Fri, Jun 21, 2024 page7

• South Africa beat the US; England down Windies

  • AP, NORTH SOUND, Antigua
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  South Africa on Wednesday had to work hard to earn an 18-run win over the fast-improving US in the opening game of the Super Eight at the T20 World Cup.

  Cohosts the West Indies also lost their first match in the Super Eight stage, beaten by eight wickets by defending champions England. Jack Salt scored 87 runs to lead England.

  Andries Gous made an unbeaten 80 off 47 deliveries for the US — against the country of his birth — to move atop the batting charts at the World Cup before South Africa restricted the US to 176-6.

  

  South Africa’s Quinton de Kock makes his ground during their T20 World Cup match against the US at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua, on Wednesday.

  Photo: AFP

  Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada claimed 3-18 and spinner Keshav Maharaj got the prized wicket of US captain Aaron Jones for a duck to finish with 1-24.

  Quinton de Kock had earlier made 74 off 40 balls, while Heinrich Klaasen provided the perfect finish with 36 not out in the South Africa total of 194-4 after Jones won the toss and elected to field.

  “Pretty happy with the performance as a whole,” South Africa captain Aiden Markram said. “A couple of overs here and there we need to tidy up ... but the wicket definitely changes and gets a bit slower.”

  

  England’s Phil Salt plays a shot during their T20 World Cup match against the West Indies at Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in Gros Islet, Saint Lucia, on Wednesday.

  Photo: AFP

  De Kock and Markram (46 off 32) dominated the spinners and the pacers as they raised a solid 110-run stand after Saurabh Netravalkar (2-21) had provided the early breakthrough by getting the wicket of Reeza Hendricks in his second over.

  “We’ve had some tricky wickets, so it was nice to spend some time in the middle today,” De Kock said. “The USA put us under pressure towards the end. It was a great game.”

  Netravalkar, who bowled a sensational super over in the US’ historic win over heavyweights Pakistan in the group stage, struck immediately in his return spell when Markram was brilliantly caught by diving Ali Khan at deep backward-point off a full-pitched ball.

  However, Klaasen used all his T20 experience in the last five overs and struck three sixes, while Tristan Stubbs also hit two fours in his 16-ball unbeaten 20.

  “Hard to take a defeat after coming so close,” Jones said. “We did lack discipline in the bowling at times, [but] once we play good cricket we can beat any team in the world. We need to be a lot more disciplined.”

  In Gros Islet, St Lucia, Salt carried his bat for 87 and Jonny Bairstow made an unbeaten 48 as England beat the Windies by eight wickets in a match between the two two-time World Cup champions.

  It was the West Indies’ first loss of the tournament and their first defeat in eight T20 internationals.

  The West Indies made 180-4 batting first on the same pitch on which they made 218-5 against Afghanistan in the final match of the group stage on Monday.

  The fireworks came at the end and from England as Salt made his 87 runs from 47 balls with seven fours and five sixes, and Bairstow added his 48 from 26 deliveries. England reached 181-2 with 15 balls to spare.
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