Cricket: South Africa cruise home in tour opener

By MARK GEENTY

A jet-lagged South Africa flexed their muscles as Northern Districts and their five New Zealand representatives put up little fight in an early tour cakewalk here today.

The tourists, just three days off the plane, ensured their favouritism for Friday's one-day tour opener in Auckland with a six-wicket win in the low-key shakedown.

Set just 115 to win on a slow but far from unplayable Westpac Park pitch, South Africa got there in just 17.2 overs without the services of rested frontliners Jacques Kallis, Shaun Pollock and Andre Nel.

Of concern was the average showing from nearly half the New Zealand one-day squad in the Northern lineup -- Hamish Marshall, Scott Styris, Daniel Vettori, Daryl Tuffey and Ian Butler.

Marshall was dropped on nought before being caught behind for 17 off the impressive Lance Klusener while Styris reached five before skying a pull shot to square leg.

Klusener, bowling at useful pace and swinging the ball away, removed both the Marshall brothers to end with two for 14 off seven overs.

For Hamish Marshall it continued a horror recent run after his magical Pakistan series -- an average of 9.2 from five recent State Shield innings then nine in the inter-island match on Sunday.

After winning the toss, Northern's innings folded for 114 off 42.3 overs with five of the wickets shared by left-arm spin duo Nicky Boje and Robin Peterson, competing for a place in Friday's lineup.

Boje, playing his first match for South Africa since breaking his ankle in England last July, deceived both Joseph Yovich and Robbie Hart in the air to push his comeback claims with figures of two for 19 off 10.

Peterson took the last three wickets to end with three for 17 off 9.3.

The slowish surface was tailor-made for spin but most Northern batsman heaved their wickets away.

It was a familiar story for Northern, whose season goes from bad to worse -- last place in the State Shield and currently sitting at the foot of the four-day competition table.

Only No 6 Grant Robinson dug in for the top score of 35 off 70 balls while Vettori, promoted to open, scored 31 off 64 before being yorked by debut allrounder Albie Morkel.

Tuffey and Butler struggled to keep a lid on openers Herschelle Gibbs and Boeta Dippenaar, who flayed 51 off 6.3 overs before Tuffey removed Gibbs for 27 off 25 balls.

Butler's first three overs went for 28 at the hands of Gibbs but he returned from the other end for a much sharper four-over spell - three for 21 and the wickets of Ashwell Prince, Jacques Rudolph and Mark Boucher.

Whether three for 49 off seven, including eight wides and two no-balls, is enough to edge out the in-form Michael Mason in the final New Zealand selection cut tomorrow may be in doubt.

Boeta Dippenaar, who captain Graeme Smith gave up his opening spot for, saw the chase through with 45 off 50 balls while Morkel whacked 17 off 10, including a four off Vettori, to finish it.

Smith said the tourists, who were still struggling to sleep in past 4am in a new time zone, wanted to stamp their mark on the tour immediately and gain an edge ahead of Friday's match.

"We didn't want the New Zealand guys to go back and say 'we can beat them', we wanted to send a message to them," Smith said.

"Even though it was a light-hearted outing it was important for us to send messages today, and to chase 115 in 17 overs was a good effort."

Both teams assemble in Auckland for the series launch and final trainings at Eden Park tomorrow.

- NZPA