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Given the circumstances it was almost inevitable that the cricket would be overshadowed by all that had gone before. Even so there was a curious emptiness about the first day of the, as we now have to call it, five-day match between South Africa and India at SuperSport on Friday.For a start, it has been difficult to find an appropriate label for the game. Quite obviously it does not have the blessing of the ICC and is therefore not a Test match (and the ICC, incidentally, managed to get quite sniffy about a reference to an unofficial "Test"). A tour match? Well, yes it is, but that seems to miss the target as well.The prevailing wisdom at Centurion on Friday was that at least one of the competing teams, India, will attempt to have the match upgraded to full Test status some time in the future when emotions have subsided and the parties on all sides of the issue are better prepared to listen to rational argument.Whatever the case, the first day produced another patchy batting display from India who were sent in to bat by Shaun Pollock, ending the day on 221 for eight. The Indians left out Virender Sehwag (presumably to better strengthen their case if and when the reinstatement case is argued), had skipper Sourav Ganguly out with back and shoulder spasms and left out seamer Ajit Agarkar.All of this made space for Ashish Nehra, Venkatesh Prasad and Connor Williams who has probably spent last month or so wondering what he was supposed to be doing in South Africa.But when he finally found himself on the field, not for a Test match, but for a reasonably close approximation) he might have wondered whether it had been worth the wait. He was hit around the body by both Pollock and Nantie Hayward before falling leg before to Lance Klusener for 5 as India crawled through to lunch at 44 for one.The batting perked up after the interval, but so too did the Indians manage to get themselves out: Rahul Dravid for 5, Shiv Das for another dogged 46, Sachin Tendulkar for 27, carelessly flicking at one down the leg side, and VVS Laxman for 14, well caught in the gully by Gary Kirsten.At 107 for five, India were in trouble and South Africa already into the tail, but here, interestingly, the tourists began to display rather more resolve.South Africa had generally bowled tidily with Jacques Kallis as effective as at any stage during the two official Test matches, but Deep Dasgupta and Anil Kumble then dug in to add 51 for the sixth wicket (a record partnership, incidentally, for five-day matches that are not Tests between the two countries).Dasgupta was eventually undone by a short one from Nantie Hayward that he poked off his ribs to square leg for 36 and then Harbhajan Singh flapped happily around until he was run out for 29. Even then, South Africa couldn’t quite finish it off despite Javagal Srinath having to retire hurt after being struck on the hand by Hayward.Hayward, in fact, was to finish with best figures of the day after bowling Kumble for 27 off the last ball of the day. His return was three for 70 while Kallis took two for 15 and for once Pollock went wicketless.It was, in the end, a hollow day, dressed in the trappings of Test cricket but not quite the real thing. Some would argue that this match should never have taken place in the first place – and there are strong reasons to pay heed to this point of view. For all this, though, we have a game of cricket, if not quite a game of Test cricket.

Match facts

Saturday, January 2, 2015, Cape Town
Start time 1030 local (0830 GMT)

Big Picture

When St George’s cathedral chimed midnight more than a few South Africa cricketers will have wished goodbye and good riddance to 2015. It was a year in which their ranking as the No. 1 Test side in the world looked increasingly hollow. If a horrific tour of India could be partially explained by reference to the brazenly turning surfaces, defeat to England in Durban emphasised that their malaise runs deeper.It is a time for strong men, and South Africa have called up the strongest of them all. Graeme Smith retired from international cricket in Cape Town at the end of the Test against Australia nearly two years ago and things have rarely felt the same since. He returns as a batting consultant for the rest of the series, but it is hard to imagine that he will be concentrating on batting technique. Smith’s presence can be expected to stiffen the resolve of everybody in the South Africa camp – to address, indeed, the very frailties of morale that he identified a couple of days ago in his role as a TV pundit. That commentary role will continue, putting him in an awkward position. Such dual roles are far from ideal, even for those of high integrity and reputation.England, by contrast, will anticipate 2016 with relish. If they succeed in South Africa – and the signs so far is that it is well within their capabilities – they have seven Tests in England next summer against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, two sides that they can expect to dominate in their own conditions, especially as Sri Lanka are debilitated by the international retirements of Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara and Pakistan are likely to face tensions arising from the reintegration of Mohammad Amir now that he has served his spot-fixing ban.For now, though, all thoughts are on Cape Town. Alex Hales’ task is to establish himself as a Test opener, James Anderson will want to dispel the creeping notion that with age he is becoming increasingly vulnerable to niggling injuries and if Joe Root made a cricket-based New Year’s resolution it was surely to turn all those fifties in a wonderfully consistent 2015 into something even more substantial.

