Date-stamped : 14 Sep94 - 18:30 South African XI v SAB English XI, ODI 1 Played at St George`s Park, Port Elizabeth, March 6, 1982 A packed crowd of about 15 000 saw the Springboks fielded in a match against overseas opposition for the first time in 12 years. This was the first time that South Africa, as a national team, had played a one-day limited overs international and it took place on the same ground that the Springboks had last played in a test match - against Bill Lawry`s Australians in 1970. Only Mike Procter (now captain), Barry Richards and Graeme Pol- lock remained of the 1970 team and Pollock, probably Port Elizabeth`s most famous cricketing son, returned to his majestic best with a masterly undefeated 57 in 44 balls which saw South Africa to a comfortable victory. After the SAB English XI had scored 240/5 off their allotted 50 overs of batting, with skipper Graham Gooch hitting a splendid 114 (14 fours and four sixes off 132 balls), the Springboks knocked off the runs for the loss of Jimmy Cook (82), Barry Richards (62) and Peter Kirsten (4) with 16 balls to spare. In the final thrust for victory, Pollock and Clive Rice (24) added an unbroken 68-run partnership for the fourth wicket in a tri- fling eight overs. So the day produced an aggregate of 484 runs off 97.2 overs, which worked out about 4.98 runs per over and that was sufficient to satisfy any limited overs addict. The platform for the En- glish XI innings was established by Gooch and Dennis Amiss (71 not out), who added 138 in 116 minutes. Amiss, looking a very professional county man, was rather overshawdowed as Gooch un- folded some lovely shot, including a lofted drive for six over extra cover from Alan Kourie. But after his captain was caught and bowlred by Garth le Roux, Amiss took up the running in equal- ly brilliant style and his 71 came off only 102 balls with seven fours and a six. His partnership for the fourth wicket with Peter Willey was worth 47 in 21 minutes. So the English XI had set the Springboks a pretty substantial target. Yet, right from the start, with Jimmy Cook and Barry Richards in control, they kept pace with the requirements. In fact, the opening pair put on 125 in only 116 minutes. Cook, in his first innings wearing a Springbok green cap, had some anxious moments against the new ball, used by Les Taylor and John Lever, but once he had settled down, he played some fine shots, particu- larly through the mid-wicket area. So although Peter Kirsten failed, the platform had been esta- blished for the re-entry of Pollock in a relatively brief stay, he did sufficient to cause amazement in the tourists` ranks. His 38 runs in boundaries were executed with precision and power and afterwards Chris Old, the Yorkshire county captain, said: "His batting certainly brought back memories. I played my first test against him back in 1970 when he represented the Rest of the World against England at Headingley. He`s still as good as he was then." The 500 rand prize for the best batsman went to Gooch and the bowling prize to Procter and the fielding prize to Cook, who took a magnificent catch above his head on the boundary to dismiss Alan Knott. Contributed by Donald (G94P5293@giraffe.ru.ac.za)