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DURBAN (South Africa), Dec 8: Jonty Rhodes hit 98 as South Africa recovered from a poor start to clinch a comfortable 132-run win over Pakistan in the first one-day international at Kingsmead Sunday.
Pakistan seemed to have taken a strong grip on the match when South Africa were tottering at 151 for six after being sent in, with veteran left-arm bowler Wasim Akram taking three for 19.
But Rhodes and South African captain Shaun Pollock, who hit an unbeaten 57, put on 99 for the seventh wicket as Pakistan lost control with some poor bowling.
Pakistan skipper Waqar Younis gambled by keeping Akram on until his ten-over stint was finished while off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq, the only other Pakistan bowler to return economical figures, had also completed his spell as Rhodes and Pollock hit out boldly.
Waqar took his 400th one-day international wicket in his 252nd match when he had Rhodes caught by wicketkeeper Rashid Latif in the penultimate over.
He and Akram are the only bowlers to have reached the milestone. Akram took his tally to 488 in 348 matches.
Rhodes was in top form, scoring his runs off 92 balls with 12 fours and two sixes while Pollock made his 57 off 51 balls with two fours and three sixes.
South Africa made a bad start when in-form opening batsman Herschelle Gibbs was caught behind for nought off Akram.
Fellow opener Graeme Smith, who made 56, was the only top order batsman who succeeded before Rhodes came in.
Pakistan made a slow start with inexperienced opening batsmen Taufeeq Umar and Salim Elahi struggling against the new-ball partnership of Pollock and Makhaya Ntini.
The tourists were never in contention after they lost their first four wickets for 78 runs in the first 26 overs.
Yousuf Youhana scored only eight before he was caught at mid-off off Allan Donald. Inzamam-ul-Haq was out for 11, edging a ball from Jacques Kallis onto his stumps.
Pollock, playing on his home ground, completed a fine double by taking three for 12 in 9.5 overs.
Pakistan went into the match without Shoaib Akhtar who was suspended for one match following an incident in which he threw a plastic bottle into the crowd in Harare.
South Africa picked what appeared to be their strongest combination. Smith, Kallis, Boje and Makhaya Ntini returned to the side in place of Andrew Hall, Boeta Dippenaar, Robin Peterson and Monde Zondeki.
Scoreboard
South Africa
G.Smith b Wasim Akram 56
H.Gibbs c Rashid Latif b Wasim Akram 0
N.McKenzie c Youhana b M. Sami 11
N.Boje c Waqar Younis b M. Sami 20
J.Kallis c M. Sami b Abdur Razzaq 6
J.Rhodes c R. Latif b Waqar Younis 98
M.Boucher b Wasim Akram 0
S.Pollock not out 57
L.Klusener not out 4
Extras (lb-5 nb-9 w-6) 20
Total (for seven wickets, 50 overs) 272
Fall of wkts: 1-6 2-33 3-63 4-86 5-151 6-151 7-250
Did not bat: A.Donald, M.Ntini
Bowling: Wasim Akram 10-1-19-3 (nb-3 w-2), Waqar Younis 10-1-59-1 (w-2), Muhammad Sami 10-0-71-2 (nb-6), Abdur Razzaq 10-0-77-1 (w-1), Saqlain Mushtaq 10-0-41-0 (w-1)
Pakistan
Taufeeq Umar b Ntini 7
Salim Elahi c Kallis b Ntini 31
Yousuf Youhana c Pollock b Donald 8
Inzamam-ul-Haq b Kallis 11
Younis Khan c Smith b Boje 17
Abdur Razzaq c Donald b Boje 15
Rashid Latif c Boucher b Pollock 12
Wasim Akram c McKenzie b Pollock 14
Saqlain Mushtaq c Pollock b Boje 1
Waqar Younis not out 0
Muhammad Sami c McKenzie b Pollock 2
Extras (b-3 lb-2 nb-1 w-16) 22
Total (all out, 42.5 overs) 140
Fall of wkts: 1-19 2-36 3-55 4-78 5-100 6-116 7-134 8-136 9-136.
Bowling: Pollock 9.5-1-12-3 (w-1), Ntini 8-0-35-2 (nb-1 w-4), Kallis 6-0-16-1 (w-2), Donald 6-0-20-1 (w-3), Klusener 6-0-23-0 (w-1), Boje 7-1-29-3 (w-5).
Second match: Dec 11, Port Elizabeth
Third match: Dec 13, East London
Fourth match: Dec 16, Paarl
Fifth match: Dec 18, Cape Town—Reuters
