Pollock's maiden ODI hundred for Africa goes in vain

BANGALORE, June 6: Shaun Pollock slammed his maiden hundred in One-Day Internationals but could not prevent Asia XI crush Africa XI by 34 runs in the opening tie of the Afro-Asia Cup three-match cricket series at the Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Wednesday.
The 33-year-old veteran, playing the three-match series as a batsman, made it a memorable 285th individual tie when he made a superb 130, in 110 balls with 19 fours and a six, before being getting out as the last man.
Scorecard
Match in pics
Africa, replying to Asia XI's imposing total of 317 for 9, were all out for 283 in 47.5 overs to give the latter a 1-0 lead ahead of the last two ties in Chennai on June 9 and 10.
Earlier, Asia XI batted right down the order without any batsman reaching the 70s to post a huge 317 for nine wickets after choosing to bat first, riding mainly on half centuries by captain Mahela Jayawardene (65) and Mohammed Yousuf (66).
In reply, Africa floundered against the Asia new ball attack of Asif and Zaheer Khan who shared the first five wickets to reduce the former to a sorry-reading 31 for five.
Pollock, whose previous highest ODI score was 75, thereafter stubbornly ploughed a furrow by holding the lower order together. His magnificent innings also enabled Africa to come very close to the Asian team's total. He was finally out when he miscued Mashrafe Mortaza to Yousuf at short mid-wicket.
The South African, who completed his hundred in 88 balls with a six and 15 fours, did not have adequate support to carry his team past the finish line after having rallied his team around from a hopeless position.
Pollock, who is playing the series only as a batsman, hit the ball around with impunity and power while singling out Zaheer for some rough treatment towards the end.
The defeat was the third straight one for Africa in two days of the inter-continent cricket rivalry after yesterday's double defeat in the Twenty20 format suffered by their men and women.
In the Asia XI innings, Jayawardene and Yousuf struck half centuries while Virender Sehwag showed glimpses of his vintage form in making a quick-fire 45 in 42 balls with 7 fours and a six while adding 68 runs in 49 balls for the second wicket with fellow-Indian Sourav Ganguly (32 in 29 balls with 7 fours).
Sehwag, who did not take the field when Africa batted, played his pet slashes and off punches in his 42-ball essay that contained seven fours and a six, while left-handed Ganguly started scratchily before playing some pleasing drives to the cover region while striking seven fours in his 29-ball knock.
The duo added 68 runs for the second wicket in only 49 balls after the early dismissal of Lanka veteran Sanath Jayasuriya who opened the innings with Sehwag. But both played on to lose their wickets just when they looked good for a bigger score.
Sehwag, who struck Kenya's Thomas Odoyo for three fours in the latter's third over, dragged a ball from Elton Chigumbura when trying to drive well away from his body while Ganguly played on while trying to guide a ball from the lanky Morne Morkel to third man.
Jayawardene and Yousuf, who creamed five fours, then stitched together a very important partnership of 94 runs before the Lanka captain fell in trying to give charge to off spinner Steve Tikolo of Kenya who troubled him a bit.
Jayawardene struck seven fours and a huge straight six off ODI debutant Morne Morkel in his 62-ball 65 after the fall of Sehwag and Ganguly and also put on 94 runs for the fourth wicket with Yousuf , who struck five fours in his 74-ball knock, to consolidate on the good start provided by the Indian pair.