MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2015

Fans in search of African World Cup glory HAMILTON: Hundreds of African fans Since their the semi-final tie in the 1999 New Zealand and South Africa last year. thronged the Seddon Park stadium to watch World Cup (Australia going on to the final Subrah Lalini Mazako, a student in Pretoria, South Africa play in the opening thanks to their group stage win), South Africa had also come with her friends in a hope for Pool B game yesterday, hoping and praying were infamously dubbed “chokers”-a tag that South African win. “We are a group of ten stu- for the first African team to win the World stuck as they repeatedly spurned good dents who will follow the team, hopefully Cup. chances at crucial stages of major events. until March 29 final in Melbourne as we are No African team has won the World Cup Since their re-admission the Proteas have sure that this is our World Cup,” Mazako said. since the launch of the 50-over event in 1975 only won one major International “Hamilton is a very vibrant, diverse and a with South Africa finishing as losing semi- Council event, the Knockout Trophy (now beautiful city and we hope that it gives South finalists in 1992, 1999 and 2007 editions. Champions Trophy) in 1998. Africa an ideal start,” she explained. Minnows Kenya, who lost their one-day Some of the fans were holding South Local organisers said all 10,000 tickets were status last year, shocked everyone by becom- African flags and were chanting “Come on sold, some of them on the morning of the ing the only non-Test side to reach the semi- Proteas-win this time” and carrying pictures of match, and there were Zimbabwe, as well as finals of the 2003 World Cup when the event South African AB de Villiers. South Africa, supporters among the Seddon was held on the African continent. Marcus Bhuvenkaga is one of around 2,000 South Park crowd with Chispen Ndlovu travelling all Bhuvenkaga said he had been praying for Africans living in Hamilton and has become the way from Bulawayo. South Africa’s success. something of a Seddon Park regular. “I am not very hopeful of a Zimbabwe win “I am here to cheer South Africa,” “I am a teacher in a Hamilton school and but hope that South Africa beat Australia in World Cup results and standings Bhuvenkaga told AFP outside the ground. whenever I get time I watch cricket,” said the final,” said Ndlovu. “Australia look too “This is the best chance for South Africa to win Bhuvenkaga, who was also among the crowd strong but I pray that an African team wins the World Cup and shrug off the chokers’ tag.” who watched the one-day series between this time.” —AFP Pool B At Hamilton South Africa 339-4 (David Miller 138 , JP Duminy 115 not out) v Zimbabwe 277 all out ( 80, 64) Jittery South Africa South Africa won by 62 runs

At Adelaide India 300-7 ( 107, 74, Shikhar Dhawan 73; Sohail defeat Zimbabwe Khan 5-55) v Pakistan 224 all out (Misbah-ul-Haq 76) India won by 76 runs HAMILTON: David Miller and JP Duminy both scored hundreds as South Africa overcame a Played won lost tied N/R points run rate nervy start to beat Zimbabwe by 62 runs in their Pool A World Cup Pool B opener in Hamilton yesterday. Wobbling at 83 for four, South Africa were lift- Australia 1 1 0 0 0 2 +2.220 ed by brilliant hundreds by Miller (138 not out) New Zealand 1 1 0 0 0 2 +1.960 and Duminy (115 not out), with the pair sharing Sri Lanka 1 0 1 0 0 0 -1.960 an unbroken stand of 256 — a new fifth- record for all one-day internationals-as they England 1 0 1 0 0 0 -2.220 piled up 339 for four at Seddon Park. Afghanistan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Zimbabwe, as they had with the ball, started Bangladesh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 well with the bat and were 191 for two in the Scotland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 33rd over as Hamilton Masakadza (80) and Chamu Chibhabha (64) threatened before they lost eight for 86 runs. Masakadza hit Pool B eight fours and two sixes in his 74-ball knock India 1 1 0 0 0 2 +1.52 while Chibhabha knocked 10 boundaries off 82 balls but