AB, Boucher smash centuries in SA win

AB de Villiers and Mark Boucher smashed centuries yesterday as South Africa tuned up for five-match limited overs series against Pakistan with a huge 176-run victory in a warm-up game against PCB XI.

De Villiers made better than run-a-ball 113 while Boucher, who opened the innings, hit 14 boundaries and a six in scoring 103 off 106 balls as South Africa posted a strong total of 328-4 off its 45 overs. PCB XI never looked in a run and Mansoor Amjad (42) made a late charge before they were dismissed for 152 in 31.3 overs.”A big match is coming up in two days time and that’s where I would like to score,” De Villiers said.”The wicket was quite slow, but our batters still managed to get some good practice,” he added.Medium fast bowlers Charl Langeveldt and Albie Morkel – flown in for the limited-overs series – both grabbed three wickets each with none of the PCB XI batsman able to put up partnership.Earlier, De Villiers and Boucher put on 165-run off 141 balls after paceman Abdur Rauf removed Herschelle Gibbs (18) and J.P.Duminy (0) in space of three deliveries.Shaun Pollock – playing for the first time on the tour after missing both test matches against Pakistan – propelled the total with an unbeaten 33 off 11 balls.He hit four successive sixes and a boundary in the last over of medium fast Rauf (2-84).Pollock looked a bit rusty when he came onto bowl and conceded 38 runs in his five overs that included six wide deliveries.The first one-day international will be played tomorrow.Scores: South Africa 328-4 in 45 overs (A.B.de Villiers 113, Mark Boucher 103; Abdur Rauf 2-84); PCB XI 152 all out in 31.3 overs (Mansoor Amjad 43, Ahmed Shahzad 35; Albie Morkel 3-22, Charl Langeveldt 3-29).Nampa-Sapa-APPCB XI never looked in a run and Mansoor Amjad (42) made a late charge before they were dismissed for 152 in 31.3 overs.”A big match is coming up in two days time and that’s where I would like to score,” De Villiers said.”The wicket was quite slow, but our batters still managed to get some good practice,” he added.Medium fast bowlers Charl Langeveldt and Albie Morkel – flown in for the limited-overs series – both grabbed three wickets each with none of the PCB XI batsman able to put up partnership.Earlier, De Villiers and Boucher put on 165-run off 141 balls after paceman Abdur Rauf removed Herschelle Gibbs (18) and J.P.Duminy (0) in space of three deliveries.Shaun Pollock – playing for the first time on the tour after missing both test matches against Pakistan – propelled the total with an unbeaten 33 off 11 balls.He hit four successive sixes and a boundary in the last over of medium fast Rauf (2-84).Pollock looked a bit rusty when he came onto bowl and conceded 38 runs in his five overs that included six wide deliveries.The first one-day international will be played tomorrow.Scores: South Africa 328-4 in 45 overs (A.B.de Villiers 113, Mark Boucher 103; Abdur Rauf 2-84); PCB XI 152 all out in 31.3 overs (Mansoor Amjad 43, Ahmed Shahzad 35; Albie Morkel 3-22, Charl Langeveldt 3-29).Nampa-Sapa-AP