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Pakistan vs SA, 4th ODI

Saturday, October 11 2003

Pakistan vs South Africa, 4th One Day International,
Rawalpindi
10th October 2003

The tourists made one change, out of form Alan Dawson sitting out for young Andre Nel. Nel’s limited overs record up until now had been far from spectacular. Fourteen wickets at a strike rate of 39 in 10 matches and a run rate at just over four runs over hints at potential. Pairing up with Shaun Pollock up front, Nel bowled with aggression and pace, picking up four wickets for a mere 39 runs and completing his 10 allotted overs.

Earlier, Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat. With the settled pair of Mohammed Hafeez and Yasir Hameed, Pakistan would have been hoping for a steady start. Hafeez was the first to go, chasing a wide ball from Nel in the sixth over for one. Pollock kept the pressure on the batsman, bowling a maiden over and it told. Carrying on where he left off, Nel soon had new batsman Faisal Iqbal in trouble. Seaming the ball both ways he beat Iqbal on the inside edge and very next ball had him caught at slip by Andrew Hall for nought.

In-form Yousuf Youhana joined Hameed and together began the process of moving Pakistan forward. Overs twelve and thirteen saw the opening bowlers replaced, Makhaya Ntini and Andrew Hall managing to keep the runs to a minimum. Some wicket-keeping brilliance by Mark Boucher accounted for Hameed. Standing up to the stumps, the batsman edged a delivery off Hall and Boucher clung on.

Youhana did find some fluency and together with Younis Khan edged Pakistan towards one hundred. Tight bowling made sure the batsman were never able to collect easy runs and once Nel had Younis Khan caught behind by Boucher for 13 Pakistan were 105/4 after thirty overs.

Graeme Smith brought Nel back into the attack after the fall of Khan and almost immediately had Youhana out. Looking to dominate Youhana rocked back to a short delivery but managed to hit the ball straight to Pollock at mid-wicket who accepted the catch. With the wicket of Youhana South Africa had broken the back of the Pakistan innings and only a sublime performance by ex-captain Rashid Latif could see them through to a competitive total.

South Africa though maintained their intensity and picked up regular wickets throughout the rest of the innings. Both Naveed Latif and danger-man Shoaib Malik fell quickly, pushing for quick runs and when Ntini had Shoaib Ahktar caught behind by Boucher Pakistan looked down and out at 122/8. Latif and Mohammed Sami joined briefly to take the total over 150 but once Latif was bowled by Kallis for 18 the innings soon came to and end leaving South Africa chasing 158 to win the game and tie the series.

Pakistan almost had a dream start but luck was on South Africa’s side. Ahktar almost had Smith out very first ball as the South African skipper narrowly missed chopping the ball back onto his own stumps. Despite a scratchy start, the two openers persevered and advanced to 31 before the inside edge was ultimately the captains downfall and in attempting a pull shot off Sami only managed a thick inside edge onto his stumps.

The arrival of Jacques Kallis to the wicket seemed to help Gibbs as he began to expand his range of strokes. Playing aggressively Gibbs immediately increased the scoring rate, crunching seven boundaries until a rather relaxed shot saw him bowled off the inside edge. South Africa were now 73/1 after 13 overs and moving swiftly towards victory. Kallis played the role of anchor superbly, supported by youngsters Jacques Rudolph and Boeta Dippenaar, as he struck an assured half-century which included two towering sixes. The win was fairly comfortable in the end despite Rudolph and Dippenaar falling before victory could be achieved.

Pakistan will know they let themselves down as they had a chance to finish the series today but credit must go to Graeme Smith and his young side as they battled well, maintained pressure when it counted and doggedly never allowed Pakistan back into the game after taking early wickets. Perhaps a tighter team performance from Pakistan will see them to victory rather than relying on the individual brilliance of certain players.

Result: South Africa won by 6 wickets
Pakistan: 157 all out (Yousuf Youhana, Yasir Hameed 30, Andre Nel 10-0-39-4)
South Africa: 158 / 4 (Herschelle Gibbs 41, Jacques Kallis 58*, Shoaib Ahktar 7-2-23-1)


Posted by Rupert