South Africa-A slide to 60-run defeat
IN a low-scoring match at the Harare Sports Club, Australia-A trounced South Africa-A by 60 runs, topping the table with 10 points after their second victory in two games.
Choosing to bat, Australia-A got off to a promising start with openers Aaron Finch and David Warner putting on 52.
Scores: Australia-A 214 for 9 (Finch 59, Marsh 41, Kleinveldt 2-32) beat South Africa-A 154 (Kleinveldt 39, Hastings 4-28, Butterworth 2-19) by 60 runs.
Their stand was backed by solid performances from the middle-order, before John Hastings’ 28 off 20 balls in a 45-run eighth-wicket partnership finished things with a flourish. Rory Kleinveldt was the most economical of the wicket-taking bowlers, giving away just 32 runs in 10 overs for his two wickets.
South Africa-A, with a modest total to chase, never quite settled into a rhythm, losing wickets at regular intervals.
It was Kleinveldt who combined with Ethy Mbhalati for the highest partnership of the innings – 48 for the 10th wicket – but it proved to be too little too late. Hastings removed Kleinveldt in the 34th over – one of his four scalps in a miserly nine-over spell – to end South Africa’s innings on 154.
South Africa-A take on Zimbabwe XI  tomorrow at the same venue.