Form guide

(last five completed matches, most recent first)
South Africa LLLDL
England WLLDL

In the spotlight

Until an England opening batsman other than Alastair Cook begins to make runs in Test cricket, the spotlight remains unwavering. It fell upon Alex Hales in Durban and, after two low scores, it is not about to move. Hales is extolled as a fine T20 batsman – although, as yet, not highly enough by the IPL franchises – and he is regarded by the majority as a one-day cricketer, but in Test cricket views vary from one extreme to the other. Those who suspect his attributes for Test cricket will not have been changed their outlook after his two dismissals in Durban – a drive at a wideish one from Dale Steyn and a hit down the ground against the offspin of Dane Piedt. His technique and tempo will again come under scrutiny.How best to bring about transformation is a perpetual discussion in South African cricket but, irrespective of quotas, Kagiso Rabada has the raw talent to forge an outstanding international career. With Steyn confirmed as unfit, and South Africa emerging from a horrendous 2015, the raw threat of a truly fast bowler playing his first Test in South Africa might be precisely what they need to dispel the despondency. Rabada took 6 for 16 on his ODI debut against Bangladesh in July and bowled a fine final over to still India – and MS Dhoni – in Kanpur. His pace has regularly gone top side of 90mph (145kph), he hits the pitch hard and he has shown excellent control for one so inexperienced. India’s pitches defused him in his first three Tests, but he now has a chance to enjoy home comforts and, if he fares well on the Cape, quicker pitches lie in wait as the series progresses. There is reason for excitement at his inclusion.

Team news

James Anderson built up his workload successfully in the nets in Durban as he began his recovery from a calf strain, but England will make a final assessment on the morning of the match as to whether he should return with Chris Woakes the likely omission. Anderson bowled the equivalent of a six-over spell on the square on Wednesday morning. “My thought is you’d probably go with him, so fingers crossed he comes to us and says his body’s feeling good,” was the assessment of England’s coach Trevor Bayliss although Alastair Cook said they would need to be careful.England (probable) 1 Alastair Cook (capt), 2 Alex Hales, 3 Nick Compton, 4 Joe Root, 5 James Taylor, 6 Ben Stokes, 7 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 8 Moeen Ali, 9 Stuart Broad, 10 Steven Finn, 11 James Anderson/Chris WoakesAfter their defeat in Durban and the loss of Steyn because of injury, South Africa replenished their squad with Quinton de Kock, Chris Morris and latterly Hardus Viljoen. De Kock is expected to keep wicket, such is the resistance of AB de Villiers to fulfilling the role once more, although the details were still under discussion the day before the match. Morris’ involvement is less certain – he would need to edge out Kyle Abbott, who has a niggly hamstring, for the last seam-bowling place. Rabada’s home Test debut has been confirmed and the recent heat in Cape Town makes the presence of a specialist seamer in Piedt certain.South Africa (probable) 1 Stiaan van Zyl, 2 Dean Elgar, 3 Hashim Amla, 4 AB de Villiers, 5 Faf du Plessis, 6 Temba Bavuma, 7 Quinton de Kock (wk), 8 Kyle Abbott/Chris Morris, 9 Dane Piedt, 10 Morne Morkel, 11 Kagiso Rabada

Pitch and conditions

Excessive heat in Cape Town over the last few weeks has seen the groundsman call for extra watering of the pitch. Despite that there’s not much green and the locals have described it as pretty flat: Moeen Ali has cause to wonder if a second successive surface might eventually fall in his favour. Newlands is usually hard and fast on day one, good for batting on days two and three and will take some turn towards the end. Five rain-free days are expected with hot sun on the first two and some clouds coming in mid-way through the match.

Stats and trivia

• South Africa have lost four Tests in 28 in Cape Town since readmission to Test cricket – all of them against Australia. They have beaten England in three out of four meetings
• Aleem Dar will become only the third member of the ICC elite umpires panel to stand in 100 Tests, joining Steve Bucknor and Rudi Koertzen. He stood in his first Test in 2003 when Bangladesh hosted England in Dhaka.
• Morne Morkel will provide 232 Test wickets for South Africa; the other three likely frontline bowlers – Abbott, Rabada and Piedt – total only 41 between them.
• Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers, re-established at Nos. 3 and 4 respectively, both have approaching landmarks. De Villiers needs 50 runs for 8000, Amla 93 for 7000.

