THE South African Standard Bank limited overs squad got in some useful match practice as they beat the PCA Masters XI by 23 runs in a T20 match at the picturesque Wormsley ground near Oxford on Wednesday.

National coach Mickey Arthur used the opportunity to rest the senior trio of Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis and Mark Boucher and to give game time to the five new arrivals – Herschelle Gibbs, Justin Ontong, Albie Morkel, Vernon Philander and Johan Botha. Gibbs and Morkel have had recent game time in England but the other three are short of match practice.

Morkel played for Durham in the England T20 competition as did Gibbs for Glamorgan and both have played some club cricket since then.

Not surprisingly Morkel was one of the stars of the day. He and the equally impressive JP Duminy shared an unbroken fifth wicket stand of 50, enabling the Proteas to reach 181/4 in their 20 overs.

When the PCA XI batted, Morkel picked up three wickets including an excellent Yorker to dismiss Johannesburg-born Stephen Moore of Worcestershire who was the top scorer for the home side (52 off 33 balls).

While Moore was at the crease during a third-wicket partnership with former New Zealand international Nathan Astle, the home side were well in the game but in the end the Proteas had little difficulty in closing out the game.

Johan Botha was given the honour of captaining his country for the first time.

There will be one change to the Proteas line-up for the 50 overs warm-up game against the England Lions – effectively England’s second best team – at Leicester on Thursday. Dale Steyn returns from his thumb injury in place of Morne Morkel to play his first game since the second Test match at Headingley Carnegie.