Saleem Mukuddem and Mario Solomons were the stars of the show as South Africa survived a second close call at the Over-50 World Cup on Tuesday.
The Proteas Veterans looked dead and buried against Pakistan at 117/5, needing 90 off less than 10 overs. But the two combined for an unbeaten partnership, with vice-captain Solomons winning the game with a six to finish on 65, while Mukuddem provided some much-needed impetus with 48 off just 24 deliveries.
It looked like the game at Reddam Constantia would have been over much earlier, with Pakistan floundering at 65/7 before the 19th over, but Muhammad Jaffer Qureshi and Muhammad Hafeez put on a 137-run eighth-wicket partnership. Mukkudem was the star with ball in hand, picking up 5/36.
For the second game in a row, tournament favourites Australia were stunned - this time by Over-50 World Cup rookies the United States. They were bowled out for just 103, with Sajith Fernando the destroyer-in-chief with 9-3-11-3, before reaching the target with six wickets down and 21 overs to spare.
Australia’s slayers on Monday, Sri Lanka, were at it again, this time beating a very strong New Zealand side by 17 runs. The Kiwis hammered Zimbabwe in their first match, but they could not chase down the target of 193, with Ruvin Peiris’ 9-0-18-4 the difference in the end.
At Westerford High School, India bounced back from their four-run defeat to South Africa with a comprehensive eight-wicket win against Namibia. The Africans managed just 106, with Piers le Strange getting 40, but India chased the target down in the 17th over - Nishit Sudakar Shetty getting an unbeaten 47 off 39 deliveries.
England followed up Monday’s comprehensive win against Namibia with another comfortable one against the UAE. Richard Trotman scored their third century in two games - 104 out of a total of 216 - before Mehboob Elahi took 4/43 to dismiss UAE 56 runs short of the target.
At Milnerton High School, Zimbabwe bounced back from the hammering they received from New Zealand the day before to seal a four-wicket win against Wales. Three wickets each for Michael van Staden and Andrew Walton restricted the Welsh to 171, before Murray Goodwin (57 off 58) and Stuart Carlise (57 off 64) steered them over the line.