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| February 04, 2007 | Sunday | Muharram 15, 1428 |
Smith, Bosman lead Proteas to victory
JOHANNESBURG, Feb 3: Graeme Smith and Loots Bosman pounded the Pakistan bowlers as South Africa raced to a 10-wicket win in a Twenty20 international at the Wanderers Stadium on Friday (partially reported in Saturday’s edition).
Pakistan struggled to 129 for eight after being sent in, with only two batsmen reaching 20 against South Africa's all-pace attack on a hot, humid evening in which the bowlers were able to swing the ball and get movement off the pitch.
But any demons in the pitch seemed to disappear as Smith and Bosman went on an all-out attack.
They took South Africa to 132 for no wicket off only 11.3 overs. It was the highest partnership in the short history of 20-overs internationals.
Smith smashed 71 not out off 40 balls with nine fours and four sixes, finishing the match with a six off Shahid Afridi, while Bosman was unbeaten on 53 off 32 balls with five fours and two sixes.
The two sides meet again on Sunday at Centurion in the first of a five-match one-day series.
Smith said his bowlers had set up Friday’s win.
“There was a little bit in the wicket with the new ball and I thought we bowled superbly,” said the skipper.
Smith, playing in his fifth 20-overs international, became the first batsman to score three half-centuries in the shortest form of the international game.
“Loots and I had a bit of fun,” he said. “There was a short boundary on one side which we tried to cash in on. Loots got the momentum started and I just carried on with him.”
The two innings were in complete contrast, with the Pakistan batsmen struggling against the South African bowlers.
A last over which brought 18 runs, including two sixes by Rana Naved-ul-Hasan off Johan van der Wath, gave Pakistan some hope, which was quickly extinguished by Smith and Bosman.
Stand-in Pakistan captain Younis Khan said he did not believe the comprehensive beating would influence the outcome of the one-day series.
“We have just come from Test cricket and we had a lot of changes, with new boys coming into the team who are not used to playing in South Africa.”
Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, still struggling with a back injury he suffered in the final Test in Cape Town, sat out the match in the hope of being fit for the first One-day International.
Leading batsman Mohammad Yousuf and fast bowling discovery Mohammad Asif were both rested.
Scoreboard
PAKISTAN:
Imran Nazir c de Villiers b Thomas 5
Kamran Akmal c de Villiers b van der Wath 21
Mohammad Hafeez c van Wyk b Pollock 25
Shoaib Malik c Kemp b Morkel 15
Younis Khan run out 1
Shahid Afridi c Peterson b Thomas 7
Abdul Razzaq c de Villiers b Telemachus 10
Zulqarnain Haider c Smith b Thomas 5
Rana Naved-ul-Hasan not out 17
Abdur Rehman not out 4
EXTRAS (B-3, LB-9, W-7) 19
TOTAL (for eight wkts, 20 overs) 129
FALL OF WKTS: 1-5, 2-52, 3-62, 4-64, 5-90, 6-92, 7-103, 8-105
DID NOT BAT: Shabbir Ahmed.
BOWLING: Pollock 4-0-26-1; Thomas 4-0-25-3 (2w); Telemachus 4-0-22-1 (2w); Van der Wath 3-0-23-1 (1w); Morkel 4-1-16-1 (1w); Kemp 1-0-5-0 (1w).
SOUTH AFRICA:
G.C. Smith not out 71
L.L. Bosman not out 53
EXTRAS (LB-1, W-4, NB-3) 8
TOTAL (for no wkt, 11.3 overs) 132
DID NOT BAT: M.N. van Wyk, A.B. de Villiers, J.M. Kemp, S.M. Pollock, J.A. Morkel, R.J. Peterson, J.J. van der Wath, A.C. Thomas, R. Telemachus.
BOWLING: Rana Naved-ul-Hasan 3-0-29-0 (1nb); Shabbir Ahmed 2-0-19-0 (1nb, 2w); Abdul Razzaq 2-0-28-0 (1nb); Abdur Rehman 3-0-36-0 (2w); Shahid Afridi 1.3-0-19-0.
RESULT: South Africa won by 10 wickets.
UMPIRES: R.E. Koertzen and B.G. Jerling (both South Africa).
TV UMPIRE: K.H. Hurter (South Africa).
MATCH REFEREE: B.C. Broad (England).
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Loots Bosman.—AFP
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