Sunday, March 2, 2003:::
The Greatest One-Day Innings Ever!
Sachin Tendulkar has produced the most astonishing innings seen in 50-over cricket since the matches began, writes renowned cricket writer Peter Roebuck in his review of the India-Pakistan match.
Source: Rediff.comTendulkar’s treat
No one on the planet save Tendulkar could have played like the little master did against Pakistan at Centurion on Saturday, writes former England all-rounder Vic Marks.
Source:The Observer, UKPakistan needed another attacking bowler
Former Pakistan skipper Imran Khan feels that Pakistan paid the price for not including an attacking bowler like Mohammad Sami in the starting line-up against India.
Source: BBC
World Cup prize money exempt from Income Tax
Finance Minister Jaswant Singh has greeted India’s emphatic win over Pakistan by announcing that the prize money earned by the players at the World Cup will be exempt from Income Tax.
Source: PTI, IndiaKing hit meant for McCullum
It now emerges that the punch that floored Chris Cairns at a Durban night club was originally meant for New Zealand wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum.
Source: The Stuff, NZRead anything interesting lately? Send us the link for the CricInfo weblogs.Saturday, March 1, 2003:::
Losing to India is far worse than not winning World Cup
We don’t want to upset our fans. We have to win today, otherwise who knows what consequences will need to be paid, writes Shoaib Akhtar in his column.
Source: The Guardian, UK
When Sachin played for Pakistan
India’s reigning deity, Sachin Tendulkar, stepped on to the international arena for the first time as a reserve fielder for a Pakistan XI!
Source: Rediff.com‘Sickness’ rears its head as cricket fever peaks
Most of the one million Indian expatriates and the 700,000 Pakistanis in the UAE are expected to “fall sick” and stay away from work on the day of the high-profile India-Pakistan match.
Source: Gulf News, UAERead anything interesting lately? Send us the link for the CricInfo weblogs.Friday, February 28, 2003:::
‘Having a cricketer son has not changed our life’
On Wednesday, Ashish Nehra may have bowled as to the manner born, but his family are not deeply knowledgeable about cricket. His brother, in fact, only took young Ashish’s bowling seriously after he castled Ajay Jadeja in a local match!
Source: Rediff.com
Related CricInfo links: Ashish Nehra player pageFans bamboozled by Super Selector
The Great Indian Cricket Fan has been cheated. Not with India’s loss to Australia, but a glitch in an online cricketing game, as participants of the ESPN-Star Super Selector contest were shocked when a technical glitch gave an unfair advantage to certain players.
Source: The Indian Express, IndiaShane Warne assumes the role of scapegoat
While Shane Warne has done wonders for the sale of diuretics in the overweight-blond-white male-smoking-beach bum market, he has done in his career through stupidity. “Stupid” is an often-used word in the Warne affair. When Ricky Ponting was asked if he thought Warne was guilty of naivete, he answered: “Yeah, that and stupidity.”
Source: The Independent Online, South AfricaAustralian streak cannot last – Irani
“There was no doubt who was one of the most sought-after guys in the England camp after our defeat against India. Malcolm Ashton, our scorer-cum-computer analyst, had been up half the night calculating our chances of reaching the Super Sixes…” writes Ronnie Irani.
Source: The Guardian, UKRead anything interesting lately? Send us the link for the CricInfo weblogs.Thursday, February 27, 2003:::
South Africans grateful for Kenya’s win
If one were to tell cricket fans in the Rainbow Nation that God was South African and that His other agent, apart from rain, was Kenya, they would most likely agree.
Source: Allafrica.comBashful bowler catches fire
On Indian cricket’s bad days, when the crowds take to the streets baying for blood, few think about burning an effigy of Ashish Nehra. He has rarely been touched by greatness, so his failures have been more easy to withstand. Things may be different from now on.
Source: The Guardian, UKFallen idol faces his toughest year
It must be quite a chastening experience for a superstar sportsman to be taken out of their pampered world, full of back slappers, $360-an-hour image makers and tummy-tickling television interviewers and sit down before three people who wipe all that rubbish to one side and interview them as if their name is John Smith.
