Graeme Smith smashed a double century and A.B. de Villiers hit a robust ton to guide South Africa to an imperious position in the must-win second Test against Pakistan in Dubai yesterday.
The South Africa skipper made 227 not out for his fifth double ton, while De Villiers — dropped off the first delivery by wicketkeeper Adnan Akmal off paceman Mohammad Irfan — was unbeaten on 157 for his 17th Test century.
The duo plundered a hapless Pakistan attack to take South Africa to 460-4 at close on the second day, giving them a big 361-run lead with three full days to play to force a series-leveling win.
Photo: AFP
Pakistan won the first Test by seven wickets in Abu Dhabi last week.
Smith and De Villiers have set an all-time South African record for the fifth wicket in Tests with 326, beating the previous best of 267 set by Jacques Kallis and Ashwell Prince against the West Indies at Antigua in 2005.
The experienced duo plundered Pakistan’s spin-cum-pace attack on a Dubai Stadium pitch which gave little help to the bowlers, who only managed to dismiss nightwatchman Dale Steyn (seven) in the first hour.
Smith reached his fifth double hundred with a couple off spinner Zulfiqar Babar towards midwicket, also completing 9,000 runs in 112 Tests.
He is the 12th batsmen in all Test cricket to reach 9,000 and second behind teammate Jacques Kallis, who so far has 13,140 runs in 164 Tests.
The South Africa captain, seeking to keep his team’s unbeaten run away from home since losing to Sri Lanka in 2006, raised his arms to the applause of his teammates.
In all Smith has hit 16 boundaries off 367 deliveries of complete domination. De Villiers was in more punishing mood, having hit 16 boundaries and a six off 262 balls.
The Pakistan ’keeper faltered once more when he dropped Smith off spinner Zulfiqar Babar when the batsman was on 202, capping a miserable day for his team.
Smith hit spinner Saeed Ajmal for three consecutive boundaries to reach his ninth score of more than 150.
Smith, overnight 67, anchored the innings and reached his century with a straight drive off Ajmal for only his sixth boundary. It took Smith 204 balls to reach the milestone.
Pakistan took the new ball straightaway after the 80th over, but it only upped the scoring rate, with De Villiers hitting Irfan for two successive boundaries and one off Babar to bring up his 50.
He also completed 1,000 runs against Pakistan in 12 Tests.
The Pakistan spinners led by Saeed Ajmal (2-132) bowled tirelessly, but failed to exploit any turn on a pitch that was expected to give slow bowlers help.
Irfan had figures of 84 for one in 27 overs, while Babar had figures of one for 112.
NEWZEALAND V BANGLADESH
Reuters
Mominul Haque struck an unbeatencentury as Bangladesh battled back bravely against New Zealand to leave the second Test and seriesup for grabs after an entertaining fourth day in Mirpur yesterday.
The 22-year-old left hander was 126 not out alongside Shakib Al Hasan (32) at the close as the hosts reached 269-3 in their second innings for a 114 run lead.
New Zealand could only add 18to their overnight score, with Ish Sodhi (58) run out by Mominul and Abdur Razzak trapping Trent Boult (4) LBW as the tourists were all out for 437, a first innings lead of 155.
Bangladesh, looking for a firstTest win over the Black Caps,started their second innings poorlyand were 55 for two after seamer Neil Wagner had Anamul Haque (22) and Marshall Ayub (9) both caught in the slips.
However, Mominul steadied the ship, batting through the second session with opener Tamim Iqbal as the pair put on 157 for the third wicket, a Bangladesh record, and clawed the hosts out of the deficit.
Mominul brought up his second Test century in fine style with a slog sweep four over mid-on, one of 16 boundaries he hit in his impressive knock.
The partnership was eventually ended when Tamim was dismissed for 70 after tea, cutting a ball from Kane Williamson which Ross Taylor brilliantly caught to leave Bangladesh on 212 for three.
Shakib joined Mominul at the crease and continued the fightback, seeing out the last 17 overs of the day to leave it all to play for in today’s final three sessions.
The first Test was drawn.
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