Aussies draw first blood
Source: Supercricket - September 04, 2002

South Africa A failed to overcome a disastrous start to their limited overs match against Australia A at the NW Stadium on Wednesday, eventually being dismissed for 217 to lose by 30 runs.

Set a reduced target of 248 in 42 overs after two rain breaks, South Africa's run chase stuttered virtually before it had begun.

The homeside was rocked by three wickets in the space of four balls at the top of the innings when Gary Kirsten was dismissed in his now customary fashion by playing on to the stumps off Stuart Clark.

Brad Williams then had Loots Bosman and skipper Neil McKenzie trapped in front for royal ducks.

His hattrick ball though was dispatched to the cover fence with the minimum of fuss by Martin van Jaarsveld.

The boundary was a signal of things to come.

As has been the case so often for his province the Titans, Van Jaarsveld set about repairing the damage and found a willing partner this time round in Robin Peterson.

Together the pair put on 80 for the fourth wicket in 82 balls. They only lost momentum because of the rain breaks.

After the second break, Van Jaarsveld was unfortunate to drag Ian Harvey onto the stumps for 31 but the truly telling blow was struck when Peterson was out lbw to Brad Hogg for a run-a-ball 56.

Peterson had batted with wonderful aggression and while he was at the wicket it looked as though the hosts - who like the Australians boasted eight internationals in their line-ups - were in with a chance.

His demise though effectively ended the South African challenge.

Apart from a lusty 51 from Justin Kemp - which included a gigantic six that struck the top of the television tower - and a well crafted 38 from Ashwell Prince, the rest of the batting order offered little real resistance.

Australia's 268 for seven was founded largely on the 119 runs from 145 balls that skipper Justin Langer put on with Michael Clarke for the fourth wicket - a new Australian record.

Although neither Langer nor Clarke found the boundary fence all that often, the pair managed to accumulate runs with the utmost ease.

Langer hit just one four as he breezed from 50 to 86, providing his country with an ideal platform to take on the local attack in the final ten overs.

However, Peterson returned with his slow left arm spin to trap Langer in front for 86 and in his next over had Clarke extremely well held by Justin Kemp hurtling off the long off fence for 63.

Peterson's double blow ensured that the expected onslaught never truly materialised although Michael Hussey did throw his bat about in making 32.

Having hammered Andre Nel high over long on, Hussey looked set to power the visitors to a far more formidable target when he was run out by Martin van Jaarsveld from the midwicket fence.

SA A V AUSTRALIA A SCOREBOARD

Australia A innings
J Langer lbw Peterson 86
R Campbell b Terbrugge 4
G Blewett run out (Nel) 23
I Harvey c and b Nel 14
M Clarke c Kemp b Peterson 63
M Hussey run out (Van Jaarsveld/Stewart) 32
M Higgs c Peterson b Nel 25
B Hogg not out 11
Extras (1b, 6lb, 1nb, 2w) 10
Total (for 7 wkts) 268 - 50 overs
Fall of wickets 1/12 2/49 3/71 4/190 5/252
Bowlers: Elworthy 10-0-46-0, Terbrugge 10-0-43-1, Nel 10-0-64-2 (1nb, 1w), Kemp 8-0-49-0, Bosman 2-0-12-0, Peterson 10-0-47-2 (1w)

South Africa A
G Kirsten b Clark 7
L Bosman lbw Williams 0
R Peterson lbw Hogg 56
N McKenzie lbw Williams 0
M van Jaarsveld b Harvey 31
A Prince b Williams 38
J Kemp c Blewett b Harvey 51
E Stewart c Langer b Harvey 13
S Elworthy not out 10
A Nel lbw Harvey 0
D Terbrugge c Higgs b Bracken 5
Extras (1b, 2lb, 3w) 6
Total (all out) 217 -- 40.3 overs
Fall of wickets: 1/8 2/8 3/8 4/88 5/108 6/167 7/201 8/202 Williams 7-0-36-3 (1w), Clark 8-0-60-1 (2w), Bracken 8.3-1-39-1, Harvey 8-0-33-4, Hogg 8-0-40-1, Higgs 1-0-6-0
Australia won by 30 runs