CRICKET:Ireland blew a great chance for a shock win over South Africa after slumping to a 35-run defeat in their World Cup warm-up match at the Sir Frank Worrell grounds yesterday. Set 193, Ireland appeared cruising to victory at 139 for four with 14 overs remaining, but collapsed dramatically to be all out for 157.
Andre Botha (40) and Kevin O'Brien (33) added 54 runs for the fifth wicket to put their team on course for what would have been one of the biggest upsets in world cricket. But once Botha was caught by wicket keeper Mark Boucher off the bowling of Andre Nel, South Africa lifted their game and dismissed the next five wickets for just 18 runs.
After batting for 79 minutes and hitting three fours off his 59 balls, Botha's concentration seemed to wane and he drove at Nel only to see Boucher gleefully accept his third catch.
A steady procession followed thereafter as Kyle McCallan (3) was bowled by Charl Langeveldt at 148.
Skipper Trent Johnston (0) was bowled by Hall one run later and Andrew White (0) was lbw to Langeveldt at 152.
O'Brien's steady innings came to an end at 157 when he was Langeveldt's third victim, edging an intended drive to Boucher.
The match ended when Paul Mooney was lbw without scoring to give Langeveldt his fourth wicket. The bowler's 8.2 overs cost just 31 runs.
Earlier, South Africa's total was built around a fighting ninth-wicket partnership of 85 between Hall and Robin Petersen (29).
The pair came together at 91 for eight, with 25 overs left and their team in danger of being dismissed for less than 100.
However, they applied themselves to add 85 for the ninth wicket to restore respectability to their team's total.
The early part of the South African innings was undermined by superb bowling from Ireland skipper Johnston and Dave Langford Smith. Johnston took four for 40 off his 10 overs but it was Langford Smith who removed the first three batsmen in an eight-over spell that cost 30 runs.
Scoreboard
Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Ground, St Augustine, Trinidad)
South Africa
AB de Villiersb Langford-Smith 5
GC Smithc NJ O'Brien b Langford-Smith9
JH Kallisb Langford-Smith 12
HH Gibbsb Johnston 21
AG Princec Botha b Johnston 7
MV Boucherc KJ O'Brien b JF Mooney14
SM Pollockc NJ O'Brien b Johnston 1
LL Bosmanb Johnston 0
AJ Hallnot out 67
RJ Petersonb Botha 29
R Telemachusb Botha 10
Extras(lb 4, w 9, nb 4) 17
Total(all out; 50 overs) 192
Falls:1-15, 2-26, 3-42, 4-57, 5-64, 6-66, 7-66, 8-91, 9-176, 10-192.
Bowling:Langford-Smith 8 0 30 3; Rankin 5 0 22 0; Johnston 10 2 40 4; Botha 9 2 24 2; PJK Mooney 3 0 10 0; JF Mooney 4 1 15 1; WK McCallan 8 0 37 0; KJ O'Brien 3 0 10 0. 3.33
Ireland
JP Brayc Boucher b Nel 1
WTS Porterfieldc Smith b Telemachus 37
EJG Morganb Hall 14
NJ O'Brienc Boucher b Hall 16
AC Bothac Boucher b Nel 40
KJ O'Brienc Gibbs b Langeveldt 33
WK McCallanb Langeveldt 3
DT Johnstonb Hall 0
AR Whitelbw b Langeveldt 0
JF Mooneynot out 3
PJK Mooneylbw b Langeveldt 0
Extras(w 8, nb 2) 10
Total(all out; 44.2 overs) 157
Did not bat:WB Rankin, D Langford-Smith
Fall:1-1, 2-34, 3-68, 4-85, 5-139, 6-146, 7-179, 8-152, 9-157, 10-157.
Bowling:Pollock 7 1 13 0; Nel 8 1 38 2; Hall 9 0 26 3; Langeveldt 8.2 1 31 4; Telemachus 5 0 10 1, Kallis 4 0 23 0; Peterson 3 0 12 0.
South Africa beat Ireland by 35 runs
