The Irish middle-order contributed useful scores after Shaun Pollock's tight spell made early inroads while Andrew Hall and Charl Langeveldt took wickets at important times. Yet as they have throughout Ireland never stopped fighting.

They were always up against it on a damp and overcast day and had to contend with their innings twice being cut back. The start was delayed by a light shower and conditions were conducive to swing and seam.

Pollock still revelled in such circumstances and quickly trapped opener Jeremy Bray lbw for his second consecutive duck. William Porterfield and Eoin Morgan regularly played and missed, although survived until the long rain break which significantly cut into the match.

On resumption Ireland were in the position of having to decided whether to stick or twist; the Duckworth-Lewis method looks favourably on wickets left at the end, but the batsmen couldn't waste time prodding around. Pollock quickly added his second scalp as Porterfield lobbed a catch to square cover, but Morgan and Niall O'Brien attempted to push on in tough conditions.

Morgan, who hasn't produced the scores expected of him during the tournament, showed some of his best timing until he was surprised by Hall's express bouncer. When O'Brien got a leading edge to Langeveldt, Ireland threatened to fall apart at 77 for four in the 23rd over.

However, Andrew White, who struck firmly against England, again used the long handle, especially towards Jacques Kallis who struggled in his three overs. But after dispatching some of South Africa's finest pacemen, White clubbed a knee-high full toss from Graeme Smith to midwicket.

This match has brought together some old foes, the coaches are both good friends, while Andre Botha was brought up in South Africa. Botha, though, fell to one of the numerous pieces of sharp field this occasion AB de Villiers at cover -- as the experience of Hall and Langeveldt shone through with four wickets falling for eight runs.

David Langford-Smith and Trent Johnston enjoyed slightly more success, adding 28 off 22 balls, to at least keep some life in proceedings. South Africa, though, face a fairly undemanding chase.