Tuesday, 6th March 2007 at 10:46 pm

Andre Botha, the famous Irishman

Not a great start for South Africa in the West Indies, an unconvincing win over Ireland’s part-timers starting the warm-ups on an inauspicious note. The stars of the game? Two South Africans: Andrew Hall, with an unbeaten 67 and four wickets; and former Griquas all-rounder Andre Botha, now representing Ireland. Famous name in the Limerick area, Botha…

But he isn’t the only South African playing under another flag in the Caribbean (aside from Strauss and Pietersen) - the smiling face to the right is former UCT skipper Ryan ten Doeschate, who also led the Western Province Academy side before heading for England, and a contract with Essex.

He’s done well there, indulging Essex fans in some big hitting, but it’s with Holland that Tendo has really shone, belting a big double hundred in an ICC game earlier in the year, and in a warm-up game on Tuesday, taking five wickets against India. A good start for both him and Botha, then - and some South African solace in the opening salvos at the World Cup.