Alan Dawson held his nerve in the final over as South Africa beat India by four runs in their opening match of the Over-50 Cricket World Cup on Monday.

The former Proteas allrounder had 11 to defend in the 45th over at Wynberg Cricket Club against rampant opposition captain Iqbal Khan, but he did enough to ensure the tournament favourites got all the points.

South Africa started well enough after being put in to bat on a difficult wicket, with captain Louis Koen (33) putting on 61 for the first wicket with Brandon Nash (pictured) before Craig Lyons (41) took over.

But Nash’s run out for 50 with the score on 123/1 triggered a collapse, with only Mario Solomons (41 off 40) and Saleem Mukkudem (21) contributing further in a score of 209/9.

Jamil Khan was the standout bowler for India, finishing with remarkable figures of 7-2-11-3.

India’s start was solid if unspectacular, with Grant Jansen (2/33) and Mukkudem (2/34) restricting them to 107/5. However, a 76-run sixth-wicket partnership threatened to take the game away from the Proteas Veterans, but Goolam Taliep (1/28) and Dawson (2/25) proved the difference.

The biggest shock of the day saw Sri Lanka beat the favoured Australians at Green Point Cricket Club, thanks in large to Ruvin Peiris’ 94 in a total of 234.

The Aussies looked dead and buried at 180/8 with four overs remaining, but Richard Gabb’s incredible knock of 71 off just 41 deliveries got them needing four off the final ball, but Dillon Fernandez got the yorker in hit middle stump for a famous win.

England were the big winners on the day, thumping Namibia by 204 runs at Western Province Cricket Club.

David Snellgrove (118*) and Steve Chapman (101) combined for a 183-run second-wicket partnership to post 307/3 before their bowlers rolled the Namibians, with only Melt van Schoor (40*) offering any real resistance.

New Zealand were even more impressive in their 225-run victory against Zimbabwe at Cape Town Cricket Club. Adam Hore hit 114 and captain Adrian Dale 68 in a total of 308/7, with Murray Goodwin the pick of the bowlers with 3/31.

He added 34 with the bat, but some top quality bowling from Dean Askew (3/13) and John Vujnovich (3/13) meant they didn’t even reach three figures, dismissed for 89.

At Claremont Cricket Club, Asif Hamayun (68*) and Muahmmad Jawed (66*) took Pakistan from a precarious position of 31/3 to a seven-wicket win against Wales, who could only muster 159 in 45 overs thanks to Iwan Rees’ 55.

At the Vineyard Oval in Newlands, the West Indies beat Canada by 50 runs in a match reduced to 30 overs due to a wet outfield. The Windies posted 184 thanks to Ishwar Maraj’s 43, with Lincoln Mohammed picking up 4/40. Canada, in reply, could only score 128/7.

Image courtesy of MatchPixSA