Proteas batsmen impress with half-tons in opening day of practice match against Pak A

South Africa has reportedly gained some useful batting practice in hot and humid conditions on the opening day of the three-day practice match against Pakistan A in Sharjah on Tuesday, with four of its batsmen making half-centuries.

Although captain Graeme Smith was trapped LBW by paceman Ehsan Adil in the seventh over before he could make more than two runs, however, Jacques Kallis (70), AB de Villiers (58), Alviro Petersen (58), Hashim Amla (50) and Jean-Paul Duminy (49 not out) made up for Smith's failure and led their side to 332-5 in the match at close.

According to Sport24, Pakistan A had won the toss and decided to field in the game, in which the first innings will be restricted to 100-overs per side.

Pakistani selectors will now watch how their second string batsmen cope against a formidable Proteas pace attack on Wednesday as they look to fill three remaining places for the two-Test series, the report added.