De Villiers on top all round : CRICKET

An irresistible all-round performance by Fanie de Villiers put South Africa on top in their one-off Test against Pakistan in Johannesburg yesterday.

De Villiers scored a first-class best of 66 not out to help South Africa finish on 460, then captured 4 for 55 as Pakistan slumped to 177 for 6 at the end of the second day. Pakistan need 84 with four wickets remaining.

When South Africa resumed in the morning at 354 for 7, they lost their overnight century-maker, Brian McMillan, in the eighth over of the day for 113. De Villiers dominated the rest of the morning, making his 66 not out from 68 balls.

After lunch De Villiers took two wickets in three deliveries in his fourth over with the ball. He had Saeed Anwar caught behind for a duck. He struck again with Pakistan on 44 when he had Aamer Sohail caught behind for 23, and after tea he bowled Ijaz Ahmed for 19.

(Second day: South Africa won toss)

South Africa - First Innings (Overnight: 354-7)

B M McMillan c Moin Khan b Aqib Javed 113

C E Eksteen c Moin Khan b Wasim Akram 13

P S de Villiers not out 66

A A Donald c Inzamam b Aamer Sohail 15

Extras (lb18 b4 nb36 w6) 64

Total (120.2 overs): 460

Fall (cont): 8-367 9-389.

Bowling: Wasim Akram 36-11-113-2; Aqib Javed 29.4-6-102-3; Kabir Khan 19.1-4-60-2; Aamer Nazir 13.1-1-67-2; Aamer Sohail 14.2-2-47-1; Salim Malik 8-0-48-0.

Pakistan - First Innings Aamer Sohail c Richardson b de Villiers 23

Saeed Anwar c Cullinan b de Villiers 2

Asif Mujtaba c Richardson b de Viliers 0

*Salim Malik not out 86

Ijaz Ahmed b de Villiers 19

Inzamam ul-Haq b McMillan 19

Moin Khan c de Villiers b McMillan 9

Wasim Akram not out 10

Extras (nb8 lb1) 9

Total (for 6, 54 overs) 177

Fall: 1-20 2-20 3-44 4-106 5-134 6-158.

To bat: Kabir Khan, Aamer Nazir, Aqib Javed.

Bowling: Donald 11-2-40-0; De Villiers 15-3-55-4; McMillan 12-3-46-2; Eksteen 7-1-16-0; Cronje 9-5-19-0.

Umpires: C Mitchley and M Kitchen.