South Africa weather Andries Gous storm to beat USA

Gous scored his highest score for the United States, but was unable to get them over the line

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Ciaran McCarthy | 19/06/2024 at 19:00

Antigua: South Africa 194-4, United States 176-7 - South Africa won by 18 runs

Andries Gous scored 80 from 47 deliveries - his highest score in a USA shirt - but was unable to get his side over the line against South Africa in the first match of the 2024 Men's T20 World Cup Super 8s.

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^{Gous' 80 runs was his highest return for the USA (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/Getty Images)}

He followed the lead of fellow opener Steven Taylor, who kept his side towards the required rate early on, scoring 24 from 24 deliveries, with 22 of those coming in boundaries.

USA needed to go at almost 10 runs an over, and while they tried their very best, they were regularly pegged back by a quality South Africa bowling unit.

Kagiso Rabada was the pick of those bowlers, returning 3 for 18 from his four overs, which included the wicket of Harmeet Singh - who shared a 91-run partnership with Gous - in a 19th over which went for just two runs, leaving the USA with too many to chase from the final over.

Other wickets came courtesy of Keshav Maharaj, Anrich Nortje and Tabraiz Shamsi, who took one apiece.

Earlier, South Africa raced out of the blocks, with Quinton de Kock particularly taking a liking to the USA bowlers. The opener reached his half-century in just 26 balls, including three consecutive sixes off Jasdeep Singh during the fourth over, which went for 28.

De Kock was eventually dismissed for 74 from 40, looking to hoist a Harmeet full toss over cow corner, but being caught on the boundary.

Aiden Markram continued where De Kock left off - after David Miller chipped his first ball back to Singh - making 46 from 32 before he was dismissed by a wily Saurabh Netravalkar ball which was thrown wide, and caught well by Ali Khan.

Netravalkar was the pick of the bowlers; while South Africa struck at almost 10 runs an over for the entire innings, the USA opener went for just 21 in his four overs, and picked up the important scalps of Markram and Reeza Hendricks.

Following the departure of the former, Heinrich Klaasen blasted three sixes during an innings of 36 not out from 22 balls, and Tristan Stubbs made a more measured 20 not out from 16 alongside his partner, with South Africa ending their innings on 194, which was eventually enough despite Gous’ fireworks.

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