Sporting Digest: Cricket

AUSTRALIA beat South Africa in comprehensive fashion in the third one-day international at St George's Park yesterday to reduce their deficit in the eight-match series to 2-1. On a perfect batting wicket, the Australian captain, Allan Border, helped his side to 281 for 6 after winning the toss and choosing to bat. After David Boon and Dean Jones put on 123 for the second wicket, Mark Waugh hit 60 from 55 balls and Border made an unbeaten 40 off just 17 balls, with four fours and three sixes. In reply, the hosts were bundled out for 193 with leg-spinner Shane Warne and fast bowler Craig McDermott sharing seven wickets.

STEVE MARSH, the Kent vice-captain and wicketkeeper, has been awarded a benefit in 1995. Marsh, 33, joined the county in 1982 and was capped four years later. He has scored more than 6,000 first-class runs and claimed nearly 500 victims.