Quotes

“To get Graeme on board now, Graeme being the quality cricketer that he is, fits the role perfectly. Graeme has got a good know-how about Test cricket and that’s what Test cricket is about. It’s about know-how, having a feel for the game and we’ve got a lot of youngsters that can draw on that.”
“The word consistency has already come up. Can we do it again? We have to be careful we don’t get carried away. There were times when we didn’t quite get it right in Durban and we managed to drag it back with absolute hunger and skill.”

Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc may yet be available for the tour of New Zealand early next year after examination of his broken right foot revealed he does not require surgery and will be able to resume training in less than a month.Starc suffered a stress fracture in the third metatarsal of his right foot, something the assistant coach Craig McDermott said may have been as a result of compensating for the painful “impingement” or bone spurs in his heel/ankle. That issue has been affecting Starc since the first Test of the Ashes series earlier this year.Apart from a brief, brave appearance while batting on the second afternoon, Starc has cut a disconsolate figure with crutches and a “moon boot” to support the injured foot. However McDermott said early fears about his availability for next year’s early assignments had eased. Nevertheless, Australia must find other pace resources against West Indies in Tests and India in ODIs before the New Zealand tour.”He’s got a crack on the top of his foot,” McDermott told ABC Grandstand radio. “He’s had a heel impingement which may have affected that, who knows, trying to compensate for landing on his heel he may have put more pressure on the front of his foot and that’s eventuated in a crack.”The good news for us is it’s not going to be as long as we thought, so he’s going to be out for three weeks and then we can work on him from there. Hopefully we can get him up for the New Zealand series and the World Twenty20 where he’s ranked No. 1 in the world.”All the way through England and the one-day series he’s had his heel impingement. In the last 12 months he’s done an unbelievable job.”Running his eye over Australia’s bowling stocks, McDermott mentioned the West Australian Nathan Coulter-Nile – suspended this week from Sheffield Shield cricket on a dissent charge – in addition to James Pattinson. He also spoke approvingly of Joel Paris and Billy Stanlake, though admitting both needed more match experience.”James Pattinson went back to Perth and he gets to bowl tomorrow, the Vics are batting today, he was pretty close to playing here, so with him back we’ve got our three quicks and Mitchell Marsh,” McDermott said. “After that we’ve got Nathan Coulter-Nile, if he can keep his tongue wired it would be great, and then we can get him involved if he bowls well enough as well.”Certainly we wouldn’t want too many more injuries, because then we get down past the blokes who are bowling 140kph plus, and that’s the way we like to put our bowling attack together. Joel Paris is very skilful in all formats, he’s had a bad run of injuries … he just needs to make sure his pace is up. Billy’s got the pace, but we need to get him through a fair bit more cricket before he gets into this sort of arena.”Australia’s captain Steven Smith said that Starc would be missed, and also revealed that Peter Siddle had been battling against a back spasm for much of this match. While Siddle is expected to be fine for the first of thee Tests against West Indies in Hobart starting December 10, Smith forecast careful management of Australia’s pace bowling resources over the remainder of the summer.”He’s had a bit of a flare-up in his back the last couple of days actually, so he’s done a terrific job to be able to fight through that and everything else that’s gone on this week to give a performance like he did,” Smith said of Siddle. “To take 200 Test wickets it’s a great feat and he should be really proud.”It was tough to lose someone of the calibre of Mitchell Johnson, and Starc’s been bowling exceptionally well. It was nice to see Joshy Hazlewood step up and really bowl well in this game, it’ll give him a lot of confidence going forward. He’s had a big workload over the last little bit as well.”We’re going to have to have a look at that, we don’t want to break him, we’ve got a lot of cricket to play coming up in the next couple of months, so it might be a bit of a mixed load among a couple of players.”The Australian Test squad for Hobart is expected to be announced on Tuesday.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Shane Warne inspired Rajasthan Royals to a sensational come-from-behind win against Deccan Chargers by capping outstanding leadership and canny bowling with a 17-run charge in the last over.The three-wicket victory – which was decided, for the second successive day, off the penultimate ball of the match – made Rajasthan the first team in the IPL to chase down a 200-plus score. They now lie fourth with four points from three games while Deccan, for whom Andrew Symonds scored a century and bowled the fateful final over, lost their third match in a row and remain at the bottom of the table.In the penultimate over, it had seemed Rajasthan were out of the chase with RP Singh effecting two dismissals and conceding only six runs. Before that Shahid Afridi and Symonds had bowled in tandem to keep the scoring under check between overs 12 and 14, but Mohammad Kaif changed all that in the next where he hit three sixes off Symonds. Afridi dismissed Shane Watson, Kaif and Graeme Smith and conceded only 28 runs. But having exhausted his main bowlers, VVS Laxman was forced to turn to Symonds for the decisive last over.That began with the odds stacked against Rajasthan. Pankaj Singh took three off the first two balls before giving the strike to Warne. He then hit a four over Symonds’ head, leaving ten to get off the last three balls. Warne needed just two of them, off which he hit consecutive sixes to spark scenes of wild celebrations among his team-mates.What set up the chase, though, was the 98-run partnership between Yusuf Pathan and Smith. The two were mindful of the run-rate they had to maintain right from the start and went past 100 in 8.3 overs, which made Rajasthan the fastest side to get to that figure in the tournament.Yusuf belied his lithe frame to get the ball into the stands several times while recording the fastest fifty of the tournament. He didn’t move his feet much but used all his strength as he reached out and swung his bat at everything. He fell in similar fashion, not moving his feet when he reached for a wide one off D Kalyankrishna and found Symonds at long-off. Smith was more conventional though equally attacking. He drove down the ground and cut behind third man for boundaries.Test cricket had been unlucky not to witness Warne as captain. Before his last-over heroics, he used his bowlers effectively to dent Deccan’s start. He brought on Yusuf in the third over – to replace Munaf Patel, who went for 12 in his opening effort – and was rewarded with the wickets of Adam Gilchrist and Afridi. Though Symonds more than made up for the poor start, Rajasthan’s target could have been much higher had Gilchrist built on his three fours. Warne also made Yusuf bat at No. 3 for the second game in a row, after getting him to open in their first match.Laxman’s captaincy was very poor in comparison – his decision to open the innings with Gilchrist failed, as did his bowling change in the sixth over to bring on left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha, who went for 16 runs. But even Warne had no tricks against Symonds, who showed his two initial failures were blips with an innings that included powerful straight fours and sixes mostly by making room in the crease.He did not indulge in unconventional strokes – except a short ball that he pulled tennis-style late in the innings – and stuck mostly to back-foot drives and flicks. He reached his half-century off 29 balls and then took only 18 more to get to the fastest hundred of the tournament. His 111-run partnership with Rohit Sharma, who scored a half-century in the previous match, ruined the Rajasthan bowlers’ early efforts. Now Deccan will have to rethink their bowling strategies after losing a game that was firmly in their grasp.

