South Africa 316 for 5 (Gibbs 116, Smith 69) beat Kenya 140 (Tikolo 69, Benkenstein 3-5) by 176 runs
Scorecard

It was asking a lot of Kenya to raise their game that extra level, after they had run West Indies so close in their opening match of the tournament. And sure enough, they couldn't, although Steve Tikolo – once again – was on hand to ensure that their clash with South Africa ended in a mere defeat, rather than humiliation.

Tikolo, who scored a fine 93 in that West Indies match, demonstrated his class once again in scoring 69, more than all of his colleagues could muster between them. He had a couple of lives – he was reprieved by the third umpire on 35 when he edged a bouncer to the wicketkeeper, and Jacques Kallis spilt a sharp return catch on 56 – but such was the quality and defiance of his strokeplay, particularly through the covers, that he earned his luck.

But Tikolo's effort was no more than a pleasant cigar after the main event. Batting first, South Africa compiled 316 for 5, the highest total ever recorded at the Premadasa Stadium, thanks to an all-consuming partnership of 159 between Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs, who made 116, his eighth one-day hundred.

Kenya's bowlers had started brightly, and were ably supported by some energetic fielding, particularly from Maurice Obumbe in the covers. But as was the case against West Indies, most of the chances that came their way were put down, and by the end of the innings their ground fielding had suffered as well.

Gibbs took a while to get going, but after scoring only six runs in ten overs, he went into overdrive. Straight after the first drinks break, he hoisted the impressive Martin Suji for 20 runs in two overs, including a premeditated slog over backward square-leg, and a couple of handsome hoists over midwicket and long-on.

Smith got in on the act as well, dancing down the track to clip the second-string bowlers into the gaps in the field. He brought up his fifty in 62 balls, and as he and Gibbs ran the Kenyans ragged, the only way either of them looked like getting out was via a run-out or a lapse in concentration.

Smith duly obliged, as he wafted a sweep slog at an offbreak from Maurice Obumbe and was stumped with his back foot resting on the line. That was the first of four dismissals for the wicketkeeper David Obuya, although he was slightly fortunate to remove Jacques Kallis – the ball cannoned off Obuya's pads and back onto the base of the stumps.

It was relentless stuff from the South Africans, who queued up like a tag-wrestling team to have their turn. Gibbs brought up his century in 120 balls, including a couple of vast sixes over midwicket, and when he fell, Kallis took up the cudgels, adding 73 in 10 overs with Dippenaar.

A target of 317 was always out of reach, especially after Kenya had slumped to 5 for 2 in four overs. Tikolo was on hand to prevent a complete collapse, and found an able ally in Kennedy Obuya, who swished and blocked his way to 16 runs in 53 balls. Obuya even provided the funniest moment of the match when he swung at a Lance Klusener bouncer and nearly decapitated Mark Boucher behind the stumps as his bat flew out of his hands. Boucher, to his credit, kept his eyes on the ball, took it cleanly, then turned turtle as the bat landed inches from his head.

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