South Africa seal comfortable win
Bureau Report

LAHORE—AB de Villiers (103) and Herschelle Gibbs (102) slammed blistering centuries to set up South Africa’s 45 runs win in the first one-day international (day and night) which gave touring team 1-0 lead in the five match series here on Thursday at Gadaffi stadium.
The touring side, opted to bat after winning the toss by captain Graeme Smith on a placid wicket toyed with a weak home attack which lacked fire and commitment, scored imposing 294 for 5 in allotted 50 and set home side at uphill target.
Medium pacer Makhaya Ntini caused early danger taking four wickets for 69 in 9 overs as Pakistan met a disastrous start of being 37 for 3 in 7.3 overs and for 55 for 4 as Muhammad Yousaf scored a fighting half century (53) and Shahid Arfidi scored quick fired (47) and Kamran Akmal added equally good (35) to revive hopes butfailed to chase a big victory total and were bowled out at 249 in 46.3 overs.
Ntini caused havoc with the ball first claiming first four wickets and Pakistani top batting order proved a house of sand. Ntini sent back Nazir (16) and at 30 Muhammad Hafeez (6) left and seven runs later one of Pakistan’s batting hope ,Younis Khan (12) departed and there was no immediate recovery effort in sight. Pakistan suffered another setback when captain Shoaib Malik (18) fell tamely ,playing a foolish stroke missing the length of the ball giving a balloon caught to Gibbs , Pakistani wickets fell like leaves falling off a tree caught in clutches of strong winds.
The pair of Misbah ul Haq ( 20) and Muhammad Yousaf added 37 runs for the 5th wicket for a short lived recovery operation which was halted when Misbah was caught behind off Langeveldt.
South African got a major success by removing Yousaf who put up maximum resistance before being caught by Smith off Kallis ,putting 60 runs for the 6th wicket with Kamran Akmal. Yousaf faced 75 balls and hit 3 fours.
Kamran Akmal (35 with three fours ) finally lost his battle against a hostile South African attacks, bowled by Kallis as Pak 7th wicket fell at 172.
Afridi together with Sohail scored 43 runs for 8th wicket to infuse a new life in Pak innings and thrilled the audience with lively stroke play. Sohail (26 with 1 six and 2 fours) was bowled by Langeveldt at a total of 215.
Afridi was the 9th man out at 246 caught by de Villiers off Morkel and with his fall Pakistan could not avoid the defeat. Afridi hit 2 sixes and 5 fours in 25 balls. Pacers Langeveldt and Kallis took two wickets each.
Earlier man of the match De Villiers top scored with unbeaten creativeknock before opener Smith set the tone with a plucky innings to put home team under pressure. Protease were off to a solid start with Smith and Gibbs producing 85 runs for the opening stand to exploit a ever struggling Pakistan pace battery.
There was some relief for the home side when finally the pair was dislodged ,thanks a quick effort by Muhammad Hafeez from mid wicket when Smith (43 with five fours) was runout in a mix up with Gibbs , off the bowling of Gul.
At 97, South Africans team’s danger man ,Jacques Kallis (8)was out, caught and bowled by Afridi who was brought into the attack after pacers failed to make impact.
Gibbs appearing in his214th ODI hit 18th century , a chance less knock, laced with one six and 11 boundaries off 125 balls.
He was the third man out at 234 in 43 overs before sharing 137 runs forthe 3rd wicket off 151 balls in league with de Villiers. The way both of top scorers batted it revealed the composition of their batting as they cracked boundaries at will, displaying art and craft of one-day cricket.
Gibbs while taking the second run lost the balance for a while and was midway to the crease when agile Imran Nazir sent a straight throw from mid wicket to awaiting keeper Kamran who removed the bails.
Debutant Sohail, got his wicket of the ODI by trapping Justin Kemp (1) lbw and left the touring side at 238 for 4 in 44.3 overs but all such efforts proved late as South African innings continued to flourish on a sunny day.
De Villiers, a constant threat with his brave batting, raced through his 3rd century in 52nd ODI with style, drove pace Rao to covers for a boundary and raised his bat to acknowledge praise from crowd.
De Villiers , who cracked 3 sixes and 9 fours off 95 balls , associated Mark Boucher (14) for the fifth wicket stand of 50 runs off 28 balls. Boucher hit a huge shot and was taken inches inside the ropes by Younis off Rao . Sohail, Rao and Afridi took one wicket each.