Sth Africa beats English XI

Press, 8 March 1982, Page 21

Sth Africa beats English XI

NZPA-ReuterPort Elizabeth, South Africa

South Africa ended 12 years of cricket' isolation on Saturday with a seven-wicket win over a rebel English touring side. After having been sent in by the home skipper, Mike Procter, , England, with Graham Gooch at his best, hammered 240 for five in its 50 overs. Gooch hit 14,fours arid four sixes in his 114. But the ■ South. Africans, anxious to make the most of their first ; international cricket since the 1970 tour by Australia, proved to be equal to the challenge. Barry Richards, who, in his prime was widely regarded as the best opener in the world, gave the innings the impetus it needed with an aggressive innings of 62 in a century opening stand with James Cook.

Then, to the delight of the capacity crowd at St George’s Park, Graeme Pollock. the left-handed maestro of South African cricket, kept up the momentum with an innings full of powerful drives and pulls to reach 57

not out at the end. Cook made 82. A , carnival atmosphere prevailed among the spectators as they basked in the sunshine. Many of them set up barbecues at the ground. The spectators gave a standing ovation to the touring team’s openers, Gooch and Geoff Boycott, as they walked to the wicket; a gesture of appreciation to the English players who have risked being banned from representing their country by playing in South Africa. The English team’s visit has caused an international storm and India and Pakistan, which are both involved in planned cricket tours to England later this year, have threatened to pull out if any players involved in the South African venture are included in the official England team.

But under the blue skies of Port Elizabeth on Saturday politics took a back seat and the crowd delighted in some brilliant batting.

Gooch set the tone with a rich array of belligerent strokes, the best coming when he danced down the

wicket >to spinner Alan Kourie and drove the ball over extra cover for six.

Dennis Amiss, who joined Gooch after Boycott and Wayne Larkins had been dismissed cheaply, was very much the minor partner, scoring only 35 as the two took the score from 44 to 182. After the dismissal of his skipper, Amiss, took control and continued to hurry the score along. . But the day belonged to the South Africans, Richards and Pollock reviving rich memories of past glories. As two of the only three former South African test players in the side, they continually pierced the field with classic strokes. Mike Procter, the only other South African to have played test cricket, was the most successful of the home team’s bowlers. He took-the first two wickets to fall and conceded only 20 runs in his 10 overs. Scoreboard in the 50-over match:

ENGLISH XI G. A. Gooch c and b Le Roux ' ■ ■ 114

G. Boycott c Rice b Procter. 5 W. Larkins c Jennings b Procter. 14 D. L. Amiss not out .. . . . 71 P. Willey c Cook b Jeffries 13 A. P. Knott c Cook b van der Bijl 5 G. W. Humpage not out. . . 2 Extras (lbls, wl). 16 Total (for 5 wkts; innings closed) 240 Bowling: Procter, 10, 5; 20, 2; Jeffries, 10, 2. 44, 1; Le Roux, 10, 0, 70, 1; Kourie, 10, 3, 34, 0; van der Bijl, 10, 1, 56. 1.

SOUTH AFRICAN XI S. J. Cook b Old . ...... 82 B. A. Richards b Gooch. . . 62 P. N. Kirsten c larkins b Underwood 4 R. G. Pollock not out ... . 57 C. E. Rice not out 24 Extras (lb 9 w2. nb4) ... 15 Total (for 3 wkts, 47.2 overs) 244 Bowling: Lever, 7. 0. 56. 0; Taylor, 10. 2, 36, 0; Gooch. 8, ft 27, 1; Old. 9,1, 48, 1; Willey, 3, 0. 17, 0; Underwood, 10, 0, 40, 1;Boycott. 0.2. 0,5, 0.