Sun shines for SA 'A'
Source: supercricket - October 25, 2002

The sun shone on the SA A team when their four-day match against the touring Sri Lanka team began at the De Beers Diamond Oval, Kimberley, on Friday.
Winning the toss and batting first under cloudless skies, Dale Benkenstein's team ended the day on 289 runs for two wickets, scored off 90 overs.

Resuming on Saturday morning will be Boeta Dippenaar ( 101) and Neil McKenzie (140). With the tourists opting to play their top six batsmen, omitting star off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan and giving fast bowler Tharanga Lakshita and medium -pacer Hasantha Fernando their first taste of playing first-class cricket for Sri Lanka, the odds were always going to be on the strong SA A batting line-up to dominate proceedings on a good pitch and a very fast outfield.

Left-arm strike bowler Chaminda Vaas soon spoilt opener Jacques Rudolph's day when he knocked back the left-hander's off-stump with the fifth ball of the day's play.

Boeta Dippenaar joined 21 year old Alviro Petersen, and with aggressive batting the pair added 68 in 78 minutes for the second wicket, before the stylish Petersen, with a deserved 50 beckoning was caught by Dilhara Fernando off the bowling of skipper Sanath Jayasuriya for 42.

The rest of the day belonged to Dippenaar and vice-captain Neil McKenzie who by stumps had taken their unbroken third wicket partnership to 221 runs in 290 minutes.

Dippenaar's 101 was a mixture of watchful defence and superb driving and pulling. The more aggressive McKenzie, punishing anything loose and went to a most attractive century with his 15th boundary in 142 balls.

His 140 which had come off 215 balls, included 21 fours. The hallmark of his innings was his assured and powerful hooking. On day one the SA A batsmen certainly exposed the limitations of the Sri Lankan bowling attack. But in fairness to the tourists, this is their first first-class match in many months, while the SA A players are already in top form after five weeks of competitive interprovincial four-day matches.

The pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers were Vaas with 1/50 in 17 overs, off-spinner Russel Arnold 0/33 in 13 overs and Hasantha Fernando 0/49 in 22 overs. Overall the tourists line and length was found wanting on the batsman-friendly pitch and they were made to pay heavily in the dry heat.

Score at the close of play between SA A and Sri Lanka at Kimberley on Friday:

Toss SA A
SA "A first innings
J Rudolph b Vaas 0
A Petersen c Jayasuriya b D Fernando 42
B Dippenaar no 101
N McKenzie no 140
Extras (5nb 1w) 6
Total (for 2 wkts) 289 -- 90 overs
Fall of wickets: 1/0, 2/68

Bowling: C Vaas 17-5-50-1, D Fernando 21-3-70-1 (3nb 1w) T Laksitha 15-4-66-0 (2nb), H Fernando 22-8-49-0, R Arnold 13-1-33-0, H Tillakaratne 2-0-21-0

The teams are:

Sri Lanka: Sanath Jayasuriya (c), Marvan Atapattu, Kumar Sangakarra, Mahela Jayawardena, Russel
Arnold, Hashan Tillakaratne, Jehan Mubarak, Dilhara Fernando, Hasantha Fernando, Sujeewa de Silva, Chamila Gamage, Chamainda Vaas, Thilan Thushara, Tharanga Lakshita, Muttiah Muralitheran, Ruchira Perera and Presanna Jayawardena.

South Africa A: Jacques Rudolph, Alviro Petersen, Boeta Dippenaar, Neil McKenzie, Dale Benkenstein (c), Justin Ontong, Robin Peterson, Andrew Hall, Thami Tsolekile, Steve Elworthy and Quinton Friend. Twelfthman : Loots Bosman.