Zimbabwe’s wilted after their South Africa 1 1 0 0 0 2 +1.24 departure. Zimbabwe 1 0 1 0 0 0 -1.24 Brendon Taylor chipped in with 40 and Pakistan 1 0 1 0 0 0 -1.52 scored 27. South Africa’s spear- West Indies 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 head Dale Steyn struggled with his line as he conceded 38 runs in his first five overs before fin- Ireland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ishing with one for 64 in nine. It was leg-spinner UAE 000000 0 Imran Tahir (three for 36) who dismissed both Chibhabha and Masakadza in his first spell while Already played Vernon Philander (two for 30) and Morne Morkel (two for 49) shared the spoils later on. Pool A South Africa, after losing the toss, slumped to At Christchurch 83 for four against Zimbabwe’s unheralded New Zealand 331-6 (Corey Anderson 75, Brendon McCullum 65, 57) v Sri Lanka 233 all attack with key batsmen (11) and out (Lahiru Thirimanne 65) skipper AB de Villiers (25) both falling cheaply. Miller smashed nine sixes and seven fours off New Zealand won by 98 runs 92 balls to better his previous highest score of 130 not out against the West Indies at Port At Melbourne Elizabeth last month. Duminy almost matched his fellow left-han- Australia 342-9 ( 135, Glenn Maxwell 66, George Bailey 55; Steven Finn 5-71) v England 231 der stroke for stroke, smashing three sixes and all out (James Taylor 98 not out; Mitchell Marsh 5-53) nine boundaries in his 100-ball knock. Their partnership beat the previous fifth- wicket best of 226 which England’s and Ravi Bopara shared against Ireland in Dublin two years ago. Ireland, Windies “I really enjoyed that, it’s been a long time since I last got three figures,” said Duminy whose side had been put into bat. “The pitch was defi- nitely slower than we all predicted initially, but promise run-fest with wickets in hand, we could go after them.” Duminy praised Miller’s innings by saying: “David was exceptional-he just muscled it about NELSON: Traditional giant-killers Ireland for muscle nor depth in the batting all over the park.” Miller became the 15th bats- and under-pressure West Indies possess department. men overall and second South African behind all the ingredients for a high-scoring But there is a lack of experience Gary Kirsten (against the United Areab Emirates clash in their opening World Cup match among their bowlers not helped by the at Rawalpindi in 1996) to score a hundred on his in Nelson today. absence of spinner Sunil Narine. Led by World Cup debut. Both sides feature quality batsmen recently appointed skipper, the 23-year- South Africa had also lost Quniton de Kock but relatively inexperienced old Jason Holder, the West Indies’ last full line-ups for a match they have each tar- series was a 4-1 loss to South Africa dur- SCOREBOARD HAMILTON: South Africa’s Morne Morkel bowls to Zimbabwe’s Hamilton Masakadza during the geted as ripe for getting immediate ing which Proteas’ captain AB de Villiers Pool B 2015 match. —AFP points on the board. exposed the bowling deficiencies with a (seven) and (24) by the 17th over attempt to hold onto the catch, Ervine threw the The West Indies and Ireland are lead- world-record century off 31 balls. HAMILTON, New Zealand: Complete score- board in the World Cup Pool B match and de Villiers (25) also didn’t linger long. ball back before leaping across the boundary to ing contenders to fill the fourth quarter Holder became the youngest-ever between South Africa and Zimbabwe at De Villiers hit the first six of the innings, off complete the dismissal on the field. final spot along with South Africa, India West Indies captain when he took over Seddon Park, Hamilton yesterday: but, trying to play a similar shot But Zimbabwe failed to take any more wick- and Pakistan from Pool B which also from Dwayne Bravo who along with off leg-spinner Tafadzwa Kamungozi, he was ets as Miller and Duminy smashed 146 runs in includes Zimbabwe and United Arab was dropped after the South Africa Q. de Kock c Ervine b Chatara 7 brilliantly caught on the boundary by Craig the last 10 overs, taking 30 alone in the 48th Emirates. Ireland are no strangers to players’ strike during their India tour last Hashim Amla b Panyangara 11 Ervine. over bowled by Mire with three sixes and as knocking over teams from cricket’s elite year. F. du Plessis c Taylor b Chigumbura 24 Realising he was going over the rope in his many boundaries.