Cricket: Azhar has a field day to put Pakistan in promising position

AZHAR MAHMOOD scored a century to help Pakistan to a first innings total of 259 on the first day of the second Test against South Africa in Durban yesterday. The 22-year-old all-rounder hit 132. He is in scintillating form after scoring 138 in the first Test and 111 against Free State last weekend.

For good measure he also held a diving catch at gully to remove Gary Kirsten for nought as the hosts reached 23 for 1 by the close. His acrobatics brought the 19-year-old debutant Fazl-e-Akbar his first victim with only his sixth ball in Test cricket.

South Africa won toss

PAKISTAN - First Innings

Saeed Anwar lbw b Donald 43

*Aamir Sohail c Boucher b Pollock 17

Ijaz Ahmed c de Villiers b Pollock 2

Mohammad Wasim c Kallis b Donald 12

Yousuf Youhana c Boucher b Donald 5

Moin Khan c Donald b de Villiers 25

Azhar Mahmood b Donald 132

Mushtaq Ahmed c Kallis b Klusener 2

Waqar Younis c Hudson b Donald 6

Shoaib Akhtar c Boucher b Klusener 6

Fazl-e-Akbar not out 0

Extras (2b, 1lb, 4nb, 2w) 9

Total 259

Fall: 1-35, 2-37, 3-70, 4-82, 5-89, 6-127, 7-142, 8-153, 9-233.

Bowling: Donald 19.2-4-79-5 (1w); De Villiers 18-5-55-1 (1nb, 1w); Pollock 18-3-55-2 (1nb); Klusener 18-3-67-2 (3nb).

SOUTH AFRICA - First Innings

A M Bacher not out 14

G Kirsten c Azhar b Fazl-e-Akbar 0

J H Kallis not out 7

Extras (nb2) 2

Total (for 1) 23

Fall: 1-23.

To bat: H D Ackerman, A C Hudson, *W J Cronje, S M Pollock, M V Boucher, L Klusener, P S de Villiers, A A Donald.

Bowling: Waqar Younis 3-0-17-0 (nb-2); Fazal-e-Akbar 2-0-3-1; Shoaib Akhtar 1-0-3-0.

Umpires: M J Kitchen (Eng) and D L Orchard (SA).