The Proteas crushed Sussex by 66 runs in their first of two warm-up games in England, led by a fierce Quinton de Kock ton.
South Africa’s first warm-up game was met by rain, which reduced the 50-over match to a 32-over clash at County Ground in Hove.
When play began, the Proteas went with an unusual opening pairing of Wayne Parnell and De Kock, and their partnership got off to a flyer. The pair led their side to 121-1, before Stiaan van Zyl (1-29) struck to dismiss Parnell on a well-played 42-ball 61 (seven fours, three sixes).
De Kock continued to destroy the Sussex bowlers, reaching 104 off 78 balls (five fours, seven sixes) before retiring out.
JP Duminy continued the work of his openers, and he too put on a decent total scoring 68 off 46 balls in a 67-run stand with David Miller.
Abidine Sakande dismissed both players in the 31st over to reduce South Africa to 275-4.
The visitors managed to post 289-4 in their reduced 32 overs, with Dwaine Pretorius and Ferhaan Behardien unbeaten on 13 and 1 respectively.
The Proteas replied instantly through Kagiso Rabada, who was responsible for two ducks in the opening over, removing Sussex’s openers on the second and fifth ball.
Parnell and Morne Morkel then combined with a wicket apiece to set the visitors back further, with Morkel picking up the scalp of fellow countryman Van Zyl for 37 off 33 balls.
A fifth-wicket partnership of 67 runs between Harry Finch and Delray Rawlins (41 off 30) brought the hosts back into the match, but a run-out by Parnell knocked over Rawlins to pin the hosts back at 154-5 (20.4 overs).
Finch fought hard to keep his side in the game, but wickets continued to tumble, with Keshav Maharaj picking up a double in the 23rd over.
The game was all but over when Finch (62 off 59 balls) lost his wicket, Andile Phehlukwayo picking up his scalp to reduce the hosts to 183-8 with just under seven overs remaining.
Phehlukwayo picked up another in his next over, and the game fizzled out from there, with Sussex ending on 223-9.
Photo: Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images
