Prince, Gibbs put South Africa ahead

CRICKET: CENTURION, Jan. 13 - Ashwell Prince made his sixth Test century as he and Herschelle Gibbs enabled South Africa to take a 104-run first innings lead on the third day of the first Test against Pakistan at Centurion Park Saturday.

South Africa were bowled out for 417 in reply to Pakistan's 313. Pakistan were 12 for no wicket in their second innings at tea.

South Africa lost their last six wickets for 61 runs after they had seemed on course to take a commanding lead.

Prince and Gibbs had taken their fifth wicket partnership to 213 when Prince was out for 138 in the last over before lunch, stumped off Danish Kaneria.

Four more wickets fell quickly after the interval before Shaun Pollock and Makhaya Ntini added 26 for the last wicket to take the lead beyond 100.

Opening bowler Mohammad Asif finally dismissed Ntini, caught at second slip, to finish with five for 89, his third five-wicket haul in a seven-Test career.

Gibbs was part of the post-lunch collapse, leg before wicket to Rana Naved-ul-Hasan for 94, falling short of his first Test century in two years.

The left-handed Prince, who has made all his Test hundreds within the space of two years, batted fluently but survived a close lbw appeal by Mohammad Asif on 98 and an appeal for caught and bowled by Shahid Nazir when he had 126.

In the latter incident, Prince mistimed a drive and Nazir picked up the ball low down in his follow through. Nazir threw the ball up in triumph but Prince stood his ground.

Umpire Steve Bucknor consulted with square leg umpire Billy Doctrove and the appeal was referred to television umpire Karl Hurter.

The replays were inconclusive although it seemed Nazir might have caught the ball on the half-volley and Prince was given not out.

Pakistan's bowlers were largely lacklustre before lunch on a hot, cloudless day but Kaneria followed up the wicket of Prince with two more to finish with three for 97, while Naved-ul-Hasan improved otherwise disappointing figures by taking two wickets in nine balls.

Prince's innings was ended when he went down the pitch and missed a ball from leg-spinner Kaneria. With an easy stumping chance, Akmal missed with his first pass at the stumps before knocking off the bails at the second attempt.

Prince almost got back but was given out on a television replay decision. He batted for 347 minutes, faced 213 balls and hit 19 fours.

Gibbs has not scored a Test hundred since he reached three figures against England in Johannesburg on January 15, 2005.

Naved, who had conceded 72 runs in 12 overs, trapped Gibbs lbw with the first ball of a new spell. Gibbs batted for 279 minutes, faced 205 balls and hit 15 boundaries.

It was reported that leading Pakistan batsman Mohammad Yousuf, who missed the first Test because his wife was having a baby, would be in South Africa in time for the remaining two Tests following the birth of a daughter Friday.

PAKISTAN - 1ST INNINGS: 313

SOUTH AFRICA - 1ST INNINGS (overnight 254-4) A. de Villiers c Younis Khan b Mohammad Asif 4 G. Smith c Kamran Akmal b Mohammad Asif 0 H. Amla c Kamran Akmal b Mohammad Asif 71 J. Kallis c Younis Khan b Mohammad Asif 18 A. Prince st Kamran Akmal b Danish Kaneria 138 H. Gibbs lbw b Naved-ul-Hasan 94 M. Boucher c and b Danish Kaneria 2 S. Pollock not out 39 P. Harris b Danish Kaneria 3 A. Nel b Naved-ul-Hasan 5 M. Ntini c Younis Khan b Mohammad Asif 5 EXTRAS (LB13, NB25) 38 TOTAL (117.5 overs) 417 FALL OF WICKETS: 1-3, 2-8, 3-53, 4-143, 5-356, 6-358, 7-383, 8-386, 9-391 BOWLING: Mohammad Asif 27.5-4-89-5 (15nb), Naved-ul-Hasan 17-2-92-2 (1nb), Shahid Nazir 20-1-96-0 (9nb), Danish Kaneria 41-8-97-3, Mohammad Hafeez 11-1-24-0, Imran Farhat 1-0-6-0.

PAKISTAN - 2ND INNINGS Mohammad Hafeez not out 9 Imran Farhat not out 3 EXTRAS 0 TOTAL (0 wkts, 5 overs) 12 BOWLING: Nel 3-2-2-0, Ntini 2-0-10-0. AFP