Source: The Brisbane Courier Mail, AustraliaWomen hit a boundary in the gentleman’s game
Have Mandira Bedi and Co. got anything to do with it? One may never know, but this World Cup has definitely got the fair sex’s attention, with an estimated 2.2 crore women having watched the matches being played in South Africa on SET MAX and Doordarshan, the numbers increasing with each passing day.
Source: The New Indian Express, IndiaRead anything interesting lately? Send us the link for the CricInfo weblogs.Wednesday, February 26, 2003:::
Bharats ready to take on Barmys at their own game
On Wednesday at Durban, it will not just be the India and England cricketers who will be locking horns; in the stands the Bharat Army will be ready for a full-throated battle with the Barmy Army.
Source: The Guardian, UKNews of transsexual at opening ceremony enrages Mugabe
Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe is reported to be enraged after discovering that Zimbabwe’s cricket team was led out into the Cricket World Cup’s opening ceremony by a transsexual.
Source: PlanetOut
The Luos, the backbone of Kenyan cricketIf the Kalenjin tribe from Kenya’s Rift Valley Province have made distance running their preserve, it is the Luos who have dominated their nation’s cricket.
Source: thestaronlineCandidates in quandary to woo cricket fans in four Indian states
Candidates contesting Wednesday’s assembly elections in India’s three north-eastern states of Meghalaya, Tripura, and Nagaland are in a quandary over ways to woo cricket-crazy fans to come and exercise their franchise.
Source: Islamic Republic News Agency, IranMoms worry as India does better at World Cup
India’s return to form at the World Cup has led to sleepless nights for mothers of students appearing for their career-making Class X and Class XII Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) examinations.
Source: The Times of India, India
Read anything interesting lately? Send us the link for the CricInfo weblogs.Tuesday, February 25, 2003:::
Access denied!
Trying to catch the action live online at work? Unable to access CricInfo for a reason other than heavy traffic? Check with your office network administrator – he may be one of many who has been instructed to block sites during the World Cup.
Source: Rediff.com
Article URL sent in by Padma ([email protected])Shock win almost unnoticed at home
The way all of Kenya reacted, one would think that they had merely beaten a French Second XI in a friendly rather than the mighty Sri Lankan lions in a World Cup match.
Source: The Star, South AfricaBowled over by cricket stupidity
Whoever felt that an evening on the turps at a Durban nightspot was a sound idea for our national cricket side could even put the crass stupidity of Shane Warne and the doddering incompetence of the game’s governing body in the summer shade.
Source: Stuff, New ZealandJohn Davison is Mr February
A nation hitherto obsessed only with sports on ice suddenly wakes up forcibly as one of its prodigal sons slams the fastest century in World Cup cricket.
Source: The Globe and Mail, CanadaPepsico to review Warne contract
What happens when you cast a cricketing superstar in an advert, only to have him chucked out of the premier tournament of the sport on drug-related grounds? Pepsico tries to figure out the dilemma.
Source: Business Line, IndiaRead anything interesting lately? Send us the link for the CricInfo weblogs.Monday, February 24, 2003:::
New Zealand Players pull covers over wild night out
New Zealand players are refusing to comment about the Durban night-club incident despite statements by eye-witnesses that it was their “drunken antics” that led to fisticuffs breaking out.
Source: The New Zealand Herald, New Zealand
Saints offer Warne a job
Shane Warne needn’t worry – he has now been offered an alternative sporting career by his beloved Australian Football League Club St Kilda.
Source: The Australian
‘Medicine’ defies logic
How can Warne be slapped with 12 months at the beach when there is no evidence that the “fluid tablet” he had was being used to mask the administration of anabolic steroids, wonders former Australian paceman Geoff Lawson.
Source: FOX Sports
My Dad and his part in rise of the Burnley boy
Ronnie Irani recounts his father’s role in earning James Anderson – young man around town, fast bowler extraordinaire, England’s man of the moment – his international stripes.
Source: The Guardian, UKBrand protection goes into overdrive at World Cup
It is not just the players who are feeling the pinch of the tough ambush marketing clause in operation during the World Cup; the spectators too are. A case in point were two brothers, who were asked to wear their shorts inside out after it was discovered that it sported an ‘unofficial’ logo.
