Skipper Smith praises South African spin attack

NEW DELHI: South African skipper Graeme Smith said it had been “one of those days” after his decision to field a three-pronged spin attack paid rich dividends with an opening World Cup win over the West Indies.

Off-break bowler Johan Botha opened the bowling and grabbed two wickets for 48 on Thursday but the star performer with the ball was debutant leg-spinner Imran Tahir, who took 4-41 as South Africa cruised to a seven-wicket win.

South Africa have kept Pakistan-born Tahir under wraps in the lead-up to the tournament and their strategy paid off against the West Indies.

“He bowled really well. We tried to use him in short spells and obviously tried to get the timing right for when we used him. I think that was good. He responded superbly well,” Smith said.

“He picked up key wickets for us. Every time he came on he made an impact for us so that was terrific. I think the guys bowled really well around him and created good pressure for him.”

“Sometimes when you come up with things and they work out it’s a great feeling. They don’t always do that but today it was one of those days,” said Smith.

The South African skipper said the spin attack, which also featured the wicketless Robin Petersen, who bowls left-arm orthodox, had enabled paceman Dale Steyn to make an impact. Steyn ended with figures of 3-24.

“One of the advantages of having a lot of spin options also is that when we do use Dale he can come in and make a really big impact for us. His pace was really up today again.”

Smith also praised AB de Villiers, who put on 119 runs for the third wicket with the skipper and went on to score 107 not out as South Africa overhauled the West Indies score of 222 all out with 43 balls to spare.

“He hit the ball sweetly and he probably made the wicket look a lot easier than everyone else did so it was a great knock and I just tried to hang in there with him and it was great to watch from the other end.”

Smith said South Africa would reassess their bowling options going into their next game against the Netherlands on March 3, saying paceman Lonwabo Tsotsobe would play a major role in the tournament.

“I think I trusted my gut feel today and it seemed to work out,” he said.

“If you can be one step ahead it’s always a bonus but sometimes you’ll do things and they won’t work out and you’ll be asking why. Today was a good day,” he added.

“We’ll move on to Holland and we’ll assess the Mohali wicket and the team we’re up against and just take eight days to think about that now, so that’s a good time.”

Rehman helps Pakistan thwart South Africa

ABU DHABI: Pakistan left-arm spinner Abdul Rehman took three wickets and scored his maiden half-century to foil South Africa’s attempts to win the second Test at Abu Dhabi Stadium on Tuesday.

Rehman checked South Africa’s quest for quick runs in order to set a target for Pakistan with wickets of Alvior Petersen (35), Hashim Amla (62) and AB de Villiers (25) before South Africa closed the fourth day at 173-4, for an overall lead of 323.

Ashwell Prince was unbeaten on 27 and Mark Boucher was 13 not out on a day when the 30-year-old Rehman became Pakistan’s saviour.

Rehman scored a career-best 60 to help Pakistan score 434 in their first-innings in reply to South Africa’s mammoth 584-9 declared — the first time Pakistan crossed the 400-mark in a Test this year.

South Africa, for whom captain Graeme Smith couldn’t open the innings after a recurrence of

De Villiers smites South Africa’s highest test score

ABUDHABI: Dashing batsman AB de Villiers became the highest scorer in a test innings for South Africa when he made 278 not out against Pakistan on the second day of the second Test at Abu Dhabi Stadium on Sunday.

The 24-year-old beat the previous best score in a Test innings of 277 hit by current South African skipper Graeme Smith, against England at Birmingham in 2003.

De Villier’s best helped South Africa declare their first innings at 584-9, soon after tea. He hit 23 boundaries and six sixes during his record-breaking 418-ball knock.

West Indian Brian Lara holds the record for the highest Test score of 400, made against England at Antigua in 2004.

The list for highest Test scorers for all ten Test playing countries are as following: (batsman, country, score, against, venue, year)

B. Lara West Indies 400 not out England Antigua

De Villiers smites South Africa’s highest test score

ABUDHABI: Dashing batsman AB de Villiers became the highest scorer in a test innings for South Africa when he made 278 not out against Pakistan on the second day of the second Test at Abu Dhabi Stadium on Sunday.

The 24-year-old beat the previous best score in a Test innings of 277 hit by current South African skipper Graeme Smith, against England at Birmingham in 2003.

De Villier’s best helped South Africa declare their first innings at 584-9, soon after tea. He hit 23 boundaries and six sixes during his record-breaking 418-ball knock.

West Indian Brian Lara holds the record for the highest Test score of 400, made against England at Antigua in 2004.

The list for highest Test scorers for all ten Test playing countries are as following: (batsman, country, score, against, venue, year)

B. Lara West Indies 400 not out England Antigua

De Villiers record puts S.Africa in charge

ABU DHABI: AB de Villiers posted South Africa’s highest individual score to give them firm control of the second test on the second day against Pakistan at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium on Sunday.

