That's it! Another match, same ending. After plenty of entry and exits from the field, the South Africa vs West Indies practice match at Bristol has been abandoned due to rain. The black clouds and drizzling refused to stop permanently and kept giving guest appearance at regular intervals, frustrating fans and players alike. However, in whatever little cricket was witnessed, South Africa openers Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock put up a show in seaming conditions against Jason Holder-Sheldon Cottrell duo who extracted pace from the pitch, but went wicketless. The openers put up 95 runs on the board in 12.4 overs of play that was possible.
Earlier, the match between Pakistan and Bangladesh was also abandoned due to heavy rain. South Africa now play their and ICC Cricket World Cup 2019's first match on May 30 in the highly anticipated England vs South Africa match in the opening game of the World Cup. West Indies have another warm-up match. The Caribbean team will face New Zealand on May 28 in their second practice match before heading to the actual games.
Rain interrupts play again. This must be getting on the nerves of the players and surely the fans. The match was first halted at half-way mark the 10th over and reduced to 39-overs-each side. Later, that calculation was changed to 31-overs-per side. But hardly 3 overs had been completed that the rain stopped play again. South Africa are 95/0 in 12.4 overs and Hashim Amla reached his second consecutive fifty in the two warm-up matches South Africa has played, including this one.
South Africa up the scoring rate in the rain curtailed match. Reach 88/0 in 12 overs. Amla reaches his fifty with the help of 8 fours and 1 six. This is the second consecutive fifty by Amla in the practice games. He also got a fifty in the warm-up match against Sri Lanka.
After a long halt, the match between South Africa and West Indies has begun. The rain affected game has been curtailed to 31-overs-per side. South Africa have got off to a good start after being asked to bat past on a seaming wicket. West Indies will look to make a mark in this practice match.
The South Africa vs West Indies warm-up match has been curtailed due to rain. Each side now gets 39 overs each. Before the stop of play, South Africa had got off to a good start, with 60 on the scoreboard for loss of none. Put to bat first by West Indies, openers Hashim Amla (33 not out) and Quinton de Kock (21) provided a breezy start to South Africa, before the match was interrupted by rain.
The play resumed but for only seven balls and then heavens opened up once again. The players have now made their way out of the field and rain interrupts play once again. Stay tuned for further updates.
Shannon Gabriel brought into the attack. Hits the deck hard. However, just two balls in the over and the play is interrupted by rain. Players are off the ground. South Africa will be happy with the start they have got, as Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock take team past the fifty run mark. Game expected to resume soon.
South Africa reach their 50 in the 8th over. Cottrell and Holder generating pace, but not able to provide the break-through. Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock score all around the ground as boundaries coming thick and fast for the Proteas.
Hashim Amla continues to score freely supported by Quinton de Kock. Jason Holder and company fail to pick wickets. West Indies' fielding has been sloppy so far.
Outfield patchy but West Indies fielding is sloppy to say the least. Both Amla and de Kock score boundaries in the 6th over as South Africa reach 41/0 in 6 overs. Cottrell gives away 14 runs in the over.
Overcast and seaming conditions, but South Africa openers, Amla and de Kock off to a cautious start. South Africa are 27/0 at the end of 5th over. Cottrell and Holder bowling for West Indies.
Overcast and seaming conditions, but South Africa openers, Amla and de Kock off to a cautious start. South Africa are 27/0 at the end of 5th over. Cottrell and Holder bowling for West Indies.
Amla and Q de Kock look in fine touch as South Africa get off to a careful start in swinging conditions. Jason Holder bowled the third over and gave four runs as SA were 17/0 in 3 Overs. Cottrell bowled the fourth over and conceded five runs as South Africa are 22/0 in 4 Overs.
Sheldon Cottrell with the second over. He concedes just four runs from it that too from a boundary off Quinton de Kock's bat. Otherwise, he was on target with his first over.
Jason Holder starts proceedings for West Indies. It is Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock who will open the batting for South Africa. Good start this for Amla as he collects two boundaries in the opening over. Nine runs from it!
South Africa registered an impressive win by 87 runs against Sri Lanka in their first match and now will be eyeing to win their second practice match as well. South Africa posted mammoth 338 for seven after half-centuries by captain Faf du Plessis and Hashim Amla. And then in bowling, it was Andile Phehlukwayo’s four-wicket haul that set the tone for victory.
West Indies recently lost the tri-series final to Bangladesh, though they were without the services of some of the top players like Chris Gayle and Andre Russell. West Indies is a strong unit and is expected to do well despite being underdogs in the tournament. South Africa vs West Indies Cricket Score 5th Warm-up ODI Match.
South Africa and West Indies face each other on June 10 in the tournament proper and this will be a good opportunity for them to assess each other before the big game. The ICC CWC 2019 begins on May 30.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 26, 2019 02:20 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).