fielding, dropping three catches within the first 15 overs.
Maninder Bisla, one of the tournament's most consistent batsmen, gave his team a good start in reply as India made 86 for 2 after 15 overs and was well ahead of South Africa's early run rate. But when Bisla was out for 37, having shared productive early partnerships with Parthiv Patel and Deepak Chougule, India crumbled and lost its last eight wickets for 63 runs.
Spinner Ian Postman bowled with accuracy and variety to take 2-20 from eight overs while Brendon Reddy took 2-38 and Brent Kops 2-42. Australia meets the West Indies in the second semifinal in Christchurch on Wednesday.
The scores: South Africa 268 for five (David Jacobs 69, Hasim Amla 62, Greg Smith 61, Riel de Kock 32) bt India 156 in 37.4 overs (Maninder Bisla 37, Deepak Chougule 29).
- AP
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