Reuters

Pakistan's Mohammad Asif (left) is congratulated by wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal after he took the wicket of South Africa's Jacques Kallis in the first Test in Pretoria.
-Reuters

India's Sourav Ganguly: CENTURION, South Africa (Reuters):

Pakistan's Mohammad Asif took five wickets to lessen the impact of Ashwell Prince's century for South Africa on the third day of the first Test yesterday.

Pakistan were 103 for two in their second innings, a deficit of one run, when bad light ended play 13 overs early. Jacques Kallis grabbed two wickets, but an unbeaten 41 from Imran Farhat steadied the tourists.

South Africa were dismissed for 417 in reply to Pakistan's first innings of 313 and they admitted they had not managed to create as big a lead as they had wanted.

"We're a bit short of where we wanted to be and the match is evenly poised," Prince told a news conference.

"It will be good for our confidence if we can dismiss them for less than 200 ahead."

Prince scored 138, while fast bowler Asif, playing his first match for his country since he and Shoaib Akhtar tested positive for the banned steroid nandrolone in November, took five for 89. Prince, who took guard when South Africa's third wicket fell six overs after lunch on Friday, was finally removed when leg-spinner Danish Kaneria had him stumped by wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal.

The left-handed Prince advanced down the pitch to Kaneria and failed to make contact. Akmal gathered cleanly but missed with his first swipe at the stumps. Prince scrambled back towards safety, but Akmal removed the bails just in time to send the South African packing.

The patient, diligent Prince batted for almost six hours in which he faced 214 balls and hit 19 fours.

"It was one of the more fluent innings," Prince said. "I hit three or four boundaries in my first 20 runs, and that saw me off to a good start."

His dismissal ended a dominating fifth-wicket stand of 213 that he shared with Herschelle Gibbs.

big partnership

"We needed a big partnership, and luckily for us we got it," said Gibbs. "(Prince) is hitting the ball as well as I've ever seen him hit it."

Prince's dismissal began a slide in which five wickets tumbled for 35 runs in 11 overs.

Among them was Gibbs, who was seventh out for 94 when he was trapped in front by fast bowler Naved-ul-Hasan.

South Africa's chances of building a significant lead seemed to be on the wane, but Shaun Pollock scored a brisk unbeaten 39 off 58 balls with five fours and a six to extend the home side's advantage to 104 runs.

five-wicket haul

Asif completed his five-wicket haul when he had Makhaya Ntini caught by Younis Khan at second slip for five to end the innings.

Pakistan were 23 without loss in their second innings when Farhat, on seven, cut hard at a delivery from fast bowler Andre Nel and survived a difficult chance in the gully, where Gibbs leapt high but couldn't hold on.

Kallis struck with his third delivery of the innings when he drew Mohammad Hafeez, who scored 15, into an edge to Graeme Smith at first slip.

Kallis claimed his second wicket six overs later when Yasir Hameed steered a thin edge to wicketkeeper Mark Boucher to be dismissed for nine.