67-4 - Kallis strays onto the pads for a single to fine that that takes some stopping by Morne Morkel on the fence. O'Brien then is outdone by Kallis' steep bounce on the pull again, but is fortunate to see his spliced shot land safely over the back of midwicket. Five runs from the over and that is drinks!
62-4 - It's six from Robin Peterson's first over, and all by way of one scoring shot - Gary Wilson pounces on a short ball and just strokes it over the midwicket fence for six! Peterson responds well with a loud lbw shout - it's straight but Wilson's saved by the inside edge.
56-4 - It's an eventful over between two beefy allrounders. Kallis goes to O'Brien but pulls up short with a crow swooping in to collect his bounty that had flown into the middle of the pitch. O'Brien then gets a bouncer to the back that knocks him over and in falling down van Wyk breaks the stumps and appeals. A bit off sides really but fortunately O'Brien is well in. The Irishman then gets the assistance of Karma as he pounds a pull shot square for four!
51-4 - Spin now into the attack for the first time in the form of Johan Botha who is pushed away for one by Joyce and very deliberately flicked into the gap at deep midwicket for four by Gary Wilson - great stoke that. OUT! Joyce back on strike, and he goes for the paddle but gets caught right in front and he's on his way, lbw, with Ireland using up a review. Kevin O'Brien is the new man and he'll need to repeat his England heroics if Ireland are to come close here. He's nearly on his way first ball though, padding up to an off spinner outside off stump - fortunately for him though umpire Dharmasena correctly says it's missing off stump.
45-3 - Kallis to Wilson and it's a maiden, nothing else to say there really.
45-3 - Gary Wilson is the new man and he's set on his way with a freebee on the pads from Morkel - four runs! Joyce gets into the attack with uppish drive through extra cover - the width allowing Joyce to free his arms before Morkel settles into a healthier line outside off stump.
36-3 - Steyn's had four overs and that's enough for Graeme Smith who'll bank the rest for later with Jacques Kallis into the attack. Less pace means the Irish pair look slightly less troubled but Kallis bangs in a sharp bouncer just to keep the batsmen honest. Wicket! A typcal dismal, Steyn out of the attack, O'Brien relaxed, charges Kallis and edges fine through to Morne van Wyk with the gloves!
33-2 - Morkel to Joyce with the lanky South African in around the stumps and he catches the left-hander on the crease - there's a loud appeal but there's too much height on that. Morkel's bowling consistently over the 145km/h mark and he catched Ed Joyce a nasty blow to the left arm with just a wide in the way of runs coming from the over.
32-2 - O'Brien is tied down by Steyn and with the pressure building the left-hander tries to force the pace with a wild swing outside off stump which he misses - the ball passing safely through to van Wyk. It ends a maiden over and that frustrate O'Brien.
32-2 - SIX! Niall O'Brien out of nowhere uses the pace of a fuller Morne Morkel delivery to blast over the long on fence! There's a great atmosphere at Eden Gardens now, and O'Brien picks one more down to Colin Ingram at fine leg.
25-2 - O'Brien is off again with another single and then Steyn goes to work on Joyce - two deliveries angled across him and then one slightly fuller and moving back in. The left-hander though is on top of things and plays defensively to a great over from the Proteas' hitman.
24-2 - William Porterfield yesterday promised attacking cricket from the Irish, and that's exactly how Stirling is playing here as he flays a backfoot stroke over point for four, Ireland are being cheered on all the way by the Eden Gardens crowd. Wicket! Morkel has made up for his dropped catch somewhat with Stirling edging through to Jacques Kallis at second slip. The Irish opener on his way for 10 and Steyn seemed to share a smile in that team huddle. Niall O'Brien gets off the mark immediately and Ed Joyce - what a stroke - uses Morkel's pace to crash through cover for a boundary to end the over.
14-1 - Steyn is getting this new ball to nip around and it's not going to be easy for Ireland under the lights here. Dropped! Morne Morkel may have taken the wicket but he's having a donkey day in the field - Stirling has got a thick edge down to thirdman when Morkel has let the ball go through his hands and over the fence for four! Smith does well to hide his laughter and Steyn is glaring in anger.
