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PAKISTAN outplayed the Castle Lager Proteas in all three disciplines to win the final warm-up match for the two countries at The Oval in London on Monday by seven wickets ahead of the start of the ICC Champions League.
The tournament starts on Thursday when South Africa play India. Their other two pool matches are against Pakistan and the West Indies.
The Proteas were very much in practice match mode as they gave opportunities to all 15 members of their squad. In the past they have set off like a pedigree race horse, even in the warm-up matches, but failed to see the distance out, so hopefully the slow start this time around will bring about the correct formula of hitting their straps when it really counts.
Pakistan won an important toss that saw their seam bowlers exploit a bit of movement off the pitch and the Proteas struggled from the moment when Hashim Amla was dismissed leg before wicket by the impressive Junaid Khan off his second ball (and the third ball of the match).
They lost three wickets in the opening power play and another four by the time the 22nd over had been completed to leave them tottering at 83/7.
With the practice format allowing them to play all their batsmen, JP Duminy came in at No. 8 and Ryan McLaren at No. 9 and these two gave Pakistan at least some sort of target to chase with a stand of 94 off 22.3 overs.
McLaren made top score of 55 off 72 balls with six boundaries in a continuation of the impressive all-round form he has shown this season.
Pakistan had little trouble in knocking off the runs and even had the luxury of retiring Mohammed Hafeez after he had made 54 off 72 balls (8 fours). Imran Farhat (56 off 82 balls, 5 fours) was the other main contributor.
Lonwabo Tsotsobe (2/43 off 8 overs) was the only South African bowler to take a wicket while Amla contributed a run out with a direct hit.
