Smith and de Villiers flatten Pakistan

Friday, 25 October 2013 04:58 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

ESPNCricinfo: After bundling out Pakistan for 99 on the first day of the second Test, South Africa served them a lesson on how to grind out an opposition with the bat on the second, as Graeme Smith and AB de Villiers put on a mammoth 326-run unbeaten

partnership to close doors on any thoughts of a series win Misbah-ul-Haq might have had after the success in Abu Dhabi. Smith scored an almost chanceless double-century, his fifth, while AB de Villiers brought up his 17th hundred and with three days still to go, the two put South Africa in a dominating position with a lead of 361 runs. Injury comeback It was Smith’s first century, his fourth against Pakistan, on return from a five-month lay-off during which he underwent ankle surgery. If there were any lingering doubts about his fitness or form, he dispelled them with nimble use of the feet against the spinners and assured strokeplay against the seamers. He reached the century-mark with a straight drive off Saeed Ajmal in the first session and strolled to his double in the third. The 200th run also made him only the 12th batsman and second South African after Jacques Kallis, to have accumulated 9000 runs in Tests. By the end of the day, Smith had batted for more than six hours, a testament to his fitness in sapping conditions. Unblemished innings Smith briefly faced some problems against Irfan’s steep bounce in the second session. He was smacked on the helmet of one such delivery that chased him as he was making room. But apart from that, his innings was largely unblemished. In de Villiers, Smith had an ideal partner to complement his solidity with breathtaking strokeplay. The contrast was at its starkest during the second session when de Villiers tore into the bowling with a flurry of boundaries against the new ball, while Smith was happy in turning the strike over. But as de Villiers slowed down as he closed in on his century and then later, because of cramps, Smith brought out an array of aggressive strokes to thwart the bowlers.