8-1 - Morne Morkel starts with a wide before finding his range. Stirling gets off the mark with the cheekiest of singles to second slip but then Porterfield edges through to his opposite number at first slip where Graeme Smith takes the chance. OUT!
6-0 - There's a hint of swing for Dale Steyn from the start but he gets it wrong with the fourth delivery - slightly short - and Porterfield pulls down to fine leg where Morne Morkel slips, makes a hash and gives away four runs. Porterfield then flicks off his pads to concede two more runs with Morkel this time doing well on the fence.
The South African middle and lower order have done well here, lifting the Proteas from 117 for five to their final total of 272 for seven. JP Duminy was brilliant and Colin Ingram provided good support on his World Cup debut. The South Africans will be confident they can defend this score but against Ireland you never know what can happen!
272-7 - Mooney does well to limit the scoring early in the over. WICKET! And he picks up the wicket of Duminy too! Going for the big hit on 99, he skies it over mid on where Kevin O'Brien takes a good catch running back. Good team work from Duminy there, instead of looking for the single to get his hundred he went for maximum runs. A little silly from O'Brien as the last ball is missed by Botha and the 'keeper shies at the stumps even though they weren't going for the run and as the ball ricochets off the stumps they're able to pick upa bye.
267-6 - A poor delivery to start from Johnston, it's a full toss on leg and Duminy heaves it to the square leg fence for four. Massive hit! Duminy really gets hold of this one! It;s on leg but he doesn't quite get the yorker length he was looking for and Duminy clips the ball way back into the leg side stands. A little lucky next up though as he tries to lift the ball over cover but gets an outside edge that spurts down to the third man fence for four more.
250-6 - Mooney's got a long on, a deep midwicket and a fine leg in place so you can expect him to bowl a line on middle and leg. None of the men can do anything about that one from Duminy as he hooks powerfully in front of square for four.
243-6 - It's Rankin to bowl his final over. And he ends on a massive high, just three from the final over as he beats both Duminy and Botha outside off.
240-6 - Right, its powerplay time. Fantastic bowling from Johnston as he keeps it full and straight, not giving the batsmen room to maneuver the ball. Nothing he can do about that though as Duminy is forced to bring out a dive nudged the ball wide of mid off, the throw just misses the stumps and the man backing up can't get down to cut it off, resulting in four overthrows.
231-6 - Rankin returns. Porterfield would probably have liked to have kept him for right at the death but a wicket here would be very helpful. Great work int he deep as Duminy rockets a cut shot down to third man where Johnston gets down well to cut it off and get off a throw to restrict them to just one. Ooh, Botha nearly gets an edge behind as he looks to run the ball to third man, he gets away with it though.
227-6 - The batsmen work the ball around nicely for a handful of runs but Duminy ends the over in fortunate fashion as he top edges an attempted hook but while it's in the air for a long time it's over the keeps head and a way to the boundary for four.
216-6 - With Dockrell having bowled out his overs, fellow spinner Paul Stirling is back in the attack. Great execution from Botha had he brings out a reverse sweep/slap and has the power to beat the man in the circle and it races away to the fence.
210-6 - Mooney returns to the fray. oh, Botha gets a tad lucky as he gets an inside edge looking to work the ball to third man. If the bat had be angled a bit more that could have flown back onto the stumps.
206-6 - Dockrell to bowl his final over. It's a great one too, just two singles from it. They youngster has done his side proud today.
204-6 - Beautiful drive from Duminy as he drives through the covers for four to bring up his fifty. Wicket! They needed a wicket and they've got it. A change of angle from Johnston as he comes from wider in the crease and the ball keeps a low on Ingram as he looks to work the ball to leg but has his stumps rearranged. Clever work from Johnston has he held is fingers across the seem. Botha is the new man.
197-5 - Dockrell is back. He only has two overs left in the back, one after this. Five singles from the over, the Irish are struggling to plug the gaps now, they need a wicket but from where?