—AFP top eight. At the 2011 World Cup they “Not having them would be a huge AB de Villiers c Ervine b Kamungozi 25 pulled off an historic win over England loss to any side. But it’s beyond our con- D. Miller not out 138 and four years before that they stunned trol and we have to accept it and move JP Duminy not out 115 Pakistan. In the lead up to this tourna- on,” Holder said, putting an optimistic Extras: (lb1, nb2, w16) 19 Total: (4 wkts, 50 overs) 339 ment they beat ninth-placed spin on the Caribbean side’s chances. Did not bat: F. Behardien, V. Philander, D. Steyn, Bangladesh who sit just one spot behind “We’ve been inconsistent and not Imran Tahir, M. Morkel the West Indies in the International played to the best of our abilities but we Fall of wickets: 1-10 (de Kock), 2-21 (Amla), 3-67 (du Cricket Council’s one-day international have some world-beaters in our team. Plessis), 4-83 (de Villiers) rankings.New ball bowlers John Mooney It’s all about putting it all together.” Bowling: Panyangara 10-2-73-1 (3w); Chatara 10-1- and Max Sorensen snared three wickets “Obviously, the bigger picture is for the 71-1 (1nb, 5w); Mire 6-0-61-0 (2w); Chigumbura 4-0- 30-1 (1nb, 2w); Williams 8-0-44-0 (3w); Kamungozi 8- each and Andy Balbirnie chimed in with team to do well in this World Cup and 0-34-1; Raza 3-0-19-0 (1w); Masakadza 1-0-6-0 an unbeaten 63 in the four-wicket win. starting the World Cup well and carrying The West Indies meanwhile suffered a the momentum through.” Zimbabwe morale damaging nine-wicket loss to Ireland will be banking on Kevin C. Chibhabha c Duminy b Tahir 64 England last week when they were all O’Brien to anchor their innings, recalling b Philander 5 out for 122 in 29.3 overs, and just man- his World Cup record century off 50 H. Masakadza c Amla b Tahir 80 aged to beat Scotland with three balls to deliveries in their shock win over B. Taylor c Philander b Morkel 40 spare. The West Indies, winners of the England four years ago. S. William c de Kock b Duminy 8 first two World Cups in 1975 and 1979, His brother Niall O’Brien, along with C. Ervine c de Villiers b Steyn 13 have a reputation for being able to play William Porterfield and Ed Joyce add E. Chigumbura run out 8 S. Mire c de Villiers b Philander 27 sublime cricket. batting depth, but there is a question T. Panyangara c de Villiers b Tahir 4 However, their glory days were some mark over their bowling although Craig T. Chatara c and b Morkel 6 years ago and in recent times the quality Young offers promise after his five for 46 T. Kamungozi not out 0 performances have been few and far on debut against Scotland five months Extras: (lb13, w9) 22 between. ago. Former England international and Total: (all out; 48.2 overs) 277 They have only won two of their past now Scotland coach Paul Collingwood Fall of wickets: 1-32 (Raza), 2-137 (Chibhabha), 3-191 10 ODI series, beating Ireland in a one- believes the benefits Ireland have from (Masakadza), 4-214 (Taylor), 5-218 (Williams), 6-236 off match and sweeping a three-match several players performing in English (Chigumbura), 7-240 (Ervine), 8-245 (Panyangara), 9- contest against Bangladesh. In Chris county cricket will make them tough to 272 (Mire), 10-277 (Chatara) Gayle, playing in his fourth World Cup, beat. “They’re a well-drilled unit, and a Bowling: Philander 8-0-30-2 (3w); Morkel 8.2-1-49-2 they have a batsman who can turn a lot of their players have county experi- (2w); Steyn 9-0-64-1; Behardien 5-0-40-0 (1w); Duminy 8-0-45-1 (2w); Tahir 10-0-36-3 (1w) game in an over and along with Marlon ence, so you know they are going to HAMILTON: South Africa’s David Miller celebrates his century during the Pool B 2015 Cricket Result: South Africa won by 62 runs. Samuels, and Darren Sammy don’t lack cause teams problems,” he said. —AFP World Cup match against Zimbabwe. —AFP