Source: The Times of India, India
Read anything interesting lately? Send us the link for the CricInfo weblogs.

Somerset Under 13 have enjoyed mixed fortunes on their tour to South Africa, and found the first two matches tough going when they were comfortably beaten by Lions and K.E.P.S.However they quickly returned to winning ways and their following two matches both resulted in resounding victories.In the first match, against Penryn, Somerset fielded first and thanks to all of the bowers performing well their opponents were dismissed for 58.The pick of the bowlers was Jason Strong, who ended with 4 for 22 in his 8 overs. His bowling spell in tandem with Mick Le Mare did the real damage, with Le Mare conceding just 3 runs in 8 overs. They were well supported Will Robinson who ended with 3 for 19 and Callum Haggett 2 for 9.In reply two early losses did not prevent an easy victory thanks to Matthew Green who was the mainstay of the innings with 24 and Matthew Horsley who gave good support to see the side home by 6 wickets.In the day night match against their Worcestershire counterparts the midland county batted first and were all out for 192, thanks to some tight bowling by Alex Thomson, Johnathan Mould and Haggett who ended with two wickets a piece, and a good fielding display.In reply the Somerset pair of Jos Butler and Haggett quickly put their side in control and shared a partnership of 156 from 19 overs, before Butler was out for 92, just 8 runs short of what would have been a thoroughly deserved century.Haggett remained until the end to guide his side home to an 8 wicket victory with eleven overs to spare.The Under 13’s have two games remaining on the their South African tour before travelling back to England.

Mashonaland celebrated a four-wicket victory over Manicaland in three days,in what Gus Mackay announced in the morning would be his final first-classmatch. He is retiring from first-class cricket immediately and also leaveshis job as general manager of the Mashonaland Cricket Association at the endof May. He was pleased to end his career as captain of a winning side.Mashonaland had a good morning, taking five wickets before lunch afterdeclaring at their overnight total of 431 for nine, a lead of 34.Manicaland passed 100 with only two wickets down, one of them being thecrucial one of Neil Ferreira for 21, Mackay’s last first-class victim. Hedid not open with the new ball this time, feeling that the time had come foryounger and faster bowlers to gain the experience.Then, at 119, Manicaland crumbled under pressure, with Guy Croxford (78)trying in vain to hold the innings together; none of the last seven batsmenreached double figures.Trevor Gripper bowled his off-breaks very well to take five wickets for 66runs, and the other bowlers supported him well and stuck to their task.Mashonaland were left with a relatively simple target of 159.The result was never really in doubt, and Mackay felt that they would havewon by a larger margin had it not been for their eagerness to finish thematch that day. Conan Brewer batted very well for his 45, the top score,while Stuart Carlisle followed his double-century with 43 before being runout. The middle order shivered as off-spinner Richie Sims took two wickets,but they were never in real danger and just achieved their target in extratime.

