Warm-up a write-off

CRICKET:A HALF-CENTURY from Niall O'Brien wasn't enough to stop Ireland going down to another World Twenty20 warm-up defeat as South Africa claimed a 31-run victory at Southgate yesterday.

In truth it could have been a lot worse for Phil Simmons’s side in their final warm-up game before next Monday’s opening clash with Bangladesh, as Jacques Kallis and Graeme Smith retired after passing their half-centuries.

The damage had been done at that stage and it wasn’t until the 18th over that Ireland took a wicket, when Regan West bowled Justin Ontong. The left-arm spinner proved the pick of the bowlers, giving away just 20 runs in his four overs.

Kallis and Smith got off to a prosaic enough start, taking 30 off the first five overs. They would double that in the next two, as Peter Connell and Boyd Rankin took some stick.

Alex Cusack was also in the line of fire as Smith took 24 off one over to race past his 50, before retiring on 63 from 41 deliveries at the end of the 12th over. Kallis joined him back in the pavilion two overs later, his 57 coming from 40 balls.

When Ireland got to the crease, Jeremy Bray blasted a quick-fire 17 at the top of the order, but Niall O’Brien was the only Irish batsmen to hang around and build an innings as he reached his 50 off 42 deliveries.

He eventually departed in the final over, stumped by Mark Boucher off the bowling of Robin Peterson for 62 as Ireland’s innings closed on 132 for six.