June 07, 2007	Thursday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 21, 1428

BANGALORE, June 6: Shaun Pollock smashed his maiden One-day International century, but failed to stop Asia XI from posting a 34-run win over Africa XI in the first match of the Afro-Asia cricket series here on Wednesday.

The South African scored a robust 130 as his team were restricted to 283 while chasing a stiff 318-run target under lights to concede a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Africa XI were wobbling at 31-5 before all-rounder Pollock led the recovery with a brilliant innings under pressure. He received valuable support from Zimbabwean Elton Chigumbura (40) and Kenyan Thomas Odoyo (39).

Pollock, playing only as a batsman after undergoing a foot surgery recently, gave many anxious moments to the Asian team as he put on 67 for the eighth wicket with Chigumbura and 103 for the next with Odoyo.

The South African reached his hundred in style, hitting Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Asif for a four. He struck one six and 19 fours in his 110-ball knock.

Asia XI’s total owed much of its substance to Pakistan’s Mohammad Yousuf (66) and skipper Mahela Jayawardene (65), who put on 94 for the fourth wicket to prop up the innings.

Yousuf also became the third Pakistani batsman to complete 8,000 runs in One-day Internationals during his 74-ball knock after the retired duo of Inzamam-ul-Haq and Saeed Anwar.

Asian pacemen Asif (3-57) and Zaheer Khan (2-43) then raised hopes of an easy victory when they shared five early wickets in their lively opening spells to put Africa XI under pressure.

But Pollock, who turns 34 next month, made the Asian side struggle for wickets as he batted confidently against both pace and spin before being the last man out.

Africa XI’s batting woes began with the second-ball dismissal of opener A.B. de Villiers, who was bowled by an Asif delivery that cut in sharply.

Skipper Justin Kemp, Loots Bosman, Steve Tikolo and Boeta Dippenaar then fell in quick succession to leave their team in deep trouble.

Veteran Sri Lankan left-arm spinner Sanath Jayasuriya finished with three wickets.

Scoreboard

ASIA XI:

S.T. Jayasuriya c de Villiers b M. Morkel 14

V. Sehwag b Chigumbura 45

S.C. Ganguly b M. Morkel 32

D.P.M.D. Jayawardene c Pollock b Tikolo 65

Mohammad Yousuf c de Villiers b A. Morkel 66

Yuvraj Singh c Kemp b M. Morkel 31

M.S. Dhoni run out 2

Harbhajan Singh c Pollock b Chigumbura 20

Mashrafe Mortaza c de Villiers b A. Morkel 13

Zaheer Khan not out 6

EXTRAS (B-2, LB-3, W-16, NB-2) 23

TOTAL (for nine wkts, 50 overs) 317

FALL OF WKTS: 1-36, 2-104, 3-126, 4-220, 5-274, 6-276, 7-279, 8-307, 9-317.

DID NOT BAT: Mohammad Asif.

BOWLING: M. Morkel 10-1-68-3 (1nb, 4w); Odoyo 10-0-52-0 (1w); Chigumbura 9-0-56-2; J.A. Morkel 10-0-64-2 (1nb, 2w); Tikolo 8-0-49-1; Kemp 3-0-23-0 (1w).

AFRICA XI:

A.B. de Villiers b Asif 4

L.L. Bosman c Jayawardene b Zaheer 2

H.H. Dippenaar b Zaheer 10

S.O. Tikolo hit wkt b Asif 5

J.M. Kemp b Asif 5

M.V. Boucher b Jayasuriya 25

S.M. Pollock c Yousuf b Mashrafe 130

J.A. Morkel c Dhoni b Jayasuriya 9

E. Chigumbura c Yousuf b Jayasuriya 40

T.M. Odoyo c sub b Harbhajan 39

M. Morkel not out 4

EXTRAS (B-1, LB-5, W-2, NB-2) 10

TOTAL (all out, 47.5 overs) 283

FALL OF WKTS: 1-4, 2-15, 3-18, 4-26, 5-31, 6-77, 7-87, 8-154, 9-257.

BOWLING: Mohammad Asif 10-0-57-3 (1nb); Zaheer Khan 9-2-43-2 (1nb); Mashrafe Mortaza 6.5-0-57-1 (2w); Harbhajan Singh 10-0-54-1; Jayasuriya 10-0-52-3; Yuvraj Singh 2-0-14-0.

RESULT: Asia XI won by 34 runs.

UMPIRES: A.L. Hill (New Zealand) and P.D. Parker (Australia).

TV UMPIRE: A.M. Saheba (India).

MATCH REFEREE: B.C. Broad (England).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Shaun Pollock.

SECOND MATCH: Chennai (D/N), Saturday.

THIRD MATCH: Chennai (D/N), Sunday.—AFP