Two-tone Cape Town pitch bemuses teams

CAPE TOWN, Jan 26 (Reuters) South Africa and Pakistan were both bemused by the pitch after 15 wickets fell on day one of their deciding third test today.

South Africa reached 131 for five at the close after choosing to bowl first and skittling out Pakistan for 157.

The pitch, grassy at one end and bare at the other, offered the fast bowlers bounce and movement off the seam and sharp turn to Pakistan leg spinner Danish Kaneria at the barren end.

''We looked at the wicket and no one knew what to expect,'' South Africa coach Mickey Arthur told reporters.

''We decided to take the gamble with a view to bowling them out cheaply, getting a nice lead and bowling them out again.

''There's always something in the pitch, it's difficult to bat on and you're never in,'' he said. ''There's bounce and lateral movement, especially when the ball is quite hard.'' Arthur predicted even a small lead could be crucial.

''We set our goal at being 100 runs ahead and we are going to have to play well to achieve it,'' he said.

''But if you get 50 or 60 ahead on this pitch, it would be like being 100 ahead on a normal deck.'' Pakistan batsman Mohammad Yousuf, who scored 83, more than half his team's total, said: ''I've never seen a pitch like this, it's a two-coloured pitch.

''It's not an easy pitch to bat on early in your innings but when you get in and play each ball on its merit it does become easier.'' South Africa won the first test in Centurion by seven wickets and Pakistan the next by five wickets in Port Elizabeth.

REUTERS PDS RN0048