Smith Shines With Top Ton Pakistan Struggle to Curb SA Batsman on Day 1

by Sreelata S. Yellamrazu

 If captain is what captain does, Graeme Smith epitomized it rather well once more with an impressive century on day one of the first Test between Pakistan and South Africa in Dubai.
Smith scored his twenty-second Test century even as the South African opening partnership kept the Pakistan bowlers out and allowed the team from the Southern Hemisphere to develop a stronghold on the first day with four of the top five batsmen standing to be counted.

Pakistan, without their bowling attack of Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer, tried to put up their best with Umar Gul and one Test old Wahab Riaz and to their credit, they did hold South Africa on caution initially. However, the talent of Smith and the ingenuous hard work of some of the South African batsmen could not be forestalled for too long.

What set the tone of defiance for South Africa apart from the skipper's own knock was the opening partnership he shared with young Alviro Petersen. Together, they went about setting the foundation for the shape of things to come. The 153 partnership adds a new dimension to South Africa's game with Petersen finding his groove pretty early in his career and Smith lending the weight of his talent and experience and once again leading the way as captain. It is what set the tone for South Africa's rise and once again, much will depend on Smith if South Africa are to establish themselves as deserving of being reckoned as no.1.

 Petersen himself was limited to sixty-seven runs, but it opened the door for another notable partnership and more performances with Jacques Kallis sitting pretty on an unbeaten half century at the end of the day while Hashim Amla was once again sublime in his knock of eighty runs, proving once more why he is such an understated, sublime talent. South Africa will want to pick up where they left of at 311 for three at stumps on the first day.