Jean-Paul Duminy hit 90 and took three wickets with his off-spin as South Africa scored a comfortable 159-run win against Kenya in the first one-day international at Springbok Park on Friday.
South Africa made 336 for seven and bowled Kenya out for 177. The left-handed Duminy, 24, confirmed his reputation as one of South Africa’s most talented young players with an elegant innings. He made his career-highest score off 88 balls with eight fours, before he holed out to long-off with three overs remaining in the innings.
Duminy followed up his batting effort by taking three for 31, also a career-best, making his first strike with his fourth delivery when he ended an attacking innings by Alex Obanda, who top-scored for Kenya with 38. Fellow off-spinner Johan Botha, captaining South Africa in the absence of the injured Graeme Smith, also claimed the best figures of his career, taking four for 19 as the slow bowlers worked their way through Kenya’s batting.
Jacques Kallis and Mark Boucher joined Duminy in hitting half-centuries for South Africa after they won the toss and batted on a true, but slow, pitch. Kallis, in his first international appearance since a disappointing tour of England, made a confident 71, while Boucher hammered an unbeaten 57 off 30 balls to give the innings late impetus.
Kallis was content to play a measured innings as he sought to recapture his best form after working with former Western Province and England coach Duncan Fletcher to eliminate flaws in his technique which were exposed in England. He faced 86 balls and hit five fours and a six.
Kenya were hampered by a muscle injury which forced the experienced Thomas Odoyo off the field four balls into his fourth over. It was Kenya’s first match against a major cricket nation since last year’s World Cup.
“We were outplayed. You need to play these bigger teams more often to compete at this level,” captain Steve Tikolo said.
South Africa’s pace bowlers were unimpressive, with Obanda, 20, hitting some powerful strokes off Monde Zondeki and Albie Morkel. But the Kenyan innings went into decline when Duminy and Botha bowled. Both spinners took two wickets in their first spells, as four wickets fell for 31.
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