North Division

Scotland pulled off a sensational two-run win over Lancashire at Old Trafford despite only scoring 155 for 9. The shock came a week after they had been skittled for 74 in the reverse fixture. Steven Croft took 4 for 24 as Scotland struggled for runs, and Andrew Flintoff chipped in with 2 for 13. Lancashire’s innings fell apart as they crumpled to 44 for 7 before Luke Sutton and Kyle Hogg put on 71 for the eighth wicket. Eight were needed from the last over, and James Anderson needed to hit a boundary off the last ball but Gordon Drummond restricted him to a single.Click here for John Ward’s report of Yorkshire’s match against Durham at Headingley.

South/West Division

In a rain-affected match at New Road, Vikram Solanki powered Worcestershire to a seven-wicket win over Glamorgan with a slick 88 from 84 balls which included five sixes. He and Stephen Moore put on an unbeaten 58 for the fourth wicket to guide Worcestershire to their target of 186, with nine balls to spare, and Ben Smith chipped in with a valuable 34-ball 41. In a match reduced to 28 overs, Glamorgan’s Tom Maynard – son of Matthew – top-scored with 48 from just 29 balls, while Jamie Dalrymple cracked 44 from 31, but they hadn’t counted on Solanki’s explosive hitting.

Midlands Division

A superb 102 from Stephen Peters helped Northamptonshire ease past Ireland by eight wickets at Northampton. Ireland could only muster 203 for 9 in their fifty overs, though Paul Stirling – the very highly regarded 17-year-old – top-scored with 70 from 95 balls, including four fours and four sixes. It was never a total to trouble Northamptonshire, however, and Peters found excellent support in Niall O’Brien, their pugnacious Irish batsman, who made 75. Northamptonshire lost two wickets but Peters saw them home in the 43rd over.Ryan Cummins took 3 for 21 in a disciplined bowling performance for Leicestershire who beat Warwickshire by 45 runs at Edgbaston. In a match reduced to 23 overs, Leicestershire compiled 148 for 6 thanks to thirties from Jacques Du Toit, Jim Allenby and Boeta Dippenaar, but it was their bowlers who swung the match. Cummins removed Neil Carter for 3 while Garnett Kruger picked up the key wickets of Ian Westwood and Jonathan Trott. Tim Ambrose gave the hosts hope with 28 from 31, but there was little else from the lower-order and Warwickshire were dismissed for just 103.

