da brwin： Graeme Smith admitted he was very pleased with the way South Africa had performed in all aspects of their game in the first ODI
da doce： Osman Samiuddin in Lahore18-Oct-2007
Mahkaya Ntini’s return to form was one of the huge gains on a day when South Africa did everything almost perfectly © AFP
On days like this, Graeme Smith must feel cricket is an easy game. Batsmenscore runs, bowlers take wickets and fielders back them up. What betterway to celebrate an outstanding Test series win than by comfortablywinning the first ODI five days later?”We’re very happy with the way we played today,” Smith agreed. “Wecontrolled 90% of the game and the majority of it was very comfortable forus. They were always behind the eight-ball [even when Pakistan’slower-order briefly rallied] and we always knew one good over would changeit.”The game was set up, Smith acknowledged, by Herschelle Gibbs and AB deVilliers; both scored hundreds in a 137-run partnership for the thirdwicket. And if ever instructions were needed on how innings should bepaced, both provided it.de Villiers began solidly. His fifty came from 62 balls, which isn’t slow,but his hundred only 31 balls later. Gibbs’ second fifty came at arun-a-ball. “I was especially happy to push through and get to hundred,”said de Villiers. “I gave myself time to get in. It wasn’t easy againstthe spinners early and Hersch told me just to settle down first. Once Igot to fifty, I thought I’d push and suddenly I was in the nineties.”More than any bowler, however, his own body challenged him. As he pushedon, the heat, the lack of water brought on cramps. He reacted to it incelebratory fashion though, hitting two sixes and two fours in the 47thover when he was really struggling to stand up. “It wasn’t as bad as itwas in the World Cup,” he said, referring to his hundred against the WestIndies, before joking, “Good to see it’s not because of the alcohol.”South Africa’s top order has been the least of Smith’s concerns on thistour, for all of them have contributed at one stage or another. The onlynagging concern has been over Makhaya Ntini, who looked so flat during theTests. Even that was put aside today, as the bounce returned to his run-upand his bowling.If de Villiers and Gibbs set it up, then Ntini finished it off, taking outPakistan’s top four all by himself. He went for runs in his second spellbut that will not bother Smith. “It’s good to see him come back. He’shitting his straps now. He’s not been up to his own standards so farthough he improved during the second Test, but it was good to see him backup to his standards today.”South Africa have maintained high standards from the day they landed andwith the second game on Saturday, more of the same will be expected.”We’ve played really good cricket since we’ve been here, right from dayone. 1-0 is always a good start and there are a lot of positives to takeout from today. Maybe we can talk about our death bowling but we were verygood.”