192-5 - Johnston is back. Good running as Duminy clips the ball through midwicket and the batsmen hustle back for the third. Runs are coming with ease now. Porterfield must be thinking about bringing the spinners back on while Duminy and Ingram may be pondering the powerplay, but since they're going along so nicely do they really need to?
183-5 - Ingram is doing well here, taking the game to the bowlers and he picks up four more, angling the ball to the third man fence. Poor attempt at a bouncer from Rankin, it lacked both height and pace and Ingram pulled it to the fence.
172-5 - Poor delivery from Cusack and he knows it. It was short and wide and Ingram had all the time in the world to crack it behind square. Cusack ends the over as he began it, erring in line and he's punished once more by Ingram.
162-5 - Following the change of balls, Boyd Rankin returns to the fray. Not quite sure but Ireland have asked for a review here for a delivery that has clearly not pitched in line, way outside leg in fact, as Duminy looked to play the ball into the on side. And as expected the original decision of not out is retained.
158-5 - Time for some pace with Alex Cusack entering the attack once more. O'Brien is still standing up to the stumps. Ingram cuts one that is really close to his body, he manages to get it away to third man but it's not really the kind of shot you want to see a lot of. This partnership is coming along nicely, currently sitting at 41. Time for the players to take a drink.
154-5 - Oh, that's well played by Dimuny. He makes his mind up early and brings out the reverse sweep but importantly he does it with confidence and his execution is string, beating the man at short fine leg. Two boundaries in the over as Ingram cuts powerfully behind square. A profitable over for the Proteas.
143-5 - Nicely played by Ingram as he comes forward and gets down low, slog sweeping to the deep midwicket fence.
138-5 - Stirling continue to hurry through his overs, restricting the batsman to a few singles.
133-5 - Dockrell is back. O'Brien gets excited as Duminy looks to play a paddle sweep very fine. He manages to get it past the 'keeper but good work on the fence keeps them down to three. Another great over from the youngster.
129-5 - Duminy and Ingram exchange singles and the Irish once again highlight both their commitment and great ground fielding, scrambling to cut off everything.
125-5 - Lovely timing from Ingram as he times a drive wide of mid off for four. That will give him some confidence.
119-5 - In the wake of the shambolic running earlier this pair have really lifted the quality in that department. WICKET! Du Plessis won't be doing any more running, just walking back to the hut! Not for the first time du Plessis looked to run the ball down to third man but he got it too fine and Johnston at slip takes a great catch. Ingram is the new man in, it's his first game of the tournament and he's under pressure from the outset!
115-4 - A change of bowling with John Mooney coming into the attack, breaking the manic period of spin from both ends. Duminy turns the ball into the leg side and Niall O'Brien goes scampering after it, running all the way outside the circle to backward square leg. Dabbed down to long on for one for to du Plessis. Oh, Duminy gets an inside edge back onto his pads as he looks to work the ball to leg. That could easily have gone back onto the stumps.
113-4 - Faf du Plessis and AB de Villiers went to the same school and are very good mates and there are a number of similarities between the pair's batting approach. de Villiers may be the better stroke maker but Faf is equally quick on his feet and between the wickets. He angles to short third man and then races through for two. He's then beaten attempting the same stroke and is fortunate with a slip in place.
108-4 - Duminy shuffles across to pick a single and then du Plessis clubs off the back foot for a couple wide of the cover sweeper and then a single to the same area. Duminy is using his feet well and collects another run down the ground. These two for once have a long time to bat and here's their opportunity so let's see what they make of it in the face of some very disciplined Irish bowling at the moment.
103-4 - Down to the ground, out the square leg and one to deep cover yield three singles from the over as Duminy and du Plessis look to rebuild the innings.
Tomas Brett reckons it could well be Ireland's day, "Its St Patrick's week, so the luck of the Irish will prevail I hope!"
100-4 - Of the South African line-up the pair of Duminy and Faf du Plessis are arguably the best players of spin and will run well between the wickets too. They ease away three singles with Dockrell nearly sneaking the last delivery through du Plessis' defences.
