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Harris scores first 50 for South Africa
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Jul 1, 2008, 20:24

South Africa spinner and lower-order batsman Paul Harris scored his first-half century for his country as a three-day match against Somerset ended in a draw on Tuesday.

The Proteas were at least able to take something from almost every player’s performance in the match as an encouraging sign going into next Thursday’s first Test at Lord’s.
 
Opener Neil McKenzie made a first ball duck in the first innings, falling to Somerset's stand-in skipper and former England bowler Andy Caddick. But in the second innings he came back strong with 63.

Harris, the lone spinner whose runs down the order will be paramount to the Proteas in the four-match series, struck an unbeaten 50 off just 48 balls to better his previous best score of 46, made against Pakistan in the Lahore Test in October 2007.

South Africa's stand-in captain Ashwell Prince declared shortly after Harris reached his fifty, on 215-6 to leave Somerset a unrealistic target of 482 in a minimum of 46 overs. It was a case of useful match practice. Somerset reached 115-3 off 34 overs with Morne Morkel, Andre Nel and Harris collecting a wicket apiece.

South Africa’s final warm-up match before Lord’s is a three-day game against Middlesex at Uxbridge on Friday.