Vusi Sibanda, the youngest and least experienced of the Zimbabweantourists, had never been out of Southern Africa before. Apart from hishomeland, he has only visited South Africa and Zambia in the past.It was no doubt to everyone else’s surprise as well as his own that he was chosen to tour England this year with the national team. After all, in 20 innings he has only one first-class fifty to his name, but his natural timing of the ball indicates a player of great natural ability.Vusi appears to have taken the new experience in his stride, confessing to few preconceived ideas about England and few surprises. “I was definitely expecting something different [from Zimbabwe],” he says. “The environment is totally different. But nothing surprised me, because I know from back home that England is a well-developed country and it’s well-organised. We don’t have facilities like they do.” When pressed, he mentions ‘the way it is built’ as the most significant difference he has noted.”On the cricket side, their grounds are very nice and well organised, from what I’ve seen so far,” he continues. “We’re quite used to hot weather in Zimbabwe, but here, one minute it’s hot, the other it’s cold, and then it’s raining. It’s very unpredictable.”He laughs, and admits his first introduction to the English weather was’quite shocking’. “It was raining and it was very cold, four degrees! As we drove off from the airport, it was green all over, since it was wet.”The Zimbabwe team travelled to the Crown Plaza in London before leaving in the team coach for Birmingham, where they played their first match against the British Universities. As far as he was aware, none of the English cricket officials had yet met the Zimbabwe team.So far, Vusi’s cricket had been limited to net sessions, without even a middle-wicket practice. He did not play in the Universities match, and neither has he been selected for the second match, against Worcestershire. However, he did not anticipate any problems in coming to terms with English conditions.”The wickets are slower than the ones in Zimbabwe and they’re verygrassy,” he says. “You don’t really need to change your game but just get used to the slower pitches and they don’t bounce as much. These are wickets where you need to work very hard. In Zimbabwe they’re harder. But it’s not going to affect anything and I’ll just take it normally for myself and show that I’m a man.””I hope I’ll have a very good tour," he adds. "I’m expecting to go back home knowing the team has done very well and that I’ve done well for my country as well – since I’m very proud to represent my country. Since it’s my first tour and I’m the youngest in the side, I’m sure I’ll learn from it.”Vusi is also a useful medium-pace bowler, but may well not get his hands on the ball very often with so many in the team who can bowl. He does not anticipate having to make any changes to his bowling approach in English conditions.Vusi’s selection was widely criticised in Zimbabwe, as he has so little by way of performance at first-class level to recommend him. But all those with the good of Zimbabwe cricket at heart will he hoping this tour will be the making of him.He is on a steep learning curve, but he has the ability to succeed. This tour will test his mental approach and his ability to learn, a prerequisite for that success.

Sri Lanka’s cricket followers face a television and radio blackout for the Test series in the Caribbean after all three major domestic broadcasters turned down opportunities to bid for the rights to the games.The reason behind the decision is the slump in advertising revenue following the World Cup in March, allied to the plethora of international games which have been broadcast lately. Sri Lanka’s patchy form has also been a factor."The team’s performance has dropped and advertisers are not interested any more,” said Upali Arambewela, a director-general of Rupavahini, the main cricket broadcaster. "They have told us they would now prefer to advertise on our non-cricket programmes.”Wisden CricInfo will be providing ball-by-ball coverage throughout the two-Test series.

South Africans 261 for 4 (Kallis 66, Smith 65) beat Worcestershire 192 (Kemp 77, Dawson 4-26) by 69 runsSouth Africa continued to prepare for their opening match of the NatWest Series on Saturday, by easing to a 69-run victory against Worcestershire at New Road. After winning the toss and batting, South Africa rattled up an impressive total of 261 for 4, thanks to 65 from the captain, Graeme Smith, and a composed 66 from 103 balls from Jacques Kallis, who built on his matchwinning 81 at Wormsley. Worcestershire’s reply was built around another fine South African innings – from their overseas player Justin Kemp, who made 77 from 87 balls.In fact, the only South African on show who failed to enjoy himself was Worcestershire’s other overseas player, Nantie Hayward, whose decision to play a full season of county cricket ruled him out of selection for the tour. He went into the game hoping to prove a point or two, but instead emerged battered and bruised after being pasted for 66 runs in his ten overs.It wasn’t all one-way traffic, though, and South Africa’s full-strength side were given an early working-over by Hayward and Kabir Ali, who was released from England duty to take part in the match. Hayward picked up the first wicket to fall – Herschelle Gibbs, caught by Stephen Peters at third man for 27 – while Kabir struck Smith a painful blow on the gloves in the first over of the day.Kabir was the most impressive of the Worcestershire bowlers, and he had a huge shout for caught-behind when Kallis had made just 1. But Kallis survived and added 99 for the second wicket before Jacques Rudolph, Mark Boucher and Martin van Jaarsveld applied the finishing touches to a handy innings.Worcestershire’s innings got off to a rocky start, thanks to a fine opening spell from yet another of their South African connections – Andrew Hall, who took two wickets in three balls after Makhaya Ntini had removed Stephen Moore for a first-ball duck (30 for 3). Kemp and Kadeer Ali engineered a recovery, before David Leatherdale chipped in with 38, but Alan Dawson skittled the tail with four quick wickets.

