JOHANNESBURG, February 14: New wicket-keeper Mark Boucher and veteran off-spinner Pat Symcox rescued South Africa with a ninth-wicket century stand on the first day of the first Test against Pakistan at the Wanderers today.The home side were 296 for eight when bad light stopped play after 84.2 overs.
Boucher and Symcox put on an unbeaten 130 after fast bowler Waqar Younis and leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed reduced South Africa to 166 for eight.
The 37-year-old Symcox, summoned to a meeting with match referee John Reid after a verbal confrontation with fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, made a top score of 77 not out off 105 balls with 13 fours, which included some cracking drives against the fast bowlers and powerful hits against the spinners.
Shoaib was also called to the meeting with match referee, together with both captains, after Reid indicated the two players had ignored his pre-match instructions on ``sledging.''
The 21-year-old Boucher, grabbed the opportunity to establish himself as the long-termreplacement for retired Dave Richardson, hitting 50 not out off 96 balls with four fours and a six.
With Waqar and Mushtaq both taking three wickets, it seemed the gamble by stand-in captain Aamir Sohail to put the South africans into bat had paid off. Then Boucher and Symcox took over.
Sohail surprisingly gave South Africa first use of what appeared a good batting pitch on a hot, sunny day.
Waqar dismissed South African captain Gary Kirsten (3), Adam Bacher (46) and Daryll Cullinan (16).
Bacher played a confident innings off 94 balls, with nine fours, before being trapped lbw by Waqar in the third over after lunch.
Cullinan, recalled to the Test side after being dropped during the recent series in Australia, was starting to bat well when he missed an extravagant backfoot drive against a ball from Waqar which cut back sharply.
When Herschelle Gibbs (4) fell leg-before to leg-spinner Mushtaq, South Africa had lost three wickets in five overs and were in deep trouble at 96 for five. Andrew Hudsonand Shaun Pollock put on 53 for the sixth wicket before both batsmen were out shortly before tea. Pollock was caught at square leg off Azhar Mahmood for 21.
Hudson edged an attempted cut against Mushtaq Ahmed into his stumps after making 33 off 64 balls with five fours.
Mushtaq Ahmed, who was hit for three fours in one over by Hudson, ended the day with three for 66.
The match started a day late after Mohammad Akram and Saqlain Mushtaq were mugged near their Sandton Hotel on Wednesday night. Fast bowler Akram was ruled out of the match with a hand injury but off-spinner Saqlain was able to play.
SCOREBOARD
SOUTH AFRICA (1st Innings): A Bacher lbw b W Younis 46, G Kirsten c Mahmood b Younis 3, J Kallis c Wasim b Akhtar 15, D Cullinan b Younis 16, A hudson b M Ahmed 33, H Gibbs lbw b M Ahmed 4, S Pollock c M Ahmed b Akhtar 21, M Boucher batting 50, L Klusener b M Ahmed 6, P Symcox batting 77. Extras (b 1, lb 13, w 4, nb 7): 25. Total (for 8 wickets 84.2): 296
Fall of wickets: 1-14, 2-56,3-86, 4-91, 5-96, 6-149, 7-157, 8-166
Bowling: Younis 18-3-58-3, Sohaib Akhtar 17.2-1-68-2, Azhar Mahmood 15-0-46-0, Mushtaq Ahmed 27-6-66-3, Saqlain Mushtaq 6-0-32-0, Aamir Sohail 1-0-12-0.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
