KIMBERLEY  - Pakistan scrambled to a one-wicket win with two balls to spare against a makeshift South African Invitation XI at the Diamond Oval on Wednesday.
Last wicket pair Abdur Rehman (35 not out) and Junaid Khan (nine not out) put on an unbeaten 28 to take their team to victory in their only warm-up match before a five-game one-day international series against South Africa, starting in Bloemfontein on Sunday.
The Invitation team, including only players not involved in two domestic franchise Twenty20 matches on Wednesday, made 266 for eight in their 50 overs, with the major contribution coming from 20-year-old left-hander Quinton de Kock. De Kock, who played in a recent one-day international series against New Zealand but was not picked for the series against Pakistan, hit 65 off 73 balls with six fours and a six. He and captain Stephen Cook (34) got the Invitation side off to a good start with a first wicket stand of 55, which was followed by partnerships of 54 with Jonathan Vandiar (24) and 45 with Vaughn van Jaarsveld (36). Pakistan spinners Shoaib Malik, Abdur Rehman and Shahid Afridi were the most effective bowlers for the tourists.
Pakistan openers delivered a strong start, Imran Farhat and Nasir Jamshed adding 53 in 9.4 overs. Kamran Akmal then made 47, adding 49 with Misbahul Haq for the fourth wicket after Younus Khan had been dismissed for a duck. At 139 for 3 in the 26th over, Pakistan were on track, but they slipped to 189 for 7; two of those four wickets were claimed by legspinner Imran Tahir.
But Pakistan's lower order showed a lot of mettle, and Rehman and Umar Gul built a stand that revived hopes of victory.
Rehman batted patiently to make an unbeaten 35, while Gul at the other end was more attacking, scoring 30 off 34, with four fours and a six. Pakistan were still in trouble when Gul fell with the score on 234, and the hosts were on the brink when they claimed the wicket of Wahab Riaz in the 46th over to make it 242 for 9. But Junaid Khan was reliable company for Rehman, and though the required-rate had touched almost six with just a wicket in hand, the pair guided Pakistan home. In the final over bowled by Lizaad Williams, victory was sealed off the fourth delivery.

     scoreboard

SOUTH AFRICAN INVITATION XI:
S Cook c Akmal b Gul    34
Q de Kock c Malik b Rehman    65
J Vandiar c Younus b Rehman    24
V van Jaarsveld c Younus b Malik    36
C Chetty b Afridi    4
T Bavuma run out    43
C Morris c Rehman b Malik    19
G Viljoen not out    25
Imran Tahir b Junaid    0
C Alexander not out    1
EXTRAS: (b1, lb2, nb2, w10)    15
TOTAL: (8 wkts, 50 overs)    266
FOW: 1-55, 2-109, 3-154, 4-170, 5-170, 6-224, 7-260, 8-263
BOWLING: Umar Gul 5-0-34-1, Junaid Khan 9-1-46-1, Shoaib Malik 8-0-47-2, Wahab Riaz 8-0-42-0, Abdur Rehman 10-0-51-2, Shahid Afridi 10-0-43-1
PAKISTAN:
Imran Farhat run out    40
Nasir Jamshed c De Kock b Williams    24
Kamran Akmal b Alexander    47
Younus Khan lbw b Viljoen    0
Misbahul Haq b Tahir    18
Shoaib Malik lbw b Tahir    8
Shahid Afridi c De Kock b Viljoen    29
Abdur Rehman not out    35
Umar Gul c De Kock b Tahir    30
Wahad Riaz c De Kock b Viljoen    3
Junaid Khan not out    9
EXTRAS: (b1, lb17, w9)    27
TOTAL: (9 wkts, 49.4 overs)    270
FOW: 1-53, 2-86, 3-90, 4-139, 5-143, 6-154, 7-189, 8-234, 9-242
BOWLING: Morris 10-1-46-0, Alexander 10-0-58-1, Williams 9.4-1-70-1, Viljoen 10-2-29-3, Imran Tahir 10-0-49-3
TOSS: South African Invitation XI
UMPIRES: Johan Cloete and Shaun George (both RSA)
MATCH REFEREE: Barry Lambson (RSA)