Lucknow: David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen hit stroke-full half-centuries to guide South Africa to 249 for four in the rain-hit first ODI of the three-match series here on Thursday. Down at 110 for four, Miller (75 not out off 63 balls) and Klaasen (74 not out off 65 balls) added 139 runs for the unbroken fifth wicket to take the visitors to close to 250-run mark.
Shardul Thakur was the pick of the bowlers for India with figures of 2/35 from eight overs. Sent into bat, South Africa made a relatively slow start in the rain-truncated 40-overs-a-side game, reaching 41 for no loss after 10 overs. India skipper Shikhar Dhawan's decision to bowl was justified by new ball bowlers Mohammed Siraj and Avesh Khan.
Siraj, in particular, was brilliant as he swung the ball both ways to trouble the Proteas batters initially but without any luck. Dhawan introduced Shardul Thakur in the ninth over and in two balls the pacer gave his team the first chance, inducing an edge from Janneman Malan but Shubman Gill dropped a sitter at the first slip.
Read: EXCLUSIVE: How arm-wrestling revived former Mr. India from Begumpet Syed Mahaboob Ali's career
But Shardul got his man four overs later as Malan flicked one straight to Shreyas Iyer at short midwicket. Leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi was taken to task by South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma (8) as he conceded 31 runs from his first three overs. Bavuma, who was struggling for runs in the preceding T20I series, reverse-swept and drove Bishnoi for two boundaries in the 14th over. But Bavuma's short and attacking innings was cut short by Thakur, who went through his defence as the batter registered another single digit score in the tour.
Kuldeep Yadav gave India another breakthrough soon, cleaning up Aiden Markram for a duck with a sharp leg-spin. Quinton de Kock went about his business in quiet fashion and held one end together before perishing in the 23rd over. De Kock scored 48 off 54 balls with the help of five boundaries before he was trapped in front of the wicket by Bishnoi as South Africa slumped to 110 for 4 in the 23rd over.
Two overs later, David Miller effortlessly struck the visitors' first six of the innings, straight over long-on boundary off the bowling of Bishnoi. Miller and Klaasen then took the attack to the opposition. Miller played sensibly and dispatched the loose balls to the boundary to record his 18th half-century off 50 balls with the help of four boundaries and one hit over the fence.
Klaasen soon followed suit and registered his fourth ODI fifty in 52 balls. Death over bowling continued to haunt India as Miller and Klaasen brought up their century partnership in just 84 balls. To add to that, India dropped as many as four catches, displaying poor standard of outfield fielding.
Brief Scores:
South Africa: 249 for 4 in 40 overs (Heinrich Klaasen 74 not out, David Miller 75 not out, Quinton de Kock 48; Shardul Thakur 2/35).
