Proteas ensure berth in Under-19 knockouts

Makwetu’s run-a-ball 99 helps the winners pile up 282

South Africa produced a superb all-round performance to defeat defending champions West Indies by 76 runs in a Group A match of the ICC U19 World Cup here yesterday.

Asked to bat first, South Africa rode on an unbeaten run-a-ball 99 by Wandile Makwetu to post 282/8 in their 50 overs.

Pacer Hermann Rolfes then clinched a four-wicket haul as the Proteas dismissed the West Indies for 206 runs in 45.3 overs.

South Africa have thus booked a spot in the next round with four points from two matches. Even if they lose their last group match against hosts and table toppers New Zealand, the Proteas will go through as one of the top two teams. South Africa: 282/8 in 50 overs (Kallicharan Makwetu 99, Jiveshan Pillay 47) vs West Indies: 206 (Alick Athanze 76, Alick Kallicharan 44; Hermann Rolfes 4/33).

West Indies’ hopes of defending their crown have gone up in smoke as they are out of contention after losing both the matches they have played so far.

The controversial dismissal of South Africa opener Jiveshan Pillay for obstructing the field was one of the biggest talking points of the game.

He was unlucky to miss out on what would have been a well-deserved half-century as he scored a steady 47 runs off 51 balls with five boundaries and a couple of sixes.

In reply, the West Indies never really managed to get going as they lost wickets at regular intervals.