De Villiers scored 278 not out to pass Graeme Smith’s landmark of 277 against England in Birmingham in 2003, with captain Smith declaring their first innings closed on 584 for nine shortly afterwards.

Taufeeq Umar (16) and Azhar Ali (34) then took Pakistan to 59 for one before bad light stopped play and stumps were drawn with seven overs remaining in the day.

Mohammad Hafeez was the batsman out, playing across his front pad and being trapped lbw for two in the first over of the innings.

De Villiers came to the wicket with the score a parlous 33 for three on the first morning but immediately looked settled and occupied the crease for more than 11 hours, taking 418

Kallis ton steers South Africa out of trouble

ABU DHABI: Jacques Kallis’s 37th test century steered South Africa out of trouble at tea on the first day of the second and final test against Pakistan on Saturday.

Kallis raced to 105 off 142 balls, one of his quickest test centuries which included 12 fours and three sixes.

He was supported on the other end by AB de Villiers (80) in an unbroken partnership of 179 which took South Africa to 212 for three.

Earlier in the day after Pakistan won the toss, Tanvir Ahmed, a 31-year-old debutant, burst into international cricket with a three-wicket haul in the first session, reducing South Africa to 33-3 at one stage.

He sent back Alviro Petersen (2), Hashim Amla (4) and South African captain Graeme Smith (10).

The first test in Dubai last week ended in a draw.

PAKISTAN OPTS TO FILED FIRST IN ABU DHABI TEST

Pakistan captain

Misbah, Smith praise ‘world class’ Younis after ton

DUBAI: Rival captains Misbah-ul-Haq and Graeme Smith hailed Younis Khan’s brilliant hundred which helped Pakistan salvage a fighting draw in the first Test here on Tuesday.

Younis, 32, remained unbeaten on 131 to guide Pakistan to safety on the fifth and final day at the Dubai Stadium after they were set a daunting 451-run target. Pakistan finished on 343-3.

Misbah, who himself scored 76 not out and shared a new Pakistan-South Africa series record of 186 for the unfinished fourth wicket, said Younis saved the day for his team.

“Younis is a world class player and he proved his worth with a fighting knock,” said Misbah of Younis who was playing his first Test since July last year after being sidelined because of an indefinite ban and a fall-out with team-mates.

“He (Younis) is a wonderful team man and his knock helped us draw this Test, also giving us

Morkel takes five as S.Africa increase advantage

DUBAI: South Africa progressed steadily to increase their lead after paceman Morne Morkel took a five-wicket haul against Pakistan on the third day of the first Test here on Sunday.

South Africa reached 47-1 in their second innings at tea, having an overall lead of 179 after Morkel dismissed Pakistan for 248 with a sustained spell of fast bowling during which he took four wickets for ten runs in seven overs.

Graeme Smith, who hit 100 in the first innings, was unbeaten on 20 as Alviro Petersen fell leg-before to spinner Abdul Rehman for 26 in the last over before the break.

The 26-year-old Morkel, who registered his third five-wicket haul in his 27th Test, helped South Africa take the last five Pakistani wickets in the space of 34 runs after they were 214-5 at lunch.

Morkel, who built on off-spinner Johan Botha’s three wicket haul in the first session,

Morkel takes five as S.Africa increase advantage

DUBAI: South Africa progressed steadily to increase their lead after paceman Morne Morkel took a five-wicket haul against Pakistan on the third day of the first Test here on Sunday.

South Africa reached 47-1 in their second innings at tea, having an overall lead of 179 after Morkel dismissed Pakistan for 248 with a sustained spell of fast bowling during which he took four wickets for ten runs in seven overs.

Graeme Smith, who hit 100 in the first innings, was unbeaten on 20 as Alviro Petersen fell leg-before to spinner Abdul Rehman for 26 in the last over before the break.

The 26-year-old Morkel, who registered his third five-wicket haul in his 27th Test, helped South Africa take the last five Pakistani wickets in the space of 34 runs after they were 214-5 at lunch.

Morkel, who built on off-spinner Johan Botha’s three wicket haul in the first session,

South Africa openers make solid start in first test

DUBAI: Graeme Smith and Alviro Petersen combined for a century stand as South Africa reached 101 without loss at lunch on the first day of the first test against Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Friday.

Petersen reached the break unbeaten on 51, after having raised his second test fifty off 69 balls, while Smith weighed in with 48 not out.

On a pitch which offered very little assistance to Pakistan’s bowlers, Smith and Petersen overcame a testing opening spell from swing bowler Umar Gul as the duo brought up their first century partnership in a test.

Petersen survived a confident caught behind appeal off the bowling of Gul when he had scored just nine but the right-handed batsman grew in confidence during his knock as he scored eight boundaries during his 82 ball knock.

Smith was also troubled by Gul, with the left-hander playing

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