Australia lose to South Africa in warm-up game (Roundup)
By IANSTuesday, February 15, 2011
NEW DELHI - Defending champions Australia lost their second warm-up game for the World Cup as they went down by seven wickets to South Africa in Bangalore Tuesday.
Opting to bat first, Australia were all out for 217 runs in 47.1 overs. Vice-captain Michael Clarke was the top scorer with 73 while captain Ricky Ponting (55) struck his second successive half-century.
South African pace spearhead Dale Steyn took three for 21 while spinner Robin Peterson got three for 45.
Openers Graeme Smith (65) and Hashim Amla (60) got some good batting practice before retiring out. Jean Paul Duminy remained unbeaten on 47 as the Proteas won their second warm-up game.
For Australia, it was their second loss after being humiliated by India at the same venue by 38 runs Sunday.
At Nagpur, skipper Elton Chigumbura’s blistering unbeaten century went in vain for Zimbabwe as Ireland chased down a 245-run target with three balls to spare in a thrilling finish to their World Cup warm-up match at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium.
Electing to bat, Zimbabwe scored 244 for eight in 50 overs after Chigumbura made 103 not out. In reply, Ireland reached the target losing six wickets with Andre Botha (79, 101 balls, 5×4) being the top scorer. He along with Kevin O’Brien (62 not out, 61b, 6×4) forged a 99-run fifth-wicket partnership to lay a strong foundation for the chase.
Earlier, Zimbabwe were off to a horrendous start, losing three wickets for 12 runs before wicketkeeper-batsman Tatenda Taibu and then Chigumbura propped up the scoring. Chigumbura’s knock came in 81 balls with eight fours and three sixes.
At the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, Bangladesh, Pakistan registered an 89-run win over Bangladesh.
Twin centuries from Ahmad Shehzad (103) and Misbah-ul-Haq (100) helped Pakistan score 285 for nine in 50 overs.
Pacer Abdul Razzaq picked up three wickets while spinners Mohammad Hafeez and Abdur Rehman scalped two wickets each to bowl out Pakistan for 196 runs in 41.4 overs. Opener Imrul Kayes was the top scorer for Bangladesh with 39 runs while Junaid Siddique made 38.
In another warm-up match, the Netherlands beat Kenya by two wickets in a cliff-hanger at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo.
Choosing to bat, Kenya, riding on Seren Waters’ unbeaten 126 (150b, 12×4) rustled up 263 for five in 50 overs. But Ryan ten Doeschate hit an unbeaten 98 (92b, 3×4, 4×6) to take the Dutch home with the loss of eight wickets and five balls to spare.
Veteran Steve Tikolo, who will be making his fifth World Cup appearance, was the pick of Kenyan bowlers, taking four for 39.
At the nearby Premedasa Stadium, hosts Sri Lanka defeated the West Indies by four wickets with 15 balls remaining.
Opting to bat first, West Indies were all out for 281 runs in 50 overs. Opener Chris Gayle top scored with 58 while Dwayne Bravo made 54.
Sri Lanka achieved the target in 47.3 over with skipper Kumar Sangakkara scoring 71 and Tillekaratne Dilshan made a swashbuckling 62.
