Briefly Cricket: Taufeeq hits a double

Umar’s is the first double hundred by a Pakistani opener since Aamir Sohail’s 205 against England at Old Trafford in 1992.

Brief scores: SL 197 and 47/1 (K Sangakkara,27 n.o,L Thirimanne 20 n.o,U Gul 1/16) vs Pakistan 511/6 decl (T Umar 236,M Hafeez 75,R Herath 3/126)

Ponting opens,Aus win

CENTURION: Australia impressed in every department to power to a 93-run win over South Africa on Wednesday in the rain-affected first ODI at SuperSport Park. South Africa was 129 all out chasing a revised D/L target of 223 in 29 overs after Australia made 183-4. However,even with a tough calculation for the host,Australia dominated throughout a curtailed match to take an early lead in the three-match series.

Former skipper Ricky Ponting made 63 in an unfamiliar role opening the batting and shared a 102-run partnership with current captain Michael Clarke (44) as the tourists shrugged off a four-and-a-half hour rain delay in the middle of their innings. Highly rated teenager Pat Cummins then shone on his ODI debut with crucial wickets in his 3-28 as South Africa collapsed in 22 overs in its first ODI since the World Cup.

Brief scores: Australia 183/4 (Ponting 63,Clarke 44) bt South Africa 129 (Johnson 3-20,Cummins 3-28) by 93 runs (D/L method)

Nicol scores ton on debut

Harare: Rob Nicol marked his debut with an unbeaten 108 to guide New Zealand to a dominant nine-wicket win over Zimbabwe Thursday in the first one-day international at Harare Sports Club. Nicol hit 11 fours and shared a 153-run opening stand with Martin Guptill (74) as the Black Caps won with more than six overs to spare. Earlier,Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor made 128 not out but his fifth ODI century was in vain.

After two T20 defeats to the visitors,the home team were staring further embarrassment when losing four wickets with just 21 runs on the scoreboard. But Taylor and Forster Mutizwa (69) stopped the rot.

Brief scores: Zimbabwe 231/6 in 50 overs (B Taylor 128 n.o,F Mutizwa 69,D Bracewell 3/55)vs NZ 232/1 in 43.3 overs (R Nicol 108 n.o,M Guptill 74,H Masakadza 1/13)