South Africa in driving seat as rain stops play

Divan Van Wyk continued his top form in the Costcutter U15 World Challenge 2000 with a superb innings to put South Africa in the driving seat in their semi-final against West Indies at Hove.

When the rain returned with seven overs of the innings still remaining, left-hander Van Wyk, who has been South Africa's top scorer in the competition, had made a mature and unbeaten 77 featuring eight boundaries and a touch of class.

Umpires took the players off with the score 191 for five after the 43rd over produced two wickets, including Vaughn Van Jaarsveld, another left-hander who put on 105 with Van Wyk for the fourth wicket.

Van Jaarsveld holed out to mid on while replacement batsman Peter Laing was leg before a couple of balls later, both wickets falling to West Indies skipper Tishan Maraj.

With 7.1 overs left and the rain clouds still gathered above Eaton Road, the reserve day, put aside for tomorrow, could well be taken.

Earlier, the rain delayed the start of play by more than an hour and South Africa, who qualified for the semi-final after finishing top of their group, decided to bat first despite the humid conditions.

They struggled in the first ten overs of the innings to overcome the pace of the West Indies opening attack of Ravi Rampaul and Krishnar Santokie and in the sixth, Mpumelo Slwana, a 14 year-old from Port Elizabeth, was hit on the toe by a fiery Rampaul bowling down the hill.

Physiotherapists attended to him for more than five minutes but the injury disrupted the young batsman's concentration and he was bowled through the gate by Rampaul two balls later for eight, the first ball, which also bowled him, being ruled a no ball.

South Africa were 11 for one and Graham Lewis from Kwazuku-Natal was settling in nicely when he was joined by Van Wyk. They scored quickly with both playing some fine shots both sides of the wicket as the West Indies bowlers lost their momentum.

Lewis struck two consecutive square drives off Rampaul which finished up on he boundary and in 14 overs the 50 came up with both players laying the foundations for a decent 50 overs total.

But two overs later, Lewis on 24 was run out in an exhibition of superb fielding by the West Indian side with a shy at the stumps from cover and South Africa had lost their second wicket for 70, the Lewis and Van Wyk partnership having put on 51.

Van Wyk's half century from 62 balls included seven boundaries and the youngster impressed with his composure and shot selection. His stand with Keagan Africa put on 12 runs before the aptly named Africa was run out for nine with the score 82 for three.