Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer
Jamaican XI batsman Tyson Gordon drives during his innings of 70 against South Africa at Chedwin Park yesterday. Mark Boucher is the wicketkeeper. - JUNIOR DOWIE/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
SOUTH AFRICA warmed up for this weekend's back-to-back one-day international matches against the West Indies with a 29-run victory over a Jamaica XI at Chedwin Park yesterday.
Replying to South Africa's 245 all out in 50 overs, the Jamaican XI were dismissed for 216 in 46.2 overs.
The South Africans, who won the toss and elected to bat, were rocked early when Jermaine Lawson had A.B. deVilliers caught behind off the second ball of the innings without a run on the board.
When Herschelle Gibbs provided the pacer with his second of four wickets, caught by Marlon Samuel, the visitors were 27 for two.
EARLY DISMISSALS
Those early dismissals brought Ashwell Prince to the crease to join opener Boeta Dippenaar and the two steadied the side, adding 85 for the third wicket.
However, after off-spinner Bevon Brown removed both batsmen, first Dippenaar who was caught by Xavier Marshall for 64 and then Prince, who played-on for 32, the Jamaicans were on target to restrict their opponents to a total of less than 250.
Dippenaar, who replaced Jacques Rudolph in the Test side after the first two Digicel Test matches, hit nine fours and two sixes in his 74-ball innings.
Mark Boucher, 59 (7x4), and Justin Kemp, 21, who added 65 for the fourth wicket, chipped in with useful scores at the end for the visitors.
Lawson, who bowled with pace and accuracy, ended with 4-39 off 10 overs. Brown also picked up four wickets - 4-41 off 10 overs.
Needing to score at 4.9 runs per over, the Jamaica XI slumped to 59 for four.
Xavier Marshall, 11, Gary Graham, two, Marlon Samuels, six, and Carlton Baugh, 13, were all back in the pavilion after mistakes on their parts.
It was left up to St. Mary Parish's pair of Tyson Gordon and Maurice Clarke to take Jamaica out of trouble.
However, when Clarke (23) provided Charl Langeveldt with his only wicket at 120 for five, and Gordon, who fell the next ball after hitting Pollock over extra-cover for six, departed, the task was to get as close as possible to the SA score.
Gordon's well-played 70 included six fours and two sixes off 102 balls.
Playing on their home ground, Bevon Brown and Odean Brown added 50 for the eighth wicket.
Bevon finished with an undefeated 37, which included four sixes and one four, while Odean made 17.
Pollock ended with the impressive figures of 4-18 from eight overs.
He received good support from Andre Nel who took 2-26.
