ABU DHABI: Paceman Lonwabo Tsotsobe took four wickets and Jacques Kallis hit an unbeaten fifty to help a disciplined South Africa down Pakistan by eight wickets in the first one-day match here Friday. Tsotsobe took a career-best 4-27 off his ten tight overs to trigger a middle-order collapse and helped South Africa dismiss Pakistan for 203 before Kallis (66 retired hurt) saw off the target with 9.3 overs to spare. The modest target was never beyond South Africa's reach after Pakistan batsmen once again failed to take advantage of a good start on a flat Abu Dhabi Stadium, much to the disappointment of a 10,000 holiday crowd. The 35-year-old Kallis steadied the South African innings through a solid 77-run stand with AB de Villiers, who also hit an attractive 51, after Graeme Smith (18) retired due to a finger injury and Hashim Amla dismissed for a well-made 35. Kallis, who hit five boundaries and a six off paceman Abdul Razzaq, added another 41 runs with Jean-Paul Duminy (10 not out) to give South Africa a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. With just 16 needed for win Kallis suffered cramps and retired. The second match will be played here Sunday. Earlier, 26-year-old Tsotsobe took 4-27 put brackes on Pakistan's innings who lost their last eight wickets for a mere 46 runs after winning the toss and deciding to bat. Tsotsobe rocked the Pakistan middle-order with a burst of three wickets off just nine balls during his second four-over spell. Tsotsobe's effort backed by disciplined spin bowling by Johan Botha (2-40) derailed Pakistan after Mohammad Hafeez (68) and returning Younis Khan (54) put on 114 for the second wicket. Hafeez hit seven boundaries during his 84-ball sixth one-day fifty before cutting Botha straight into the hands of Charl Langeveldt. Four overs later, Younis was trapped leg-before by Botha. Tsotsobe's triple strike followed as he removed Misbahul Haq (14), Shahid Afridi (one) and Abdul Razzaq (two) to complete Pakistan's slide on a similar pattern of Twenty20 matches in which they were restricted to 119 and 120-9. Tsotsobe's previous best bowling figures were 4-50 against Australia on his one-day debut at Perth last year. – Agence France
