South Africa hit by Rhodes hand injury

South Africa's 10-wicket mauling of Kenya seemed almost inconsequential yesterday after Jonty Rhodes broke a hand and may have to face up to his international career ending.

"It was one of those situations where he moved one way, and had to change direction," said South Africa's captain Shaun Pollock. "In stopping the ball, he must have broken the bone." Rhodes had x-rays at a local hospital which confirmed a fracture of the right hand.

"He was examined by the physio Shane Jabaar and sent for x-rays which showed a break," Pollock explained. "Doctors then sent him to Johannesburg to see a specialist to find out the extent of the injury."

The 33-year-old Rhodes, arguably the world's best fielder, was playing in his fourth World Cup. "We will wait for the news but perhaps we can look at a similar situation to Andre Joubert in the 1995 World Cup," Pollock said, referring to Joubert's broken hand in rugby union's showpiece in South Africa eight years ago. The Springbok full-back spent time in a hyperbaric chamber to quicken the recovery time of the injury.

If Rhodes is ruled out, then Graeme Smith, Neil McKenzie or Jacques Rudolph could be called up. Smith was unlucky to miss out on selection and Rudolph scored 150 against Australia in a warm-up game.

"We really don't know what will happen," said Pollock. "But we are hoping something can be done which allows him to play." South Africa's team media manager Gerald de Kock said the situation would be monitored on a daily basis.

The crowd enjoyed the dazzling brilliance of Herschelle Gibbs, who made an unbeaten 87 not out, many of the fans refreshed by a beer despite an attempt to close the bar for an hour and a half during lunch for security reasons. Security has rightly been at the heart of the tournament but supporters have paid a hot and sweaty price.

Queues to get into stadiums have been long and slow with everbody passing through metal detectors and personal searches. The massive presence of armed police and army units has been as oppressive as the heat of the late South African summer.

Queues quickly formed at beer kiosks as fans attempted to stockpile and barely 10 minutes later it was announced: "To reward the people of Potchefstroom for their good behaviour, we will not close the bars. But drunkenness will be severely dealt with."

South Africa had been set a a modest target of 141 for victory which Gibbs and Gary Kirsten, with an unbeaten 52, achieved with almost 30 overs to spare to put the home side's campaign back on course.

Earlier the Kenyan opener Ravindu Shah threatened to ignore the script with a polished 60 before being run out by the man of the match, Lance Klusener, who returned figures of four for 16, bowling in his own words "slow rubbish" - which is off-cutters to the rest of us.

Gibbs, though, belted a dozen boundaries and four sixes from only 66 balls to send the crowd home in delirious mood.

KENYA

K O Otieno run out 1

R D Shah run out 60

B J Patel c Boucher b Pollock 1

*S O Tikolo c Kirsten b Pollock 3

H S Modi c Pollock b Boje 9

M O Odumbe c Gibbs b Klusener 16

T M Odoyo c Boucher b Ntini 22

C O Obuya lbw b Klusener 0

M A Suji c Pollock b Klusener 0

P J Ongondo c Kirsten b Klusener 13

A Y Karim not out 0

Extras (b1, lb3, w7, nb4) 15

Total (38 overs) 140

Fall: 4, 7, 26, 62, 92, 105, 105, 120, 139.

Bowling: Pollock 6-2-15-2; Ntini 7-1-14-1; Kallis 3-0-23-0; Langeveldt 5-0-24-0; Boje 9-1-44-1; Klusener 8-2-16-4.

SOUTH AFRICA

H H Gibbs not out 87

G Kirsten not out 52

Extras (w2, nb1) 3

Total (for 0, 21.2 overs) 142

Did not bat: J H Kallis, H H Dippenaar, J N Rhodes, M V Boucher, L Klusener, *S M Pollock, N Boje, M Ntini, C K Langeveldt.

Bowling: M A Suji 4-0-21-0; Odoyo 6-1-34-0; Karim 2-0-17-0; C O Obuya 5-1-32-0; Odumbe 2-0-21-0; Ongondo 2.2-0-17-0.

Umpires: K C Barbour and T H Wijewardena.

South Africa won by 10 wickets.

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