Kallis, Tsotsobe lead South Africa win over Pakistan
by Shahid HASHMI
CRICKET: ABU DHABI, Oct 30 (AFP) - Paceman Lonwabo Tsotsobe took four
wickets and Jacques Kallis hit an unbeaten fifty to help a disciplined
South Africa down Pakistan by eight wickets in the first one-day match
here on Friday.
Tsotsobe took a career-best 4-27 off his ten tight overs to trigger a
middle-order collapse and helped South Africa dismiss Pakistan for 203
before Kallis (66 retired hurt) saw off the target with 9.3 overs to
spare.
The modest target was never beyond South Africa’s reach after
Pakistan batsmen once again failed to take advantage of a good start on
a flat Abu Dhabi Stadium, much to the disappointment of a 10,000 holiday
crowd.
The 35-year-old Kallis, back after missing the limited over series
against Zimbabwe at home and South Africa’s 2-0 win in the Twenty20
series which finished here on Wednesday due to injury, was at his usual
best.
He steadied the South African innings through a solid 77-run stand
with AB de Villiers, who also hit an attractive 51, after Graeme Smith
(18) retired due to a finger injury and Hashim Amla dismissed for a
well-made 35.
Kallis, who hit five boundaries and a six off paceman Abdul Razzaq,
added another 41 runs with Jean-Paul Duminy (10 not out) to give South
Africa a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. With just 16 needed for win
Kallis suffered cramps and retired. The second match will be played here
on Sunday.
Johan Botha praised South African bowlers.
“At one point Pakistan was well set at 140-1 but the bowlers stuck to
their task and got us nine wickets for 63 runs and that proved
decisive,” said Botha, who singled out man-of-the-match Tsotsobe.
Pakistan coach Waqar Younis was critical of his batsmen.
“We had just one good partnership and then a middle order collapse,
like we had in the Twenty20s, so we need to lift our batting because
South Afica will get tougher and tougher,” said Waqar. Earlier,
26-year-old Tsotsobe took 4-27 put brackes on Pakistan’s innings who
lost their last eight wickets for a mere 46 runs after winning the toss
and deciding to bat.
Tsotsobe, who took five wickets in the two Twenty20 matches, rocked
the Pakistan middle-order with a burst of three wickets off just nine
balls during his second four-over spell.
Tsotsobe’s effort backed by disciplined spin bowling by Johan Botha
(2-40) derailed Pakistan after Mohammad Hafeez (68) and returning Younis
Khan (54) put on 114 for the second wicket.
Tsotsobe removed opener Asad Shafiq (19) in the eighth over before
Younis — returning to the side after being cleared by Pakistan Cricket
Board last month following a ban on discipline violation, joined Hafeez
in a damage repair act.
Hafeez hit seven boundaries during his 84-ball sixth one-day fifty
before cutting Botha straight into the hands of Charl Langeveldt. Four
overs later, Younis was trapped leg-before by Botha.
Younis hit two boundaries during his 75-ball knock.
Tsotsobe’s triple strike followed as he removed Misbah-ul-Haq (14),
Shahid Afridi (one) and Abdul Razzaq (two) to complete Pakistan’s slide
on a similar pattern of Twenty20 matches in which they were restricted
to 119 and 120-9. Tsotsobe’s previous best bowling figures were 4-50
against Australia on his one-day debut at Perth last year.
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