SA meet Pak in final

Singapore, August 25: A Classic all-round South African performance humbled New Zealand in the tri-nations cricket series here on Friday, ...

Singapore, August 25: A Classic all-round South African performance humbled New Zealand in the tri-nations cricket series here on Friday, as they won by eight wickets with 16 overs to spare to book a place in Sunday’s final against Pakistan.

New Zealand were dismissed for a meagre 159 runs, which South Africa picked up effortlessly in 34 overs with Gary Kirsten not out on 75.

“It was a great team effort,” South African captain Shaun Pollock said. “We can go into the final with confidence.”

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The only New Zealand success was the toss, but Pollock took back the initiative in the opening over and never let go.

The New Zealand experiment of promoting spinner Daniel Vettori to open failed on the third ball when Pollock had him caught behind by Jacques Kallis.

Every attempt by New Zealand to establish a partnership after that was soon cut off.

Chris Cairns and captain Stephen Fleming put together 29 runs for the third wicket, but their effort to consolidate failed when Fleming was run out on a direct hit from Kirsten.

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Chris Harris and Scott Styris put on 35 for the eighth wicket, and Styris and Paul Wiseman added 28 for the ninth, but tight bowling and fielding, with wicketkeeper Nic Pothas allowing no byes through, kept New Zealand around 3.3 an over. Pollock, the Man-of-the-Match, finished with 3-24 nine overs.

Kirsten and Andy Hall then led a South African batting charge for an early finish, rattling 94 runs in 17 overs before Hall was out for 46, including eight fours.

Kallis scored a quick 22 in 30 balls before Darryl Cullinan joined Kirsten to take the game through to the close.

Kirsten was left unbeaten on 75, including 10 boundaries, in 103 balls.

SCOREBOARD

New Zealand:

Daniel Vettori c Kallis b Pollock 0, Nathan Astle b Pollock 5, Chris Cairns c Pollock b Kallis 27, Stephen Fleming run out (Kirsten) 12, Roger Twose b Kallis 8, Craig McMillan c Kallis b Klusener 1, Chris Harris c Pothas b Telemachus 42, Adam Parore c Pothas b Hall 5, S Syris lbw b Pollock 23, Paul Wiseman not out 12, Geoff Allott b Hall 1, Extras (lb-13, w-6, nb-3) 22; Total (all out in 47.4 overs) 158

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Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-10, 3-39, 4-54, 5-55, 6-72, 7-94,8-129, 9-157, 10-158.

Bowling: Pollock 9-1-24-3, Telemachus 10-1-36-1,Kallis 5-1-15-2, Klusener 9-1-23-1 (1 W), Boje 10-0-33-0, Hall 4.4-0-14-2.

South Africa: Gary Kirsten not out 75, Andy Hall c Cairns b Wiseman 46, Jacques Kallis c&b Styris 22, Darryll Cullinan not out 8; Extras (lb-1, w-3, nb-4) 8; Total: (for two wickets in 34 overs) 159

Fall of wickets: 1-94, 2-141

Bowling: Allott 4-0-24-0, Cairns 4-0-18-0, Vettori 7-0-40-0, Wiseman 6-0-30-1, Harris 6-1-23-0, Styris 7-1-23-1.

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JOHANNESBURG: Sacked South African cricketcaptain Hansie Cronje, who is at the centre of match-fixing allegations, today pleaded that batsman Herschelle Gibbs be given another chance to play international cricket."In my opinion Herschelle did nothing wrong," Cronje saidin a television interview with South African pay-station M-Net

Gibbs, at 26 one of South Africa’s most promisingbatsmen, admitted before the King Commission inquiring into the scandal to accepting an offer of 15,000 dollars from Cronje to throw a match in Nagpur, India earlier this year.

The opening batsman last weekend pleaded guilty before aUnited Cricket Board of South Africa disciplinary committee to the allegation of match-fixing, and is now facing suspension from international cricket from what the media have speculated could range from one year to life.

In the one-day international in Nagpur, Gibbs agreed toscore less than 20 runs but went on to smack 73 runs off 53 balls, saying that once out on the pitch he had "forgotten" to go through with the deal. "In my opinion, Herschelle should be given another chanceto play," Cronje said.