Shaun Pollock scythed through the Pakistan top order, to spur South Africa to a remarkable 62 run win in the third one day cricket international played at Buffalo Park on Friday.
Defending a miserable 182, South Africa dismissed Pakistan for 120, to grab a 2-1 lead in what is becoming a fascinating five match series. Aided by Makhaya Ntini and Allan Donald, Pollock took three for 23 as Pakistan crashed to 39 for five and then 49 for seven.
Stung, perhaps, by criticism that he should make way for someone quicker to open the innings, a pumped up Shaun Pollock shoved himself into the Pakistani faces — bowling faster than he has the entire season.
Ntini though was still by some margin the most aggressive and quickest of the South African paceman, but even he was a long way off the speeds set by Shoaib Akhtar.
Akhtar bowled at 157 km/h, as South Africa wilted for the second time in as many games in the face of the Pakistani pace onslaught. Having bowled so well, Pakistan needed to bat at only 3,8 to win the match.
It took just 13 overs to render that meagre target unattainable. Pollock had both openers caught behind and then produced an absolute corker to bowl Yousef Yahana for 5.
From the Bunkers Hill end, Ntini accounted for Abdul Razzaq and two balls later, the dangerous Inzaman Ul Haq for a duck.
A lusty 46 run partnership for the ninth wicket between Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram, who ended on 43 not out, ensured that the visitors were spared the embarrassment of recording their lowest total against South Africa which stands at 109.
If there is any concern in the South African camp, it must surely focus on their batting.
After being shot out for 153 in Port Elizabeth on Wednesday, the South African batsman were once again found wanting, against an attack that less than a week ago had been pasted horribly.
As was the case at St George’s Park, South Africa began their innings stoutly. Once again Herschelle Gibbs stroked the ball handsomely, but a promising innings was cut short when he spooned Waqar Younis to Abdul Razzaq on 13.
South Africa managed to put that early set back behind them by putting on 42 from 50 balls between Graeme Smith and Boeta Dippenaar.
Smith plundered 14 runs from Shoaib Akhtar’s first over, despite the paceman sending down a thunderbolt measuring 152,7 km/h, as his first ball loosener.
Akhtar though improved his direction somewhat in his next over to have Smith caught behind for 44 en route to taking three for 50.
His departure signalled a top order collapse as the hosts lost three wickets for the addition of just 11 runs, to slump to 81 for four.
South Africa at least had Boeta Dippenaar to rely upon. The problem, unfortunately, was that Dippenaar was struggling to keep the scoring rate ticking as he and Mark Boucher put on 48 for the fifth wicket.
While the consolidation was vital, the pair went through a period of 10 overs without scoring a boundary.
Boucher was eventually trapped in front by Akhtar, while Dippenaar’s two hour vigil came to an end when he gently patted the ball back to Shahid Afridi for 47, as the part time bowler was allowed to record miserly figures of one for 24 in 10 overs.
Afridi’s strike brought about another collapse as South Africa lost a further four wickets for 19 runs. Skipper Shaun Pollock did his best to hold the lower order together and had made 32 when Waqar rearranged Makhaya Ntini’s stumps for a duck. – Sapa