South Africa draw with Board XI

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, March 26 - To the surprise of absolutely nobody, South Africa drew their three-day warm-up match against a West Indies Cricket Board XI at the Kensington Oval on Monday. By the time hands were shaken, the Board XI had reached 84 for one, chasing an unlikely victory target of 228 to win from just 38 overs.

The only disappointment for the South Africans will be that they did not reinforce their overall superiority by troubling the Board XI more obviously in their second innings. Openers Daren Ganga (33 not out) and Leon Garrick (26) both looked untroubled as they accumulated comfortably.

Garrick fell as the game dwindled to the kind of inconclusive result only cricket can produce after three hard days of competition, the Jamaican failing to time a pull off Andre Nel to see the ball loop up towards Gary Kirsten at square-leg, who took a good catch as he dived forwards.

Despite the flat conclusion to the game, it was a very good workout for the South Africans and a valuable opportunity for the non-test players to stretch their limbs on a long tour during which they will get little playing time.

Captain Shaun Pollock had earlier declared the South African second innings closed with the score on 143 for two. Herschelle Gibbs again excelled, although the opener fell to a loose shot off an ordinary delivery from left-arm spinner Dave Mohammed and was snapped up by Garrick at first slip for 55. It was another mature effort from the Capetonian and a decent confidence booster ahead of the third test which begins at the same venue on Thursday.

Although Boeta Dippenaar (38 not out) got off to a fluent start, hitting four crisp boundaries in the early stages of his innings, the introduction of Ryan Hinds and Cameron Cuffy's continued control at the other end brought him skidding to a halt. So much so that shortly before the declaration he spent thirty minutes and 23 balls marooned on 34.

Earlier, Gibbs and Kirsten made a solid start to the final morning as South Africa resumed 113 runs ahead on 29 without loss, Kirsten in particular accumulating in his familiar fashion with well-timed back-foot shots behind square on the off-side. He had reached 26 after an hour when Mohammed got one to pitch and turn away from the left-hander.

As Kirsten drove, the ball was taken by Garrick at first slip and the Board XI went up as one. Umpire Vincent Bullen agreed and the batsman was on his way, albeit slowly, the impression being it had been bat to ground rather than bat to ball.

Gibbs meanwhile was showing the kind of application and patience which when married to his glorious talent make him one of South Africa's finest batsmen. He certainly provided the shot of the morning, hammering Colin Stuart to the extra-cover fence off the back foot with the purest of timing.