Kenya Bow To Proteas' Might

South Africa buried Kenya under an avalanche of runs tosecure a comfortable 176-run victory in a Group C league match and confirm theirplace in the semi- finals of the ICC Champions Trophy cricket tournament atColombo today.

Electing to bat, South Africa amassed a huge 316 forfive in their stipulated 50 overs with opener Herschelle Gibbs striking a fine116 off 126 balls with 13 fours and three sixes. Graeme Smith and Jacques Kalliscame up with scores of 69 and 60 respectively as South Africa registered thefirst 300-plus total in the tournament so far.

In response, Kenya were bowled out for 140 in 46.5overs, their captain Steve Tikolo once again waging a lonely battle. Tikolo, whohad scored 93 in the 29-run loss to West Indies earlier, made 69 off 97 balls.

South Africa will now take on the winners of Sunday'smatch between India and England in the semi-final on September 25.

South Africa, who were lucky to get past West Indies infirst league match of the group, proved far superior to the hapless Kenyan sidewho bowled and fielded poorly before coming up with an indifferent battingperformance too.

Gibbs and Smith, who put on a record 159 runs for theopening wicket, made a controlled beginning, reserving their flamboyance for thelatter part of their innings, but still scored at a very decent rate.

The two brought up the 100-run partnership in the 21stover after which both broke free. Soon they bettered the previous bestpartnership for a South African opening wicket against Kenya, which stood in thename of Gibbs and Boeta Dippenaar who had put on 115 at Kimberly.

Gibbs was the first to reach his half-century, scoringhis 50 off 70 balls with seven boundaries. Smith quickly followed him to themilestone, taking 62 balls for his fifty which included four hits to the fence.

Kenya got their first breakthrough in the 28th overwhen wicketkeeper David Obuya effected the first of his three stumpings of theday to send back Smith who struck six fours in his 77-ball knock.

But Gibbs stepped up the attack after that and soonreached his hundred with a boundary to the fine leg fence. Gibbs then smashedJimmy Kamande for two sixes and a four off successive balls before the bowlergot his revenge. While trying to run the fifth ball of the over to third man,Gibbs only managed an outside edge and was caught by David Obuya.

Kallis and Dippenaar than added 73 runs for the thirdwicket before Kenya got three quick wickets.

Dippenaar, who made 31 with three boundaries and a six,and Kallis were both stumped in successive overs to return to pavilion withinfour runs of each other.

Dale Benkenstein was the only batsman to miss out onthe run-feast as he was caught by Martini Suji off Collins Obuya for seven.Lance Klusener and Justin Ontong remained unbeaten on 18 and four respectively.

In contrast, the Kenyan innings was a familiar tale of meek capitulation. Theylost their first two wickets with just five runs on the board with openerRavindu Shah (3) and Brijal Patel (0) getting out cheaply.

Tikolo and Kennedy Otieno put up a semblance of fightin a 56-run third wicket stand but by then, the required run rate had alreadygone past eight an over. Otieno struggled to get the runs and took as many as 53balls to score 16.

But Tikolo batted impressively and hit some gloriousstrokes. He hit ten boundaries in his knock before falling as the sixth wicketin the 36th over with the Kenyan total on 119.

With their captain went all hopes of Kenya reaching arespectable total. The last four wickets fell for the addition of 21 runs withCollins Obuya scoring 14 and Thomas Odoyo 10.

PTI