Tour of Pakistan 2003-04          Captain: Graeme Smith

34th official Test tour

Second Test-playing tour of Pakistan by South Africa

   (October 2003)

On 20 September the South Africans cancelled their original tour because of security fears following a bomb blast in Karachi a day earlier. The ICC put pressure on the South African United Cricket Board refused to play at Karachi or Peshawar because it was too dangerous. However, the Pakistan Cricket Board were successful in persuading them to tour if Karachi and Peshawar were omitted from the programme

The tourists started poorly but came back to win the one-day series which preceded the Test matches. Then at Lahore the South Africans played well in parts but were always just behind Pakistan and lost the first Test.

Gary Kirsten despite being struck by a Shoaib Akhtar bouncer which left his nose and eye socket broken was the leading batsman with Gibbs not far behind. Pollock and Ntini were the most dangerous bowlers. Poor fielding - catches dropped as the Proteas pressed for victory - cost them the chance of squaring the series at Faisalabad,

Hall received a two Test ban after elbowing Yousuf Youhana during the 2nd ODI at Lahore.

Other South African tours

Previous Tour

England 2003

Next tour

New Zealand 2003-04

Next tour of Pakistan

2007-08

Members of the Test tour party (15)

Opening batsmen  Graeme Smith, Gary Kirsten, Herschelle Gibbs

Middle-order batsmen  Jacques Kallis, Boeta Dippenaar, Neil McKenzie, Jacques Rudolph

Wicket-keeper  Mark Boucher

All-rounder: Shaun Pollock

Spin bowlers  Paul Adams, Robin Peterson

Fast bowlers  Andrew Hall, Charl Langeveldt, Andre Nel, Makhaya Ntini.

Representation of Super Sport Series franchises:   

Bo - Boland (1)

Br - Border (2)

Es  -  Easterns (2)

EP Eastern Province (1)

FS - Free State (1)

KZN - Kwa Zulu Natal (1)

No - Northerns (2)

WP - Western Province (5)

Average age of  team at time of first Test match

(17 October 2003) :

       27 yrs  4 months

Test Appearances made before the tour

G Kirsten 96, Pollock 78, Kallis 74, Boucher 69, Gibbs 54, Adams 42, Ntini 40, McKenzie 37, Dippenaar 27, Smith 21, Hall 10, Rudolph 11, Nel 7, Peterson 3, Langeveldt 0.

Team Officials

Tim Southey had experience of working with Springbok and provincial rugby teams. 

The South African board (UCBSA) had decided to terminate its contract with Goolam Raja after the tour of England but he was subsequently reinstated for the next tour to New Zealand and continued to fix the arrangements on all Proteas’ tours until 2011.

With Mali Nicholis (UCB President), Steve Coetzee (observer) also accompanying the team, there were 13 officials with the fifteen players.

Selectors

Omar Henry  (convenor of selectors), Haroon Lorgat, Hugh Page and Douglas Maku.

Selection

Unavailable:  In September 2003 Gary Kirsten went back on his intention to retire and made himself available again for Test cricket.

Tour Party Announced:  15 September 2003.

Not selected:   Fast bowlers Dewald Pretorius, Charl Willoughby and Monde Zondeki, who had all toured England.

Herschelle Gibbs’ selection was subject to passing a fitness test on a groin injury Friday 17 September

Time between selection and departure from South Africa

  13 days

(15 - 28 September)

Travel

The South Africans were scheduled to arrive in Karachi on September 22 and play a warm up game there, but the tour was rescheduled.  The team left Johannesburg International Airport for Pakistan on Sunday 28 September.

Arrived at Lahore Airport amid very tight security on Tuesday 30 September 2003 and went to Gaddafi Stadium for nets.

Paul Adams and Gary Kirsten arrived later for the Test series.

Time spent in Pakistan

   x days

(30 September - depart Host)

On-tour selection panel

Reinforcements

Marinus van Wyk joined the team as cover for Herschelle Gibbs who had missed the first 2 one-dayers.  At Lahore batsman Gary Kirsten was struck by a Shoaib Akhtar bouncer which left his nose and left eye socket broken but he continued to play.

Fixtures/Results

† not first-class

§  one-day international

Time spent in Pakistan before First Test: 

17 days

(30 September - 17 October)

Test appearances on tour

2 -  Adams,  Boucher,  Dippenaar,  Gibbs,  Kallis,  Kirsten,  McKenzie,  Ntini,  Pollock,  Smith.

1 -  Peterson,  Nel

0 -  Hall,  Langeveldt,  Nel,  Peterson,  Rudolph.

Highlights

•   Gary Kirsten was injured by a Shoaib Akhtar bouncer at Lahore but had a sequence of strong scores: 53 retired hurt and 46 at Lahore and 54 and 118 at Faisalabad: giving him a series average of 90.

•   Paul Adams took 7 - 128 at Lahore, his best bowling figures in Test cricket.

•   Shaun Pollock took six wickets for 78 runs at Faisalabad.

Tour Summary

Return to South Africa

Arrived back at Johannesburg Airport on 30 October.

Time away from South Africa    32 days  

(28 September to 30 October)

Finances

There were there were 13 officials accompanying the team. The  Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said “We are not paying for the extra officials and the UCB of South Africa will bear their expenses.”