Cricket: Rhodes tips balance for South Africa

West Indies 154-4 South Africa 160-8 South Africa win by 2 wkts

SOUTH AFRICA snatched a dramatic last-ball victory on Friday, scoring 160 for 8 in 27 overs to achieve their target in the first one- day international at the Wanderers yesterday.

The West Indies had scored 154 for 4 in their allotted 28 during the rain-shortened match.

Jonty Rhodes and Lance Klusener were the batsmen, who turned the game after the West Indies had done everything right in the first half of the South African innings. Rhodes' 30 came off 25 balls, and Klusener bludgeoned 27 off 14 balls.

Curtly Ambrose had announced his return after injury with a great spell, conceding just 11 runs off his six overs. The new boys, Neil McGarrell and Keith Semple, were expensive, conceding 83 runs off combined 10 overs.

Top scorer for the West Indies was Carl Hooper, who struck 66 fine runs to rescue the innings after his side had slumped to 39 for 3, with Brian Lara falling first ball, cutting a delivery from Klusener to Rhodes. Shivnarine Chanderpaul, with 45, and Keith Arthurton, with an unbeaten 22 at the end, were the other West Indians to contribute.

South Africa won toss

WEST INDIES

P A Wallace c Rhodes b Elworthy 3

S Chanderpaul run out 45

N A M McLean c Kallis b Klusener 4

*B C Lara c Rhodes b Klusener 0

C L Hooper not out 66

K L T Arthurton not out 22

Extras (lb5, nb4, w5) 14

Total (for 4, 28 overs) 154

Did not bat: K F Semple, R D Jacobs, R D King, C E L Ambrose, N C McGarrell.

Fall: 1-9 2-39 3-39 4-92.

Bowling: Pollock 6-1-20-0 (2nb); Elworthy 5-0-28-1; Klusener 6-0-38- 2 (2nb); Kallis 6-0-22-0 (1w); Symcox 3-0-22-0 (4w); Cronje 2-0-19-0.

SOUTH AFRICA

G Kirsten c McLean b King 12

H H Gibbs c Hooper b Ambrose 10

J H Kallis c Jacobs b King 9

D JCullinan c Chanderpaul b Semple 8

*W J Cronje c Semple b McGarrell 24

J N Rhodes b McLean 30

S M Pollock run out 10

L Klusener not out 27

M V Boucher c Ambrose b McGarrell 10

P L Symcox not out 1

Extras (lb9, w7, nb3) 19

Total (for 8, 27 overs) 160

Did not bat: S Elworthy.

Fall: 1-20 2-28 3-46 4-49 5-112 6-114 7-122 8-159.

Bowling: Ambrose 6-0-11-1 (2nb); King 6-1-23-2 (1w); Semple 5-0-40-1 (1nb, 6w); McGarrell 5-0-43-2; McLean 5-0-34-1.

South Africa won by two wickets.