South East Division

Chris Adams led from the front with a perfectly timed 109 from 103 balls to guide Sussex to a comfortable win over Middlesex at Hove, chasing down a sizeable 274 with 12 balls to spare. Middlesex’s 273 was set-up by a slick 80 from Ed Joyce, which contained 12 fours, and a typically industrious 68 from Owais Shah. Middlesex’s bowling is their weakest suit, however, and none of their pace attack settled into any kind of rhythm. Matt Prior crashed 79 from 92 balls, sharing in a second-wicket stand of 81 with Adams. But it was Adams’ partnership of 115 with Murray Goodwin which really put the match out of Middlesex’s reach, as Adams took them home with 12 balls in hand.Click here for Brydon Coverdale’s report of Kent’s 90-run win over Surrey at The Oval.

Victoria 251 (Hussey 84, White 61, Magoffin 5-67) and 0 for 17 trail Western Australia 9 for 428 dec and 5 for 277 dec (Marsh 96, Voges 79*, Ronchi 61) by 437 runs
Scorecard

Victoria face a monster fourth-day chase as they fight for Pura Cup final-hosting rights, after Shaun Marsh’s 96 set up a lead of 454 for Western Australia. The Bushrangers reached 0 for 17 at stumps with Nick Jewell on 6 and Lloyd Mash on 9, meaning they required a further 438 for an unlikely win.Western Australia could have enforced the follow-on after the Bushrangers were dismissed for 251, at which point they trailed by 177. Cameron White began the day as their primary hope but he could only add five to his overnight score and at 61 became Steve Magoffin’s fifth victim.Shane Harwood and Bryce McGain grabbed two wickets each in the Warriors’ second innings, however Marsh and Luke Ronchi got the home side away to a strong start. Ronchi was promoted to open as Justin Langer rested his sore back and his 61 from 62 balls set the scene.Adam Voges continued to extend their lead with 79 not out before the declaration came at 5 for 277, giving Victoria a nine-over period to face late in the day. Although they have built their reputation on chasing big targets in recent years, the Bushrangers’ current task would be one of their greatest achievements if they could pull it off.Victoria and New South Wales have already reached the Pura Cup decider and the teams are equal on points, meaning the hosting rights will be determined by the current games and the final round, which starts on Friday. New South Wales also failed to claim first-innings points in their match against Tasmania.

New Zealand’s Test team for the first National Bank Test with England will now not be named until 4.30pm tomorrow.The team was originally to have been named at 10am.However, the selectors were still waiting to hear the result of a fitness assessment of left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori and were reportedly also keen to see Canterbury fast bowler Chris Martin in action for Canterbury against England.Medical reports had been received on Chris Cairns and Craig McMillan and they were positive news for the selectors a New Zealand Cricket spokesman said.