Disadvantaged children in Christchurch have benefited from a donation of $17,750 by the Queen Street Cricket Club.The club funds its operation by asking each of its 250 members to donate $5 every time a member of the New Zealand Test team makes a duck in a match. QSCC chairman Roger Brittenden said: “Some jokingly describe it as a guaranteed form of cash flow. But we like to think we are the team’s biggest supporters and if a player should unfortunately fail, well, somewhere a needy child is going to benefit.”The donations made this year were: $12,250 to Allenvale School for children with special needs and $5500 to the Mary Moodie Respite Care Centre. The donations were made by New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond on behalf of the QSCC.Allenvale School offers a wide range of programs for children with autism, Prada Willi syndrome, Down’s syndrome, Fragile X and attention deficit disorders.”Allenvale School is enrolling an increasing number of students with severe multiple disabilities and have had to establish another class. The Queen Street Cricket Club will be providing essential equipment for this class, including a hoist for lifting children for showering, toileting and other needs, a shower changing bed and two side liers.”Bond said it was crucial organisations like the QSCC continued to make these types of contributions.”The children and the staff who work with them on a day-to-day basis deserve to work in, and have access to, the best conditions and equipment possible. It’s about identifying ways to help, like the QSCC has done, and then providing practical assistance.”Bond also said he has only scored one Test duck so far in his career but “promised to do better”. It was his maiden Test innings, in the third Test against Australia in Perth in 2001-02.This is not the first time the QSCC has aided Allenvale School. Several years ago three specially-built tricycles were stolen. The club came to their aid and provided the money to replace the popular cycles the next day after the story was aired on national television news.The Mary Moodie Respite Care Centre in Christchurch provides care for the most handicapped and difficult children on the weekends, allowing parents of these children an essential rest. The items financed include a small trampoline, two small bikes, puzzles, drawing sets, recorder, mini sound system, DVD player, outside furniture, a barbecue, VCR and a PC along with educational computer games.The club, which was officially formed in December 1989, has raised over $125,000 for disadvantaged children’s groups such as Heart Children of New Zealand, Kidz First Hospital, Project K, The Royal Foundation for the Blind and children with immune deficiency syndromes.

Darren Gough has announced his retirement from Test cricket, following his brave but ultimately futile attempt to re-establish himself following a chronic knee injury last year. Gough, who made his Test debut in 1994, finishes with 229 wickets at 28.39, putting him in eighth place on the all-time list of England wicket-takers. He will, however, remain available to represent the England one-day team.”I’ve come to a decision to retire from Test cricket,” said Gough, ” due to the injury sustained playing for England in New Zealand, and three operations later, the subsequent rehab to get back to Test cricket to prove myself and to other people that I could give Test cricket a go one more time.”Every day is a hard one and my career is based on being a strike bowler and being the one the captain always turned to in time of need,” added Gough. “But I’ve found the last two matches hard going both mentally and physically – not just on playing days but also against the backdrop of the effort I’ve put in over the last eight months to get back to this stage. It has become apparent to me, no matter what my heart, head or public want me to do, that my knee will not allow me to play Test Match cricket.”Obviously I’m sad, but I think every player knows when it’s time to step down and I feel in order for me to concentrate on my dream of one-day cricket and possibly another World Cup for England and trying to help Yorkshire move forward, I feel I have to retire from Test cricket.”Thanks to England for giving me the chance to play Test cricket again, thanks to Wayne Morton, Steve Oldham and Scott McCallister for their phenomenal support. Thanks to Colin Graves and Yorkshire CCC and finally the public, I hope they don’t feel that, after 229 Test wickets and a body in bits, I’ve let them down.”I hope I’ve served England well but as you look around there are some very good bowlers all waiting for a chance and good luck to them. I’m a cricket supporter and I will be supporting them.”England’s chairman of selectors, David Graveney, added his tributes. “We respect Darren’s decision to step down from Test cricket. He has been a brilliant talisman for the English team over the past decade. It has been unfortunate that his career has been blighted by injury and I am sure he would have moved higher up the all-time England wicket-taking list if he hadn’t been so unlucky.”He has always given nothing less than 100% for his team and I am sure that he will be missed, but hopefully his form and fitness will still allow him to make a contribution to English cricket by continuing the outstanding form he has shown this summer in the one-day squad.”Tim Lamb, chief executive of the ECB, said, “Darren has given an enormous amount to English cricket and he will be remembered as one of England’s best ever fast bowlers, having been a key member of the Test team since his debut in 1994. Few will forget his hat-trick in Sydney in 1999 or his amazing catch at Lord’s against the West Indies in 2000, which, along with his bowling, helped turn the series England’s way.”To battle back from a serious knee injury to represent England again this summer showed tremendous courage. His talent as a fast bowler, his effervescent character and his huge desire to do well for his country will be sorely missed, not only by the England dressing-room but by cricket supporters everywhere.”

