October 19, 2007	Friday	Shawwal 6, 1428

LAHORE, Oct 18: Fine centuries by A.B. de Villiers and Herschelle Gibbs followed by Makhaya Ntini’s four-wicket burst helped South Africa to a 45-run victory against Pakistan in the first One-day International at the Gaddafi Stadium here on Thursday.

De Villiers hit an unbeaten 103 and Gibbs scored 102 as South Africa amassed 294-5 in 50 overs after electing to bat first.

Paceman Ntini then shattered Pakistan’s hopes by taking the first four wickets in a fiery spell to leave the hosts reeling at 55-4. Despite a late rearguard action from Shahid Afridi and Sohail Tanvir Pakistan slumped to 249 all out in 46.3 overs.

Pakistan’s woes started when Ntini removed Imran Nazir (16), caught by Justin Kemp at short extra-cover. Younis Khan was the next man to go when he chased an out-swinger unnecessarily to give a simple catch to wicket-keeper Mark Boucher for 12, with the total 30.

At 37, Mohammad Hafeez also perished for six, mistiming a pull to Johan Botha at square-leg.

Mohammad Yousuf and Shoaib Malik (18) had hardly crossed the 50 mark in 11.2 overs before Pakistan lost their skipper at the total of 55. Malik, trying to flick Ntini on a rising ball, misjudged it to give Gibbs an easy catch. Yousuf, with Misbah-ul-Haq, tried to stable the innings. But after adding 37, Misbah (20) attempted to hook Charl Langeveldt but only succeeded in providing Boucher another catch to make it 92-5.

Yousuf helped Pakistan cross the 100-mark in the 23rd over with Kamran Akmal. Yousuf and Kamran brought up the 50-run stand with Yousuf completing his half-century off 71 balls with three fours.

Then came the eventful first over of Kallis. On the first delivery, he removed Yousuf for 53 caught by Graeme Smith at mid-wicket to end the 60-run partnership. Next ball, Kallis sent down a wide ball, the first extra run of the innings, in the 35th over. Off the very next ball Shahid Afridi hit the first six of the innings.

Afridi and debutant Sohail Tanvir kept on chasing the big target that mostly looked beyond the hosts’ reach. Their hard hitting kept Pakistan hopes alive as they collected 60 in five overs, taking the total to 245. But after Afridi was caught by de Villiers off Albie Morkel for 47, the end was in sight for Pakistan.

Ntini finished with four for 69. Morkel remained economic with 1-18 in six overs.

Earlier, Gibbs and de Villiers batted superbly to help South Africa set Pakistan a daunting target.

Smith and Gibbs laid a strong foundation, collecting 85 in 14.4 overs after both started sedately, scoring just 17 in the first five overs.

Smith, however, was then left stranded as a fine throw from Hafeez from deep square-leg landed in the hands of Kamran. The South African captain scored a 43-ball 34, laced with five boundaries. The Proteas suffered another big blow after the addition of 12 runs when Kallis was dismissed by Afridi for only eight.

However, from 97-2 in the 18th over, South Africa built their innings solidly with Gibbs and de Villiers, the man-of-the-match, sharing a fine partnership of 137 for the third wicket.

Gibbs completed his 50 off 78 balls. The Gibbs-de Villiers pair crossed the 200-run mark in 38 overs as de Villiers completed 50 runs off 62 balls. Gibbs hit the first six of the innings to Shoaib Malik in the 39th over and then completed his 18th ton, in the 42nd over, off 125 balls with one six and 11 boundaries.

But soon Gibbs was run out for 102 (off 128 balls) at the total of 234. A throw from Imran Nazir from mid-wicket did not allow Gibbs, who had slipped while completing the run, only looking Kamran removing the bails. But de Villiers was there for a good finish to the innings, despite losing next man Justin Kemp (1) at 238.

De Villiers, who struck three sixes – two off Sohail Tanvir and the other off Umar Gul) – and Mark Boucher added a quickfire 50 off 27 balls. De Villiers notched up 21 in Sohail’s 9th over with two sixes and as many fours while completing his third century made off 93 balls, and studded with nine boundaries and three sixes.

Boucher was the last man out in 49th over. De Villiers remained unbeaten on 103.

Scoreboard

SOUTH AFRICA:

H.H. Gibbs run out 102

G.C. Smith run out 34

J.H. Kallis c and b Afridi 8

A.B. de Villiers not out 103

J. Kemp lbw b Sohail Tanvir 1

M.V. Boucher c Younis b Rao Iftikhar 14

S.M. Pollock not out 5

EXTRAS: (LB-16, W-8, NB-3) 27

TOTAL: (for five wkts, 50 overs) 294

FALL OF WKTS: 1-85, 2-97, 3-234, 4-238, 5-288.

DID NOT BAT: J.A. Morkel, J. Botha, C.K. Langeveldt, M. Ntini.

BOWLING: Sohail Tanvir 9-1-52-1 (2nb, 6w); Rao Iftikhar 10-1-57-1; Umar Gul 8-0-54-0 (1nb); Shahid Afridi 10-0-48-1 (1w); Mohammad Hafeez 10-0-44-0 (1w); Shoaib Malik 3-0-23-0.

PAKISTAN:

Mohammad Hafeez c Botha b Ntini 6

Imran Nazir c Kemp b Ntini 16

Younis Khan c Boucher b Ntini 12

Mohammad Yousuf c Smith b Kallis 53

Shoaib Malik c Gibbs b Ntini 18

Misbah-ul-Haq c Boucher b Langeveldt 20

Kamran Akmal b Kallis 35

Shahid Afridi c de Villiers b Morkel 47

Sohail Tanvir b Langeveldt 26

Rao Iftikhar run out 9

Umar Gul not out 1

EXTRAS: (B-1, LB-1, W-4) 6

TOTAL: (all out, 46.3 overs) 249

FALL OF WKTS: 1-18, 2-30, 3-37, 4-55, 5-92, 6-152, 7-172, 8-215.

BOWLING: Pollock 10-2-30-0; Ntini 9-0-69-4; Langeveldt 9-0-53-2 (2w); Morkel 6-0-18-1; Botha 7.3-0-30-0; Kallis 5-0-47-2 (2w).

RESULT: South Africa won by 45 runs

UMPIRES: Nadeem Ghauri (Pakistan) and B.F. Bowden (New Zealand).

TV UMPIRE: Zameer Haider (Pakistan).

MATCH REFEREE: A.G. Hurst (Australia).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: A.B. de Villiers.

SECOND MATCH: Oct 20, Lahore.

THIRD MATCH: Oct 23, Faisalabad.

FOURTH MATCH: Oct 26, Multan.

FIFTH MATCH: Oct 29, Karachi.