Hashim Amla battled to 36 while Gareth Berg’s 75 saved Hampshire from embarrassment in the county match against Worcestershire.
Berg’s contribution was all the more valuable coming from the No 8 bat, when Hampshire were reeling at 193-6, despite the aggressive 75 from James Vince and a gutsy 36 from Proteas star Amla, who battled the grey, cold conditions on a green top in his first match for Hampshire. He scored four fours among the 72 balls he faced.
Amla has been contracted for the first three months of the county season until the Proteas tour Sri Lanka.
Berg, now 37, was born in Cape Town and played a few games for Western Province before moving to England. He smashed 10 fours and two sixes off 101 balls to take Hampshire to 290.
The rest of the Hampshire Saffas were unable to contribute: Kyle Abbott and Rilee Rossouw were both out for ducks and Brad Wheal, the former KwaZulu-Natal U19 player who is now a Scotland international at 21, added just four.
Abbott though castled Tom Fell as Worcestershire ended on 40-2.
In the only other game to start on the soggy island, Richard Levi, spent a cold day in the field as Middlesex scored 136-4 in the 48 overs possible against Northampton.