Two weeks before its launch, the Indian Premier League has raised a potential controversy by placing unprecedented demands on media organisations planning to cover the tournament, including a regulation that prevents photographs appearing on news websites. IPL officials say there is room for negotiation, while one respected international news agency, Agence France-Press (AFP), says the present terms don’t allow it to cover the tournament.The accreditation forms were posted online overnight with a deadline of April 8, leaving companies five days to sign on to cover the tournament under these terms or be refused entry.The conditions include the IPL’s right to use all pictures taken at its grounds for free and without restrictions; the commitment by news organisations to upload on the IPL site, within 24 hours, all images taken at the ground; and the restriction of web portals’ access to images without prior permission from the IPL.”The terms and conditions are too strict and raise questions about press freedom,” Barry Parker, AFP’s South Asia bureau chief, told Cricinfo. “The present terms and conditions don’t allow us to cover the event.”Several hours after the accreditation forms were posted online, the IPL indicated it was open to negotiations. “We don’t feel the rules are stringent in any way, as we are only protecting our rights,” said IS Bindra, a member of the IPL’s governing council. “We are treating the issue of photographs just as we would in the case of TV production. However, we are ready to discuss the issue with all parties involved to reach an amicable solution,” he said. “The production is ours. We are not being rigid here and saying that only what we say is right. Of course, we will ensure that things don’t lead to a situation where media outlets decide to boycott the event.”Asked why websites would be denied access to the pictures, Bindra said: “We have not allowed online usage only because we have sold the portal rights of the event to a respected company based in North America for US$50 million. We can’t disclose the company’s name at the moment as they are in the process of getting listed.””We’re monitoring the situation closely and working in collaboration with the News Media Coalition to try and find a solution,” Ken Mainardis, the director of photography and major events at Getty Images, told Cricinfo.Andrew Moger, a spokesman for the News Media Coalition, which includes some of the world’s major news and photograph agencies, said the decision would have an enormous impact on media groups with websites and news agencies supplying pictures around the world. “As feared, the media accreditation terms for the Indian Premier League represent some of the most restrictive and burdensome access arrangements ever seen by the news media worldwide.”Moger worked for the news agencies, including Reuters, AFP and AP, and the photo distributor Getty Images, when they had similar concerns over image rights in the accreditation guidelines set by Cricket Australia for the 2007-08 summer. There were fears media groups would have to pay for access and the body wanted to maintain rights over photographs taken in the stadiums. However, limits over the number of reports sent from the ground remained in place.The demands resulted in News Limited journalists being locked out for day one of the first Test against Sri Lanka, while the agency boycott ended a week later when Muttiah Muralitharan was on the verge of breaking Shane Warne’s then world record.

Sri Lanka have asked Pakistan to schedule their bilateral one-day series, which was proposed to fill the gap caused by Australia’s pull-out, so that the dates do not clash with those of the Indian Premier League (IPL).Arjuna Ranatunga, the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) chairman, had agreed in principle to a one-day series in Pakistan after Australia postponed their tour due to security concerns but the reported dates were between April 23 and May 5, which coincide with the IPL, which runs between April 18 and June 1.”We have told Pakistan that we are keen to help Pakistan only if it [the series] did not clash with the IPL,” Duleep Mendis, the chief executive of the SLC, told AFP. He said that the SLC had already released players for the IPL.Cricinfo had reported that the IPL could affect the series because several Sri Lankan and Pakistan players had been bought by the franchises during the first auction on the basis of their availability, and a newly scheduled series would be an inconvenience. The PCB said that it was willing to offer SLC $800,000 for the five ODIs but only if they sent their full team.Player sources denied any pressure was placed on SLC by the cricketers to delay the tour: “Media speculation over the weekend that some of Sri Lanka’s players might have been considering an early retirement or a series boycott to play in the IPL rather than tour Pakistan is totally unfounded. Playing for Sri Lanka is the No 1 priority.”Meanwhile, Niranjan Shah, the secretary of the BCCI, which is running the IPL, told Cricinfo he had contacted officials of the PCB and the SLC regarding the proposed series. “But it was just at the proposal stage. So we didn’t go any further into it,” Shah said.

Canada Under-19s routed Fiji Under-19s by eight wickets in a comfortable win in their 15th place playoff game in Cox’s Bazar, after bowling them out for 83. Canada needed 20 overs to knock off the target of 84.Fiji got off to a solid start after being inserted to bat, with the openers putting on 26 in 34 balls. Things fell apart thereafter, and they were soon bundled out for 83 in 28 overs. Opener Delaimatuku Maraiwai was the top-scorer with 14. Miraj Patel produced figures of 4 for 16, while Shlok Patel returned 3 for 18 from his 10 overs.Canada’s openers put on 58 in 84 balls, with Akash Gill making a patient 38. Fiji used seven bowlers, but only two of them could claim a wicket.Michael van Lingen starred with bat and ball, guiding Namibia Under-19s to a 15-run win against Nepal Under-19s in Fatullah. The victory ensured Namibia finished seventh in the tournament and automatically qualified for the 2018 World Cup. Namibia, after opting to bat, lost Niko Davin off the first ball, but half-centuries from Lohan Louwrens (59) and van Lingen (58) powered the team to 225 for 9 from 45 overs. That total was also built on the back of a 99-run partnership for the sixth wicket between van Lingen and Francois Rautenbach.Nepal began their chase well, courtesy a 97-run, second-wicket partnership between Sunil Dhamala (59) and Yogendra Singh Karki, but quick blows from van Lingen (4 for 24) and Fritz Coetzee (3 for 34) soon reduced them to 113 for 4. Nepal once again led a recovery through Aarif Sheikh and Dipendra Singh Airee, but the dismissal of Aarif in the 36th over thwarted the team’s momentum; as they eventually folded for 210.