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Proteas succumb to Pakistan

London - Pakistan outplayed the Proteas in all three disciplines to win the final warm-up match for the two countries at The Oval in London on Monday by six wickets ahead of the start of the ICC Champions Trophy.

The Proteas were very much in practice match mode as they gave opportunities to all 15 members of their squad. In the past they have set off like a pedigree race horse, even in the warm-up matches, but failed to see the distance out, so hopefully the slow start this time around will bring about the correct formula of hitting their straps when it really counts.

The Proteas were put into bat after Pakistan captain, Misbah ul-Haq and never really got going as they stumbled to 203/9 in their alotted 50 overs. Asad Ali and Wahab Riaz were the chief destroyers for Pakistan, with both boasting with figures of 3-30, exploiting the bit of movement on offer from the deck at the Oval.

Pakistan got on top from the onset when the impressive Junaid Khan removed Hashim Amla leg before wicket, off the third ball of the match.

They lost three wickets in the opening power play and another four by the time the 22nd over had been completed to leave them tottering at 83/7.

With the practice format allowing them to play all their batsmen, JP Duminy came in at No. 8 and Ryan McLaren at No. 9 and these two gave Pakistan at least some sort of target to chase with a stand of 94 off 22.3 overs.

McLaren made top score of 55 off 72 balls with six boundaries in a continuation of the impressive all-round form he has shown this season.

The Pakistan innings got off to a brisk start with Nasir Jamshed and Imran Farhat, before Jamshed was run out following a direct hit by Hashim Amla after he had punched the ball down to Amla at mid-on.

Mohammad Hafeez walked in next and continued his fine form in the UK with a fifty, following a century against Ireland and after scoring 54 runs, he retired himself from the innings after 25 overs. Imran Farhat top scored with 56 himself. Farhat departed eight overs later trying to clear the fence off Tsotsobe, with Morkel taking the catch in the deep.

This left Asad Shafiq and captain ul-Haq to finish off the match, knocking off the final 54 runs in relative ease, ul-Haq hitting a six to seal the seven wicket victory.

The tournament starts on Thursday when South Africa play India. Their other two pool matches are against Pakistan and the West Indies.

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