Rest too good for the Lions

South Africa's limited-overs season got underway at the Wanderers in Johannesburg with the annual Sports Trust Cricket Challenge between the winners of the previous season's domestic competition, the Lions, and a Rest of South Africa XI. The Lions were never in the game as a rejuvenated South African squad, coming off a five-day training camp, made short work of the batsmen emphasising the vast chasm that separates domestic and international cricket.

The Lions won the toss and decided to bat first, but found the going hard as Shaun Pollock and Makhaya Ntini kept a tight rein on line and length. Frustrated by the lack of runs, Adam Bacher was first to depart, in the sixth over, playing an expansive drive at Ntini only to edge to Thami Tsolekile for three. Ntini struck again in the tenth over, knocking back Andrew Hall's off stump as he tried to force one square of the wicket.

A bowling change eased some pressure, with Neil McKenzie dispatching Zander de Bruyn through the covers on three occasions. But De Bruyn struck back strongly with the wickets of McKenzie, HD Ackerman, Justin Ontong, Derek Crookes and Vaughn van Jaarsveld in a six-over spell that fetched him impressive figures of 5 for 29.

Ntini, who finished with 4 for 10, wrapped up the tail as the Lions were bowled out for 84 in just 26 overs. Graeme Smith and Jacques Rudolph opened the innings for the Rest, with Smith surviving a leg-before appeal against Hall off the very first ball. But Rudolph was not as lucky, edging the first one he faced to Ahmed Omar.

Martin van Jaarsveld stuck around for 18 before fending one from Enoch Nkwe for Omar to take his second catch. Jacques Kallis survived two appeals for leg before from Nkwe before he had scored, and Smith was dropped by Crookes off his own bowling, but in the end, the Rest were comfortable winners.