Wizards give tourists workout
CRICKET
Matt Richens Lusty hitting by two Canterbury Wizards youngsters gave the touring South Africans a fright in Christchurch last night, but the tourists’ class won through in the one-off T20 match.
At 39-6, the Wizards were dead in the water chasing the South Africans’ mediocre 150-6 at Hagley Oval, but 20-year-old Matt Henry and Matt Mcewan, celebrating his 21st birthday, put on 63 for the eighth wicket to give the home side a sniff.
In fading light, Henry was well caught by South African skipper A B de Villiers for 42 from just 16 balls including one four and five sixes, and the Wizards finished up losing by 20.
With five debutants in the side and four internationals missing, the Wizards were always going to be up against it, but they put up a credible fight against a classy South African side.
South Africa blasted their way to 80 without loss after just eight overs as electric opener Richard Levi scored 63 from 32 balls.
With Levi at the crease, the Wizards looked like they might be chasing 220-plus. He hit powerfully through the offside, but also used the newest trick of T20 batting of stepping back into the crease to enable him to get under the ball.
But when Canterbury’s George Worker bowled him, then removed Colin Ingram and de Villiers, the Wizards were right back in the match.
With their top batsmen already back in the hutch, South Africa struggled to dominate in the death overs and their score of 150 was well shy of what they would have expected.
But the South Africans’ much vaunted bowling lineup was the difference.
It wasn’t Morne Morkel, as expected, who did the damage, but left-arm swing bowler Lonwabo Tsotsobe. He dismissed Worker and Peter Fulton with the last two balls of his first over then trapped Shanan Stewart with the first ball of his second for a hat-trick and a perfect welcome to New Zealand conditions. Tsotsobe took 4-18 from his four overs.
Henry top scored for the home side with 43 from just 17 balls, including one four and five big sixes.