97-4 - WICKET! From absolutely nothing Kallis has been run out! Duminy pushed to cover and set off and Kallis laboured through and was caught inches short by the throw from Porterfield. The South African allrounder was just switched off there, zoned out, and that's a totally careless way to lose a massive wicket. The Irish are going well again!
94-3 - The Irish are flying through their overs and keeping it miserly ever. Duminy uses the leading edge for a single and kallis picks on a short ball to take one of his own.
92-3 - Duminy cuts a short delivery away for two out to the cover sweeper, and then after a collection of dots he collects one more to long on.
89-3 - These two need to build a partnership and they are starting slowly against very impressive bowling from the left-arm spinner. Just a couple more singles added to the total.
87-3 - Replays suggest that the previous wicket kept a bit low, but all credit to Dockrell for deceiving van Wyk in the flight. Spin at both ends now with Paul Stirling getting a fair bit of grip off the track with his off spinners and there are just two singles on offer for the South African pair.
85-3 - Still hard to understand why Dockrell only bowled three overs in his previous game against the West Indies, so great to see him in action early. Kallis is unable to force away through extra cover and then needs a thick inside edge to collect a single to midwicket. BOWLED! Dockrell strikes, chucking up a delivery which is too full to cut. Van Wyk tries nevertheless and has had his off stump knocked back. Not the first time this tournament that Van Wyk has tried to cut a delivery too full and too close to his body and he's out for 41. JP Duminy is the new man in after a brief drinks break.
83-2 - Down at the gym this morning Ian Botham was told by a local that the game wouldn't be finished today because of the weather. It's still coming down but play continues with William Porterfield leading the way with an outstanding stop at point. That contributes to a tight over from Mooney, just two from it with van Wyk offered absolutely no width.
81-2 - This is a good change here from Porterfield, bringing Dockrell into the attack against Morne van Wyk who is used to opening and prefers the ball coming onto the bat. Immediately van Wyk tries to make something happen with a charge down the track - he finds the pitch and finds a single to cover. Slightly short then from the left-arm spinner to Kallis who again rocks back majestically and strokes past the man on the off side fence for four!
76-2 - John Mooney will be feeling good after his run out as he makes an appearance with the ball, rain just starting to fall in Kolkata. While van Wyk has swung at just about anything, Kallis in his brief stay has been as vintage as ever and he moved deep in the crease to drive off the back foot and square past point for four! A similar shot finds the field as does a square drive with the rain continuing to fall.
72-2 - Van Wyk loves anything just slightly short and he proves how lethal he is on the pull with four through square leg. SIX! He then goes one better with a sweet strike clearing the midwicket fence, that was right out the middle. A thick edge then flies well wide of slip and it's three boundaries from the over for van Wyk who moves to 40.
58-2 - Smith gave van Wyk a dirty look there as he walked off and the Proteas wicketkeeper will have to score a fair few runs before he goes back to the dressing room. Boyd Rankin allows Kallis a sighter with a low full toss flicked to midwicket for one. The calling is better from van Wyk this time for a single to mid on and Kallis then strokes the classiest of off drives down the ground for four! The ground staff meanwhile are standing ready with the covers.
52-2 - Graeme Smith has been strarved of strike in the last two overs and he won't mind that, it's time in the middle he needs. RUN OUT! There'll be no more time in the middle for the South African captain today though, John Mooney swooping with a direct hit to catch a diving Smith short of his ground. Van Wyk is the guilty party, he pushed to midwicket, set off and then sent his skipper back. The rock that is Jacques Kallis is the new man in.
50-1 - Rankin overpitches again and van Wyk cashes in, plenty of bottom-hand in a square drive for four. He's prepared to club anything up to him and again gets enough bat to clear extra cover and find the short boundary at that part of the ground. Problems for the Irish here, compounded as van Wyk edges the next delivery and is dropped for a second time! It was Paul Stirling at first slip who fumbled a straightforward chance and it's clearly van Wyk's day here.
