Boje does it again

Paul Martin Cainer  Johannesburg

Nicky Boje has got the Kiwis in a flat spin. He's supposed to be a mediocre slow-bowler, yet he has turned into a top-class, very fast batsman. His undefeated century in the first one-dayer against new Zealand was followed by a blistering 64, and today at Centurion Park, on the road between Johannesburg and Pretoria, he was a centurion again. This time Boje smashed 129 runs in 114 balls before perishing, caught from another huge blow off Allott, in the last of the 50 overs.

Gary Kirsten looked excellent in his quick 94 runs during a massive opening partnership.

The South Africans were batting at just under a run a ball for most of the innings, then accelerated dramatically in the last few overs, with the luxury of eight wickets in hand. In just 4 overs they lashed 56 runs, and the final couple of overs also yielded much plunder, though Boje and the classy Jacques Kallis perished in the frenzy.

"It augurs well for the future," said convenor of selectors Rushdie Majiet, who announced that the same squad will play in the last three one-dayers too. He has also included the young black fast-bowler from Eastern Province Mfuneko Ngam, who has played for the South Africa A side in the West Indies, "not to play but to be part of the squad to recognise his talent and give him experience".

The final score of 324 for 4 was the highest ever scored in one-day internationals on this ground.

While this series may look one-sided, it's nothing compared with the massacres just inflicted on the world's newest test-playing nation, Bangla Desh. Playing very mediocre South African invitation sides, the Bangla Deshis were embarrassingly outclassed. This led to puzzlement at how this pathetic side could possibly have beaten Pakistan in the World Cup last year.

There is not one South African who now can believe that this was a genuine result, rather than a bookie-contrived one.

Dr Ali Bacher, meanwhile, is keeping a low profile for a change, after the announcement that umpire Javed Akhtar is to sue him in Pakistan for his allegations of corruption. Bacher chose to repeat allegations of bribery against Akhtar when he gave televised evidence to the King Commission in Cape Town. Akhtar's eight lbw decisions (more than one when TV showed the ball deflecting onto the pad from a thick edge off the bat first) swung the final test between South Africa and England and led to a 2-1 test series defeat for South Africa on their last tour of England -- a loss that still rankles.

Scoreboard and Graphical analysis

Mail Cricket Editor