Akhtar the 'whirlwind' turns chase on SA

Shaun Pollock, South Africa's captain for the day, described Shoaib Akhtar's performance for Pakistan yesterday as "a whirlwind" but he might just as well have described Akhtar's 3 for 9 as an act of God.

Chasing 169 for victory, South Africa were cruising at one stage, losing Mark Boucher to a slightly contentious umpiring decision with the total on 74. They only made 27 more runs, as a combination of fine pace bowling and innate South African jitteriness in these situations unravelled what had hitherto been a well-controlled chase.

Asked if he thought the Pakistanis were relieved to break their succession of 14 losses on the trot against South Africa, Pollock replied: "I can't speak for them, I don't know what it does for them. What it does for us is that it gets it out of the way, we'd rather get this out of the way now, rather than on Friday."

Pollock admitted he had been conscious of his knee - not that he had been bowling at full pace, anyway - but he was happy to report he experienced no discomfort and should be fine to play in Friday's final against Pakistan.

The opinion on Gary Kirsten, who pulled up with a back injury, is not so unambiguous, however. "It's a lock in his lower back which he experienced when he was going for a second run with Herschelle," said team physiotherapist, Craig Smith. "We still have to ascertain exactly what the nature of the injury is. At the moment he's back at the hotel - flat on his back."

Chasing 169 needed for victory against Pakistan yesterday, South Africa hurtled from 72/2 to 101 all out, a situation which might well have elicited the wry comment back home that they were lucky not to have too much hanging on the match.

Despite the bid for collective suicide around him Herschelle Gibbs enjoyed himself. He outlasted no fewer than 10 partners to blaze his way to 59 not out. His shots square of the wicket were audacious and his cover-driving was a joy.

But after losing Kirsten to injury and Neil McKenzie for a single he could only watch as Akhtar, in his fourth over, had Mark Boucher caught behind by Moin Khan for 14 - a decision which could have been adjudged a no-ball - and then bowling both Dale Benkenstein (0) and Lance Klusener (0) the same over. Shaun Pollock followed soon afterwards, caught by Inzamam ul-Haq at first slip for a duck off Wasim Akram.

Bowling the next over, Shoaib then pulled up short and was escorted from the field. Abdur Razzaq completed the over and promptly trapped Pieter Strydom for a duck. Derek Crookes was run out by a direct hit from Younis Khan for three nine runs later, Nantie Hayward was bowled by Waqar for one and Charl Willoughby was last to go as South Africa lost by 67 runs.