LONDON // Herschelle Gibbs may have spent the majority of the past year clinging on to his status as an international cricketer, but he has done an impressive job of retaining the limelight in the meantime.
As brightly as Wayne Parnell, the promising Proteas fast bowler, and the livewire West Indies all-rounder Lendl Simmons shone, they were upstaged by the 35-year-old Gibbs at the Oval yesterday.
The unbeaten South Africans maintained their relentless progress through the World Twenty20 with a ruthless 20-run win over the West Indies, set up by a spark-ling half-century from Gibbs.
The veteran has the highest score by a South African in 20-over cricket to his name - the 90 he made against the same opposition in the inaugural World Twenty20 - but he had been quiet so far in this series. Before his half-century here, he had accrued a mere 31 from three innings.
He has had little call to serious action, so smooth has South Africa's progress been so far in the competition. Jacques Kallis, the most consistent batsman in the tournament to date, added another 45 to his aggregate here, using up just 31 balls in the process.
AB de Villiers, whom the South Africa coach Micky Arthur stated on UK radio earlier in the day that he would become "the best batsman on the planet" within two years, was not even required to repeat his heroics of earlier in the week.
Gibbs eventually finished on 55 from 35 deliveries, before becoming one of three victims for Jerome Taylor.
He hit two sixes, one of which measured 90 metres, and fell when he skied a catch which Chris Gayle juggled before pouching at extra-cover.
Much attention was paid to Gayle, as always, when the West Indies batsmen emerged in pursuit of their distant victory target of 184.
Just as he did the previous evening in the win over India, he fell before being able to light the fuse on his pyrotechnics.
Yet again, his young side proved they are more than just a one-man band, and Simmons confirmed his growing reputation with a second successive half-century.
Across London, his uncle Phil Simmons had spent the morning assisting Ireland - of whom the former Test all-rounder is head coach - with their preparations for playing Sri Lanka today. Hopefully he was back at the team hotel to see his nephew in action, because his innings was a gem.
When he departed for 77, made from 50 balls, any hopes the Caribbean side had of hauling in the total went too.
One player stood out above the rest for the South Africans with the ball.
Parnell, in his last year as a teenager, impressed yet again. Just over a year ago, the left-arm seamer was leading South Africa's under 19 side in a tournament in Malaysia.
The Oval, Vauxhall, London, is somewhat of a step up from the Oval, Kinrara, Kuala Lumpur, which would have been peopled by few more than a few non-plussed Malay spectators.
Yet, in his short career so far Parnell has proved little fazes him about running in to bowl yorkers against the world's most destructive batsmen in front of packed stands.
His spell of 4-13 from his allocated four overs here was one of the best in the short history of international Twenty20.
That certainly must be a very satisfying performance for Parnell who believes Twenty20 is not a game for bowlers.
"I actually believe this is a batsmen's game, but if you bowl really well you can get wickets. I have developed those yorkers over the last 10 months."
His captain Graeme Smith was also pleased as ever having won six matches in a row in the format. "To post 180 was a good effort, we slowed down a bit with their good bowling but it was a good effort overall.
"We have won six in a row now, hopefully we won't lose again until after the tournament," Smith said.
pradley@thenational.ae
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Champions League Last 16
Red Bull Salzburg (AUT) v Bayern Munich (GER)
Sporting Lisbon (POR) v Manchester City (ENG)
Benfica (POR) v Ajax (NED)
Chelsea (ENG) v Lille (FRA)
Atletico Madrid (ESP) v Manchester United (ENG)
Villarreal (ESP) v Juventus (ITA)
Inter Milan (ITA) v Liverpool (ENG)
Paris Saint-Germain v Real Madrid (ESP)
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
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Saturday (UAE kick-off times)
Cologne v Union Berlin (5.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldorf v Borussia Dortmund (5.30pm)
Hertha Berlin v Eintracht Frankfurt (5.30pm)
Paderborn v Werder Bremen (5.30pm)
Wolfsburg v Freiburg (5.30pm)
Bayern Munich v Borussia Monchengladbach (8.30pm)
Sunday
Mainz v Augsburg (5.30pm)
Schalke v Bayer Leverkusen (8pm)
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
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More on animal trafficking
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
The rules on fostering in the UAE
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At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
