Morkel sets Wanderers ablaze

South Africa A 267 for 6 (Ackerman 73*, Morkel 67*) beat New Zealand A 252 (Canning 80, Bell 52, Kruger 4-42) by 15 runs
Scorecard

Neither the burning down of the old Wanderers Club across the road nor lightning could stop South Africa A beating New Zealand A in the first of the three match one-day series at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg. A fighting mid-innings partnership between HD Ackerman and Justin Kemp, followed by a ferocious six-over onslaught from Albie Morkel saw South Africa post a winning total of 267 for 6. New Zealand, despite the efforts of Tama Canning, fell 15 short.

Coming to the crease with the score on 181 for 6 at the end of the 44th over, Morkel lashed out at the bowling of Chris Martin and Kerry Walmsley smashing the ball to all parts, and nearly right out of the ground. The 50-run partnership with Ackerman came up in 24 balls, and another six over midwicket took him to 50 off 19 balls - equal with Mark Boucher for the fastest List A 50 in South Africa. On two occasions, the wire mesh at the top of the open stand saving the ball from leaving the ground.

Earlier, South Africa A had won the toss and elected to bat on a hard, flat one-day pitch. Morne van Wyk and Andrew Hall made a solid start, bringing up the 50 in 68 balls before Hall edged Kerry Walmsley to Matthew Sinclair at slip for 23. Walmsley and Canning had slowed things up after Martin and Michael Mason had let things slip in the opening 10 overs. Mason had to leave the field with a shoulder injury after colliding with Hall, who was going for a quick single.

Neil McKenzie found scoring difficult, eventually clipping Walmsley square to be easily caught by substitute Leetan Patel at forward square leg for three. Canning, bowling a tight line, struck next trapping van Wyk, more interested in boundaries than singles, in front for 40.

Ashwell Prince lasted for 20 balls before being caught at the wicket for 10 off Paul Wiseman. Boeta Dippenaar followed when he edged Canning to Gareth Hopkins for two, as South Africa collapsed from 58 without loss to 86 for 5 in 13 overs.

HD Ackerman, striking the ball cleanly, and Justin Kemp got the innings back on the rails with a 95-run partnership. Ackerman had just got to 50 off 61 balls when Kemp, on 41, hit a sharp return catch to Wiseman who was bowling his final over.

Then, the game changed irrevocably. In the last six overs, Ackerman and Morkel put on 85 runs with Ackerman unbeaten on 73 and Morkel smashing 67 from only 23 balls. Canning was, by far, the pick of the bowlers, completing his 10 overs and taking two wickets for just 15 runs.

New Zealand had a disastrous start, as Garnett Kruger had Jamie How caught-and-bowled for one, Matthew Sinclair clean bowled for two, Ross Taylor well caught at square leg for two and Lou Vincent bowled without scoring.

Mathew Bell, having not displayed the best form of late, played with some aggression and also had the distinction of bettering Morkel by pulling a short ball from Kruger right out of the stadium.

In contrast to the other batsmen who struggled, Bell went to his 50 off 59 balls, striking nine boundaries and the one towering six. The score had moved to 78 when Hopkins, on 14, did not get over a drive from Hall and was brilliantly caught by Dippenaar diving to his left at extra cover, plucking the ball one-handed out of the air. It became 80 for 6 when Bell, on 52, was trapped leg before by Hall bringing the ball back at the right-hander.

As had happened when South African batted, Canning and Wiseman got the innings back on track with a 75-run partnership. Canning, batting with a runner after injuring his leg in the field, was the more dominant partner but when Wiseman gave Justin Ontong a return catch, he had scored 31 off 32 balls (155 for 7).

Canning, who got to 50 from 60 balls, and Walmsley threatened a revival but the required run rate kept rising. When the threat of lightning and rain chased the players off the field with 2.5 overs remaining, New Zealand still needed 35 run for the win.

The 35-minute break that ensued wasn't what Canning needed, as he lofted the fourth ball after the resumption straight to Ontong at long-on to be out for 85. Mason was run out in the final over and, with one ball remaining, Walmsley held out to long-off to leave South Africa A victorious after an engrossing contest.