41-1 - Van Wyk is in an aggressive mood and more than happy to go over the top with the field in. He skies a steepler over mid on which bounces and trickles over the fence - or rather into the fence - and then he gets enough bat on a drive over cover which also finds the boundary. Clear intent from the Proteas wicketkeeper, who hussles through a quick single from the final ball of the over.
32-1 - The scoreboard ticks along in ones with Smith yet to find his touch. This is a good tidy start from the Irish.
28-1 - Van Wyk now has his chance and he's off with a typically bottom-handed four through extra cover. It was in the air for a while and Kevin O'Brien is brought up into short extra cover catching. Dropped! The move has immediately proved correct but O'Brien can't hold on to a shoulder height chance!
24-1 - Rankin overpitches and Amla isn't going to miss out, crashing a drive through cover for the first boundary of the game. The bowler then drops short and Amla is even more ruthless with a pull away for six over the square leg fence. OUT! And suddenly it's all over for Amla! Rankin goes short and wide, Alma slashes and George Dockrell takes the catch down at third man! Morne van Wyk has been sent in at three for the Proteas and he watches on as Smith plays out the last two balls of the over.
14-0 - A steady start from South Africa this, just two more singles with Johnson keeping it tight outside off stump.
Lourens reckons Jacques Kallis should be opening and that the Proteas skipper would be better suited further down the order: "kallis' position should be batting at 1 or two with Amla, Smith would be a much more power weapon used at 3 maybe 4 as a power hitter, Kallis offers a dynamic role opening with Amla and they can both be extremely destructive on their day."
12-0 - No swing just yet but there is bounce on offer for these two Irish openers, Smith using the extra lift to angle down to third man. The South African batsmen are just feeling their way in, much like they did against the Netherlands, with a couple of singles and a wide from Rankin.
7-0 - There's a strange, reserved atmosphere around the ground, possible due to the dim cloud cover, as Trent Johnson runs in. He starts with a leg side wide and then slants into the pads of Amla who flicks through midwicket for two. A drive to mid off is well stopped but still yields a single with just four coming from Johnson's opener.
3-0 - There's some cloud cover about as Boyd Rankin runs in, the second delivery is short and pulled away to fine leg by Hashim Amla. Graeme Smith gets off the mark first ball with a push to extra cover and it's three for no loss from a decent opening over from Rankin.
Sir Ian Botham says the pitch is a goodie for batting and that the team winning the toss shout have a bat first. Porterfield obviously opted to have a bowl and the Irish skipper reckons it'll play the same all day. beefy added that there are a few areas of grass and a couple of bare patches meaning that it could be a little two-paced. Nevertheless South Africa will be looking for a large score batting first.
Do Ireland have one last surprise in them? Where's Jacques Kallis' ideal spot in the Proteas batting line-up, and can Graeme Smith bat himself into form against the Irish? Your input is always appreciated, so send us your opinion to: douglas.saxby@teamtalkmedia.co.za
The Proteas can book their quarter final spot with victory today while Ireland, the biggest dark-horse package of the tournament, will be looking for one last shock of the World Cup. We're off for the anthems and will be back to take you through South Africa's innings.
Ireland:William Porterfield, Paul Stirling, Ed Joyce, Niall O'Brien, Gary Wilson, Kevin O'Brien, Alex Cusack, Trent Johnston, John Mooney, George Dockrell, Boyd Rankin.South Africa: Graeme Smith, Hashim Amla, Colin Ingram, Jacques Kallis, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Morne van Wyk, Johan Botha, Robin Peterson, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel.
Ireland: It's a straight and enforced swap for Ireland with Trent Johnson recovering from his knee injury and Andre Botha dropping out with a bit of a bug.South Africa: Imran Tahir continues his ten day rest period for the Proteas and so Johan Botha plays again. AB de Villiers will also sit out to rest a thigh strain and a stiff back. Colin Ingram gets a World Cup debut in his place.
William Porterfield called correctly and he's opted for Ireland to bowl first in Kolkata.
Hello and welcome to our over-by-over coverage of the the Group B clash between Ireland and South Africa. It's the first game of the tournament for the famous Eden Gardens in Kolkata with the Irish promising to brave attacking cricket against Graeme Smith's men.