Gough Test Match record – 58 matchesBatting & Fielding I NO Runs HS Ave SR 100 50 Catches86 18 855 65 12.57 43.46 0 2 13BowlingO M Runs Wkts Ave BBI 5 10 SR Econ1970.1 369 6503 229 28.39 6-42 9 0 51.6 3.30England Test Match bowlers (most wickets)1. I.T. Botham 383 wickets2. R.G.D. Willis 3253. F.S. Trueman 3074. D.L. Underwood 2975. J. B. Statham 2526. A. V. Bedser 2367. A.R. Caddick 2348. D. Gough 2299. J. A. Snow 20210. J. C. Laker 193

Adam Hollioake, Surrey’s captain, has admitted that winning the National League and the Twenty20 Cup hasn’t softened the blow of letting the Championship slip away from them.Talking to the website, Hollioake said: “If you measured success by the standard of cricket in all competitions it has been a success. But if you asked the players if they were happy they would say no. The disappointment of losing the Championship is immense because that’s the one we were really after.”He continued: “Logically we’ve played the best cricket we’ve ever played. In three forms of the game: 20-over cricket, 45-over cricket and Championship cricket we’ve played well in all, but I can’t help but feel disappointed not to win the Championship.”While Surrey are used to not having Alec Stewart around for much of the season due to international commitments, they will now have to get used to life without Ian Ward as well. Hollioake described the decisions not to renew their contracts as devastating. “They have been fantastic players over the years and will be impossible to replace,” he said. “We’ve got to find a way to replace them as best we can, but it’s not going to be easy.”Hollioake then emphasised the importance of team-work, and pointed out the emergence of younger players at the club, like Rikki Clarke and Tim Murtagh. “Throughout the year we’ve had good contributions from different players and that is what you need if you’re going to win a competition,” he said. “Rikki and Tim are two inexperienced players who are fast becoming experienced and they have a big future at the club.”

South Africa 221 for 6 in 45 overs (Kallis 62, Smith 51) beat Pakistan 243 for 8 in 50 overs (Hameed 72, Razzaq 46*; Ntini 3-45) by 13 runs (D-L method)
Scorecard

South Africa kept the one-day series alive by beating Pakistan on the Duckworth/Lewis method at Faisalabad, when bad light forced play to be called off five overs early, with 23 runs still needed, and only four wickets in hand. The win made it 2-1 to Pakistan with two matches to go – the next in Rawalpindi on Friday (Oct 10).Shoaib Akhtar had set up an enthralling finale with some stunning fast bowling, but the deteriorating light forced the umpires to call the players off with South Africa well ahead of their 45-over D/L target of 208. South Africa’s run chase was inspired by Jacques Kallis and Graeme Smith, who added an even 100, while Jacques Rudolph held it together when things threatened to fall apart. Pakistan owed their total to Yasir Hameed’s 72, and to a late flurry from Abdul Razzaq.Akhtar had bowled a fiery four-over spell first up, during the course of which he sent back Herschelle Gibbs. A ball after he had eased one through the covers for four, Gibbs couldn’t resist poking at one that pitched on off stump. The thin edge was easily held by Rashid Latif (10 for 1).Three balls later, Akhtar should have been celebrating a second wicket, as Kallis got an inner edge while attempting an off-drive. But his subdued reaction – in sharp contrast to his excited team-mates’ – seemed to convince Darrell Hair that there had been no nick.Kallis made full use of the life, playing some superb drives off Umar Gul, whose figures were further ruined by some fortuitous edged fours. When Saqlain Mushtaq came on, Smith greeted him with three superb fours. To make matters worse for Yousuf Youhana, Pakistan’s stand-in captain, Saqlain had all sorts of problems with his run-up, bowling six no-balls.Kallis, who