De Villiers best propels South Africa in second Test

At the break number eleven Morne Morkel was unbeaten on 34 as the two have added 91 for the unfinished last wicket stand.

De Villiers’s knock,beating the highest by any South African against Pakistan held by Herschelle Gibbs with 228 at Cape Town in 2003,was spiced with five sixes and 22 boundaries off 411-balls.

His effort helped South Africa add 257 runs in the two sessions after tea interval was delayed because of the last wicket partnership between De Villiers and Morkel prolonged.

Morkel too feasted on a tiring Pakistan attack,hitting five boundaries,including 17 off one over from debutant paceman Tanveer Ahmed,who finished with 6-120.

De Villiers hit paceman Umar Gul to backward point for his 14th boundary to complete his second double hundred,eventually improving on his previous best of 217 not out he made against India at Ahmedabad in April 2008.

De Villiers added 73 for the sixth wicket with Mark Boucher (45),42 with Johan Botha (12) for the seventh and another 59 for the eighth with Dale Steyn,who made 27.

Earlier,Ahmed became the tenth Pakistani bowler to take five wickets or more when he bowled Boucher with a sharp incoming delivery. Boucher hit six boundaries during his 90-ball innings.

De Villiers continued in the same vein,hitting Ahmed for three boundaries in an over to complete his 150,taking 282 balls to reach the landmark.

In between left-arm spinner Abdul Rehman dismissed Botha while Ahmed removed Harris but De Villiers continued to punish the hapless bowling at will.

The two-match series is tied at 0-0 after the first Test in Dubai ended in a draw on Tuesday.