EAST LONDON (South Africa), Dec 14: Fiery opening spells by fast bowlers Shaun Pollock and Makhaya Ntini guided South Africa to a sensational 62-run victory over Pakistan in their third one day international on Friday (partly reported on Saturday’s edition).
The home side, who won the toss and chose to bat first, were dismissed for 182 before skittling out Pakistan for a paltry 120 in 36.2 overs.
Pollock and Ntini had reduced Pakistan to 39 for five by the 13th over before Allan Donald tightened South Africa’a grip on the match by grabbing wickets with consecutive deliveries.
By the 21st over, the visitors were struggling to show any form of resistance and were facing defeat having collapsed to 49 for seven.
The match was in stark contrast to the match two days ago, when South Africa slumped to their heaviest defeat in one-day internationals when they lost by 182 runs to Pakistan.
Boeta Dippenaar top scored for South Africa with 47, while Wasim Akram’s 43 not out was Pakistan’s best effort.
Pollock took three wickets for 23 with Ntini claiming two for 12.
South Africa lead the series 2-1, having coasted to an easy 132-run win in the first one-dayer.
Meanwhile, veteran South African opening batsman Gary Kirsten may yet play in next year’s World Cup despite missing the first eight out of 10 one-day internationals in the build-up to the tournament.
Kirsten, 34, was recalled on Saturday to the national squad for the final two matches against Pakistan in Paarl on Monday and at his home ground of Newlands in Cape Town on Wednesday.
Squad: Gary Kirsten, Herschelle Gibbs, Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis, Jonty Rhodes, Boeta Dippenaar, Mark Boucher, Shaun Pollock (captain), Lance Klusener, Andrew Hall, Robin Peterson, Allan Donald, Makhaya Ntini, Monde Zondeki.
Scoreboard
SOUTH AFRICA
G.Smith c Rashid Latif b Shoaib 44
H Gibbs c Abdul Razzaq b Waqar 13
B.Dippenaar c and b Shahid Afridi 47
J.Kallis lbw b Saqlain Mushtaq 4
J.Rhodes c Inzamam b Saqlain 0
M.Boucher lbw b Shoaib 15
S.Pollock not out 32
L.Klusener c Waqar b Wasim Akram 4
A.Hall b Wasim Akram 3
A.Donald b Shoaib Akhtar 3
M.Ntini b Waqar Younis 0
EXTRAS (lb-5 w-12) 17
TOTAL (all out, 47.5 overs) 182
FALL OF WKTS: 1-28 2-70 3-76 4-81 5-129 6-145 7-154 8-160 9-174.