had earlier spanked Gul for a six and a four through the leg side, rotated the strike cleverly once the fielding restrictions were removed, and South Africa were well on top when Smith departed in tame fashion. Shortly after reaching 50, he attempted to dab Razzaq past point, but only managed a thick edge through to Latif (110 for 2).The two Jacques then cobbled together a useful partnership before Akhtar turned the match on its head. After Kallis had struck a superb off-drive, he hit him on the hip with a full-toss, which ran away for four. The next ball was the perfect yorker, and Kallis’s off stump went for a hike (146 for 3).Boeta Dippenaar played a ridiculous shot to be bowled off his pads by Mohammad Hafeez (157 for 4), before Rudolph and Mark Boucher got the run-chase back on track. Boucher played a couple of stunning sweeps off Shoaib Malik on his way to 24, before Akhtar castled him with another screeching yorker (206 for 5).When Rudolph, assured and elegant en route to 46, skyed one from Malik to Razzaq in the deep two balls later, Pakistan had a sniff of victory. But a meaty six from Andrew Hall off Saqlain tilted the equation in South Africa’s favour before gloom descended on the Pakistani camp.Earlier, Hameed provided the stability and mid-innings impetus, while Razzaq added some late urgency as Pakistan set up a challenging total. South Africa’s bowlers kept their discipline, and their nerve, knowing that defeat would end any real interest in the series.Pollock was at his Scrooge-like best in the opening stages, troubling both batsmen with his probing line and length. At the other end, Andre Nel was hostile without being quite as controlled. On another belter of a pitch, both Hameed and Hafeez struggled to get any sort of batting rhythm going, taking 15 overs to bring up the 50.Hafeez departed soon after that, when an ugly hoick off Hall looped off the outside edge to Dippenaar at extra cover (52 for 1). Youhana came in, and promptly struck two magnificent cover-drives off Makhaya Ntini. When Ntini strayed onto leg stump, he was deftly flicked down to the fine-leg fence. With Kallis brought into the attack to join Hall, Hameed also joined in the fun, with two meaty drives over midwicket, and a fine stroke through cover.South Africa’s frustration was increased by a run-out that wasn’t given. With Youhana (9) at the bowler’s end, Hall deflected a Hameed drive onto the stumps. The South Africans appealed, with Youhana out of his ground, but Hair didn’t even see fit to consult the third umpire.Ntini ensured that it wouldn’t be too costly, when he came back for his second spell. Youhana lunged at one that pitched on off stump, and the faint tickle was well taken by Boucher (95 for 2).Hameed played some more clunking strokes through midwicket as he motored past his half-century, before he was undone by Robin Peterson. He made room to slam a flighted delivery over cover, but Gibbs jumped up smartly to pluck the ball out of the air (128 for 3). Moments later, Peterson had more cause to celebrate as Younis Khan slammed one straight to Ntini at deep midwicket (139 for 4).Malik and Faisal Iqbal then took the score to 169 in decent time, before Nel came back to nail Iqbal, who had made 22. A clever yorker took the edge of the bat, and Boucher dived smartly to his right to snaffle the chance. Malik, so influential with the bat in the first two games, played two lovely shots down to third man in his 18, but then sliced one from Ntini to Gibbs at point (181 for 6).Latif hit out for 14, before miscuing one from Pollock to Kallis at deep point (200 for 7). But Razzaq then played some cracking shots down the ground and over midwicket to ensure that the South African batsmen would have to be at the top of their game to prevent Pakistan from running away with the series. When they threatened to falter, the forces of darkness stepped in to help.