October 05, 2007	Friday	Ramazan 22, 1428

KARACHI, Oct 4: Pakistan were left praying for a miracle to avoid defeat after master batsman Jacques Kallis continued his dominant form by scoring centuries in both South African innings in the first Test at the National Stadium here on Thursday.

By end of the penultimate day of the match, Pakistan were fighting against the odds, at 146 for three after South African skipper Graeme Smith set the hosts the improbable win target of 424 in a minimum of 123 overs. Pakistan now require the small matter of scoring 278 with a full day’s play still available on Friday.

Younis Khan, in a welcome return to form, has partially lifted Pakistan out of troubled waters with a pugnacious 93, while dominating a partnership of 114 with Faisal Iqbal after both the openers were removed by Dale Steyn with 20 on the board.

But an enterprising 114-run partnership between Younis and Faisal (44 off 69 balls, eight fours) rekindled glimmer of hopes in the Pakistan camp. Just as it appeared they would see out the day, South Africa struck through Paul Harris, who deceived Faisal in flight to have him caught at slip off wicket-keeper Mark Boucher’s gloves.

If now Pakistan, somehow or the other, manage to come out of it with their heads high, much will depend on Younis, who has so far slammed 14 fours and a six in his 99-ball innings. Mohammad Asif, the nightwatchman, is the other batsman at the crease.

The equation on Friday is simple: either the Proteas make inroads to take the remaining seven wickets, or Pakistan play long enough to overcome the last-day pressure in conditions that are still survivable.

It remains to be seen how the Pakistan batsmen, known to crumble under pressure, cope with the pressure-cooker situation in the extended 150-minute first session when the South African bowlers will come hard at them.

However, the day centered on the indomitable Kallis, who matched his 155 in the first innings by helping himself to an unbeaten 100 that set up the second-innings declaration at 264 for seven nine minutes before the scheduled tea break.

Kallis marched on relentlessly in quest for his 26th century after taking his overnight score of 18 to 57 in the first session which saw the tourists collect 95 for the loss of Ashwell Prince and Mark Boucher after play started with South Africa on 76 for three.

Kallis, who is not only his country’s leading run-getter but also a great all-rounder in own right, hardly ever appeared in trouble against a bowling line-up that lacked Mohammad Asif all day. There was no official word from the dressing room as to why the main strike bowler was not used at all by Shoaib Malik.

The onus of bearing the brunt of responsibility fell on the slim shoulders of Abdul Rehman. The debutant slow left-armer bowled almost nonstop, and if the playing laws permitted, the Pakistan captain would have little hesitation in using him simultaneously from both ends!

As it was, Rehman sent down 27 of the 57 overs bowled by Pakistan on another hot day in the field. The 27-year-old stuck to his task admirably and was rewarded for his pains with the scalps of A.B. de Villiers and Nel.

Rehman’s dismissal of de Villiers was classic as the batsman got himself overbalanced in playing on the onside, but the bowler managed to turn enough to hit the top of off-stump.

Rehman returned identical figures of four for 105 in each innings here in what has been a promising start to his Test career. But Danish Kaneria, as usual, experimented too much and didn’t do justice to his stature as one of the best leg-spinners around these days.

After playing his part well as Kallis’ partner for the second time running in the Test (stands of 73 and 78), Prince (45 off 105 balls, two fours) was bowled by Kaneria in slow motion; the ball bouncing onto the off-stump after the left-hander hit it into the ground.

Boucher (29) then added 56 with Kallis at run-a-ball before he holed out in the deep off Kaneria before Nel enjoyed a spot of limelight. The paceman, noted for his on-the-field histrionics, bettered his previous best Test score (23 not out, also against Pakistan in Port Elizabeth last January), by 10 runs before Rehman had him caught at long-on for 33.

But Kallis was not in the mood to miss out the chance of becoming only the fourth South African, and the 50th player overall, to reach three figures twice in the same Test. Two of his compatriots — Alan Melville and Bruce Mitchell — achieved the feat in the same series against England in 1947 while his former team-mate Gary Kirsten did so as recently as 1996-97, versus India at Kolkata.

The stamina of Kallis, who will turn 32 later this month, was remarkable keeping in mind the current spell of hot weather. A testimony to his endurance as well as his concentration was that he ran 34 singles and hit a solitary six off the 69 balls he negotiated after reaching his first 50 (that included four fours).

Kallis occupied the crease for 291 minutes and faced 201 deliveries for his second ton. In the context of the match, without Kallis (who overall batted 595 minutes in the game while facing 450 balls), South Africa would have definitely struggle to stamp their authority.

When it was Pakistan’s turn to begin their big chase Steyn provided his side the perfect start by sending Mohammad Hafeez back, bowled off an inside edge for one, with his very first delivery.

Steyn struck again in his third over when Hashim Amla claimed a sharp reflex catch, low at short-leg as Salman Butt (3) tried to flick. TV umpire Riazuddin, who was asked to make the decision, in all fairness, should have given the Pakistan vice-captain the benefit of doubt because repeated replays of the dismissal proved inconclusive.

Scoreboard

SOUTH AFRICA (1st Innings) 450 (J.H. Kallis 155, A.B. de Villiers 77, H.M. Amla 71, H.H. Gibbs 54; Abdul Rehman 4-105).

PAKISTAN (1st Innings) 291 (Shoaib Malik 73; P.L. Harris 5-73).

SOUTH AFRICA (2nd Innings, overnight 76-3):

G.C. Smith c Kamran b Rehman 25

H.H. Gibbs c Faisal b Kaneria 18

H.M. Amla st Kamran b Rehman 0

J.H. Kallis not out 100

A.G. Prince b Kaneria 45

A.B. de Villiers b Rehman 1

M.V. Boucher c Misbah b Kaneria 29

A. Nel c Misbah b Rehman 33

P.L. Harris not out 1

EXTRAS (B-10, LB-2) 12

TOTAL (for seven decl, 89 overs) 264

FALL OF WKTS: 1-41, 2-43, 3-43, 4-131, 5-132, 6-188, 7-251.

BOWLING: Mohammad Asif 6-1-14-0; Umar Gul 12-1-35-0; Abdul Rehman 38-6-105-4; Danish Kaneria 28-3-85-3; Mohammad Hafeez 5-0-13-0.

PAKISTAN (2nd Innings):

Mohammad Hafeez b Steyn 1

Salman Butt c Amla b Steyn 3

Younis Khan not out 93

Faisal Iqbal c Kallis b Harris 44

Mohammad Asif not out 1

EXTRAS (LB-4) 4

TOTAL (for three wkts, 33 overs) 146

FALL OF WKTS: 1-1, 2-20, 3-134.

BOWLING (to-date): Ntini 6-1-19-0; Steyn 9-1-44-2; Nel 7-2-35-0; Harris 9-1-24-1; Smith 2-0-20-0.