1st test-Pakistan V South Africa

[Joe]

Sth. Africa won the toss and batted.

They are 2/142 after Smith (33) and Gibbs (27) went out early.

Kirsten is 45 n.o.

[Donny]

After 44 overs, The Proteas are 3/159 with Kirsten on 53 n.o.

Kanaria has 2 wickets.

[HAL]

What do you really want to ask me?

[Donny]

Akhtar snared McKenzie for a quacker and Kirsten has retired hurt so Pakistan are getting on top. 4/177

[Donny]

S.A. are 5/259 with Boucher on 56 n.o.

[Donny]

Boucher went for a quick 72 and S.A, are 8/308.

Shoaib Malik's 3/33 was a damaging spell as his wickets were Dippenaar, Boucher and Pollock.

[Donny]

Shoaibs restrict SA to 320

The Wisden Bulletin by Siddhartha Vaidyanathan

The two Shoaib's – Malik and Akhtar – , in contrasting styles, revived Pakistan and restricted South Africa to 320 for 9 on the first day of the first Test at Lahore. Gary Kirsten (53) showed all the virtues necessary to tackle spin bowling until he was hit by a thundering bouncer by Shoaib. Mark Boucher made plucky 72 and prevented a batting collapse when Shoaib was running red hot. The other Shoaib showed all the subtleties involved in off-spin bowling and picked up four wickets on a truly absorbing day of cricket.

Yousuf Youhana made his captaincy debut but lost both the toss and the morning session. His counterpart, Graeme Smith, literally bullied and inconsistent Shoaib in his first four overs where he took and clattered him with bludgeoning venom. Mohammad Sami was the antithesis of his partner. He bowled a teasing spell, restricting the flow of runs and occasionally flirting with batsmen's edge. He was rewarded when he pitched a rare one short and wide, and Smith got a top edge while trying to pull him over midwicket (52 for 1).

Kirsten then joined Herschelle Gibbs, and the pair continued the swift pace of scoring until Gibbs edged a full ball from Danish Kaneria to Taufeeq Umar at first slip (84 for 2). Kirsten showed his experience, forcing the bowlers to pitch it up when he paddle-swept everything in sight. But as soon as the ball was tossed up, he came down the track and lofted it over the infield, disturbing the bowlers' rhythm and ensured that his side's runaway start wasn't frittered away.

Kallis began as if performing for a sweeping circus, and he survived a huge appeal for lbw from Kaneria, which looked very adjacent indeed. But he gradually showed that there were more shots in his book, rocking back to punch the ball through the covers. However both Kirsten and Kallis had Lady Luck abetting them as both were let of twice, all regulation catches. Apart from Sami, Pakistan's bowling in the morning session was pedestrian and the fielding was very close to horrific. Just as a massive total was looming large South Africa were hit by a Shoaib whirlwind of gut-wrenching pace and bulls-eye accuracy.

First Kallis faced the bombardment and was beaten thrice in one over. He was glued to his crease and the lack of footwork continued in the next over when he was given out caught behind off Danish Kaneria to a dubious decision. Kirsten reached his fifty with an elegant cover-drive and was all set to pitch tent for the whole day. But all such hopes were literally dashed in the seventh over after lunch, when Shoaib unleashed a well-directed short ball on Kirsten's off stump. Kirsten tried to pull him away with a swift swing of the bat, but the ball was just too fast and sneaked in through the visor onto his left cheekbone. He was covered in blood within a few minutes and was hurried to the hospital for safety.

McKenzie came in to face the death-metal music and received an incisive yorker that started outside off and swung and got him lbw.

Boucher walked in amid blood and swing and played a truly memorable innings. He kept out the yorkers and took every single spinner on a sweep-trip. He was aided by some large gaps left in the field and hurried South Africa along to safety. Along with Boetta Dippenaar first, and then Shaun Pollock , he rebuilt the innings that was threatening to collapse.

And when the game was drifting away from Pakistan, they found the other Shoaib revitalizing them and picking up the crucial wickets of Dippenaar –who was in classy touch – and Boucher both caught at leg-slip. Shaoib then tantalized the tail with looping variation – had them clueless with the `doosra' – and wrapped up the innings for 320.

When Smith was blazing away he might have envisaged a batting mauling, but the two Shoaibs had other ideas – one brutal and the other subtle.

[Donny]

Good start for Pakistan as Taufeeq Umar and Imran Farhat opened with a century (109) partnership.

In the 35th. over, Paul Adams bowled Farhat for 41. Umar is 66 n.o. as Pakistan move on to 1/113.

[Donny]

Pakistan are 3/180 after 66 overs with Umar on 94 n.o.

Pollock, Nel and Adams have 1 wicket apiece.

[Donny]

Taufeeq Umar completes a gutsy century. He's 102 n.o. and Pakistan is 3/203.

[Donny]

Umar out for 111 and Pakistan is 4/255 with Test debutant, Asim Kamal on 43 n.o.

Adams has 2/70.

[Donny]

Kamal and Malik added 99 before Malik fell to Adams.

Kamal is playing a top innings in his first Test as he leads Pakistan to a first innings lead. They are 4/311.

Adams has 3/85

[Donny]

Kamal was out for 99 on debut.

After surviving for 245 balls, he was bowled by Nel. Moin Khan made 37 but Adams ran through the tail to take 7/128 from 45 overs.

Pakistan made 401, a lead of 81.

[Donny]

Akhtar got Smith for 12 but at stumps, S.A. are 1/99 with gibbs on 56 n.o. They lead by 18.

[Donny]

S.A. are now 6/212 after Akhtar took another 3 wickets. He has 4/36 and Kaneria has 2/41.

Gibbs made 59 and Kirsten is 33 n.o. They lead by only 131.