Dippenaar (167) punishes V/Chancellor’s bowlers

A SPLENDID unbeaten  167 by South Africa batsman Boeta Dippenaar left the visitors well poised after the first day of their match against a University of The West Indies Vice Chancellor’s XI at the Sir Frank Worrell Cricket Ground at the UWI Campus, St Augustine, yesterday. Dippenaar’s  land-mark hundred was laced with 20 fours and two sixes after he had spent the entire day at the crease, facing 252 balls. At the close the South Africans were 347 for three wickets with the other not out batsman Mark Boucher on 53, as they sharpen up for the third Test against the West Indies. Put in to bat, South Africa did not disappoint the thousands that flocked to the venue to catch a glimse, as Dippenaar and AB de Villiers sent them off to a perfect start, putting opening bowlers Tino Best and Fidel Edwards under early fire.

It was only when captain Ridley Jacobs brought on spinner Dave Mohammed that the UWI team got their first success. De Villiers was bowled by Mohammed for 12, but the visitors went to lunch on 83 for one wicket. Dippenaar continued his onslaught when Jacobs strangely brought back Best and Edwards into the attack. Probably the arrival of Barbados Prime Minister Owen Arthur may have encouraged Best who then forced Ashwell Prince into an awkward pull to be caught by Marlon Samuel for 34. Dippenaar was put down by Ryan Ramdass off the bowling of Phillip Brown with his score on 43. And when Dippenaar was joined at the crease by stylish batsman Hershell Gibbs,  the duo put on a fantastic display of batting, with none of the Vice Chancellor’s bowlers spared.

Gibbs was particularly severe on Best, who after hitting him with the ball in a run-out attempt, was then pulled over square leg for the game’s first six. Mohammed and Brown replaced the fastbowlers, but even with the fans cheering, Gibbs and Dippenaar were already into a smooth flow treating almost any delivery with disdain. Gibbs went to the tea interval with his score on 80 which included nine fours and three sixes after he had faced 95 balls. But shortly after the resumption, he was out caught by wicketkeeper Jacobs off  the bowling of Mohammed without any addition to his score. At that point the South Africans were just nine runs short of reaching the 300 landmark.

Wicketkeeper Boucher joined Dippenaar at the crease and helped frustrate the gathering that came to cheer on their regional heroes. The pair took the score past the landmark 300 with consumate ease. Boucher lashed six fours in his 81 minutes stay at the crease so far. And Dippenaar continued to batter the Vice Chancellor’s bowlers as he quickly and skilfully added to his tally nearing the end. After the mandatory 90 overs Dippenaar and Boucher stood firm, but it was Mohammed who finished best of the bowlers with two wickets for 93 runs, while Best’s lone wicket cost 39.