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South Africa Beats UAE By 169 Runs

Kirsten butchers the World Cup record book

Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Feb 16 - South African Gary Kirsten butchered the World Cup record books and the United Arab Emirates' World Cup dream here on Friday with a scintillating undefeated 188.

Kirsten's savagery exhausted both the Emirates fielders and the ground statisticians as he sliced through one cricketing landmark after another to set up a total of 321-2 and a 169-run win.

Pacemen Allan Donald and Brian McMillan teamed up to make mincemeat of the United Arab Emirates batsmen, reducing the outclassed cup newcomers to 72-8 before their tailenders were allowed to play out the final overs, ending on 152 without further loss.

Yet it was Kirsten's record romp that cruelly underlined the gulf in class between the part-timers and the professionals at the World Cup.

First the 28-year-old Western Province left-hander overtook half-brother Peter's national record of 90 for the tournament. Then he passed his own previous one-day best of 112.

Next to fall was Dave Callaghan's 169 not out against New Zealand, the best-ever South African one-day knock, followed at last by the World Cup best, Vivian Richards' 181 against Sri Lanka in 1987.

The West Indian's all-time one-day mark -- 189 against England and the likes of Bob Willis and Ian Botham -- was all that survived the day, by a single run.

The Emirates' hopes of a decent debut in the tournament did not. Their fielding looked club-standard, seamer Johanne Samarasekera carried a pop-gun attack and the batting was skittled without trace.

At least the South Africans gave the Emirates' odd assortment of Asian players a world-class example to aim for.

After Kirsten's demonstration, with skipper Hansie Cronje (57) and Daryll Cullinan (41 not out) playing the cameos, the Springboks bowled superbly and fielded even better in the Group B match.

The Emirates' openers, Azhar Saeed and Ganesh Mylvaganam, both fell victim to classic catches after putting on 24, the only meaninful stand of the innings.

The former was pouched by Brian McMillan as Steve Palframan diving in front of him and the wicketkeeper made up for that immediately, diving full-length to his right to dismiss Mylvaganam.

McMillan was back in the limelight with a smart run-out and a wicket first ball and when Donald bowled Mazhar Hussain, the game, at 62-5 in the 21st over, was already over.

The first eight wickets fell within a space of 48 runs before the South Africans, mixing up their bowlers, were held up by an unbroken 80-run partnership from Arshad Laeeq (43 not out) and Shaukat Dukanwala.

A disappointing crowd at the Pindi stadium, hit by the Ramadan month of fasting, were left to savour Kirsten's memory for the final overs.

His runs came at more than a run a ball, with four sixes and 13 fours peppering his 159-ball innings. The finale saw his third 50 come off 29 balls as the Emirates fielders returned time and time again to boundary rope to collect the ball.

The pick of his display was a six clipped over midwicket off Shahzad Altaf's medium pacers and the one blemish a chance given on 118 to Zarawani missed a top-edge while running back at short square leg.