Jacques Kallis and Ashwell Prince steered South Africa to a series-clinching five-wicket win over Pakistan on the third day of the third and final Test at Newlands on Sunday.
Kallis (51) and Prince (59 not out) came together when South Africa were wobbling at 39-4 in their quest for a target of 161 on a tricky pitch.
They put on 117 for the fifth wicket before Kallis was bowled by Shahid Nazir when just five runs were needed for victory.
South Africa won the series 2-1. They won the first Test at Centurion by seven wickets and Pakistan won the second in Port Elizabeth by five wickets.
Kallis and Prince batted with extreme caution early on against excellent bowling by opening bowler Mohammad Asif and leg-spinner Danish Kaneria, before picking up the scoring rate when Asif tired and Pakistan had to use their back-up bowlers.
Asif took two early wickets, dismissing South African captain Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla, to put the home side under pressure.
When Asif was rested half an hour before lunch he had bowled a spell of 11 overs in which he took 2-6, while South Africa had advanced by just 18 runs in 22.5 overs from their overnight total of 36-2.
The value of Asif’s bowling was shown when he was replaced by Mohammad Sami, whose second ball was punched by Kallis off the back foot through the covers for the first boundary of the day.
Kallis drove the next ball straight for another four. They were the only boundaries hit during a morning which brought 40 runs in 29.5 overs.
Asif struck with his fourth ball of the morning when Smith advanced down the pitch and tried to force him to the leg-side, missing the ball to be given out leg before.
Hashim Amla was caught behind off Sami four overs later for three.
Kallis and the left-handed Prince played cautiously, taking 128 minutes and 190 balls to post a 50 partnership.
But Asif was less effective after lunch, when he bowled five overs which cost 18 runs, and the scoring rate picked up, with Kallis and Prince scoring their second 50 off 72 balls. The total partnership of 117 was made off 273 deliveries.
Kaneria conceded only 30 runs off his first 25 overs but then leaked another 22 off his last three overs as South Africa got closer to the target.
Kaneria finished with 2-52 and Asif took 2-43.
There was some vociferous appealing, particularly early in the day, and at one stage umpires Peter Parker and Steve Bucknor spoke to acting captain Younis Khan, warning the players to ”keep down the banter”.
There was an incident shortly before the end of the match when Kaneria, fielding on the boundary, reported a spectator who allegedly swore at him. — AFP
