ABU DHABI // Any fallibility Jacques Kallis might display as a batsman is an illusion glimpsed briefly in the aftermath of a rare false stroke.
When he swished and missed at an appealing away swinger from Mohammad Sami yesterday morning, Pakistan might have thought they had stumbled on some precious, previously hidden secret.
Normal service resumed immediately, however. He sent the next two balls from the same bowler to the extra-cover boundary with a pair of off-drives that should have been painted by Nicolas Poussin, so classically exquisite were they.
From then on, the fact Kallis would go on to make a century was about as predictable as the sun rising over Abu Dhabi this morning.
He duly proceeded to three-figures in 135 balls, his 37th century in Test matches and second in successive games in the UAE, following on from last week's effort in Dubai.
AB de Villiers trailed along happily in his batting mentor's wake, notching up a century of his own.
Thanks to the dynamic duo's latest alliance, South Africa will begin the second day in a formidable position, on 311 for five this morning.
De Villiers closed on 120 not out, having earlier seen Kallis reach 105 before departing to Tanvir Ahmed.
"I always try to maintain when you are in form you need to keep it going," Kallis said. "If you get in you need to make it count.I have worked a lot with Duncan Fletcher [South Africa's batting consultant] to give me more scoring shots. I try to play each game as freely as I can and try to play by instinct."
The Zayed Cricket Stadium may be the shiniest and newest of all Test cricket venues, as it became the 103rd ground to host the long-form of cricket when Umar Gul sent down the first ball.
However, the rules for success in the format which have long served Test captains still apply, such as: if you win the toss, bat first.
It was odd, then, that Misbah-ul-Haq, Pakistan's captain, decided to disregard 123 years of accepted wisdom, as well as the evidence of a rock-hard pitch and a blazing sun.
Instead, he decided to insert a side which contains one of the game's modern batting greats and a host of other run-greedy stars besides.
And for one glorious hour there appeared to be a method in his madness, thanks to the exploits of Pakistan's debutant swing bowler, Tanvir.
Pakistan's 31-year-old newcomer had an admirable first day in Test cricket. He dismissed Alviro Petersen with his third ball and Hashim Amla with his eighth.
When Graeme Smith went, as he was third out with the score on 33, he was probably ruing what he had wished for. South Africa's captain had hoped for a livelier wicket than that which they were presented with in the drawn opening match in Dubai.
However, once the effects of the new ball had worn off, the pitch appeared every bit as docile as that at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, and Kallis and De Villiers cashed in.
"The wicket played a little differently to what we thought it would," Kallis said. "Hopefully the seamers will continue to have a part to play."
pradley@thenational.ae
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
if you go
The flights Fly Dubai, Air Arabia, Emirates, Etihad, and Royal Jordanian all offer direct, three-and-a-half-hour flights from the UAE to the Jordanian capital Amman. Alternatively, from June Fly Dubai will offer a new direct service from Dubai to Aqaba in the south of the country. See the airlines’ respective sites for varying prices or search on reliable price-comparison site Skyscanner.
The trip
Jamie Lafferty was a guest of the Jordan Tourist Board. For more information on adventure tourism in Jordan see Visit Jordan. A number of new and established tour companies offer the chance to go caving, rock-climbing, canyoning, and mountaineering in Jordan. Prices vary depending on how many activities you want to do and how many days you plan to stay in the country. Among the leaders are Terhaal, who offer a two-day canyoning trip from Dh845 per person. If you really want to push your limits, contact the Stronger Team. For a more trek-focused trip, KE Adventure offers an eight-day trip from Dh5,300 per person.
THE SPECS
Engine: Four-cylinder 2.5-litre
Transmission: Seven-speed auto
Power: 165hp
Torque: 241Nm
Price: Dh99,900 to Dh134,000
On sale: now
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Common OCD symptoms and how they manifest
Checking: the obsession or thoughts focus on some harm coming from things not being as they should, which usually centre around the theme of safety. For example, the obsession is “the building will burn down”, therefore the compulsion is checking that the oven is switched off.
Contamination: the obsession is focused on the presence of germs, dirt or harmful bacteria and how this will impact the person and/or their loved ones. For example, the obsession is “the floor is dirty; me and my family will get sick and die”, the compulsion is repetitive cleaning.
Orderliness: the obsession is a fear of sitting with uncomfortable feelings, or to prevent harm coming to oneself or others. Objectively there appears to be no logical link between the obsession and compulsion. For example,” I won’t feel right if the jars aren’t lined up” or “harm will come to my family if I don’t line up all the jars”, so the compulsion is therefore lining up the jars.
Intrusive thoughts: the intrusive thought is usually highly distressing and repetitive. Common examples may include thoughts of perpetrating violence towards others, harming others, or questions over one’s character or deeds, usually in conflict with the person’s true values. An example would be: “I think I might hurt my family”, which in turn leads to the compulsion of avoiding social gatherings.
Hoarding: the intrusive thought is the overvaluing of objects or possessions, while the compulsion is stashing or hoarding these items and refusing to let them go. For example, “this newspaper may come in useful one day”, therefore, the compulsion is hoarding newspapers instead of discarding them the next day.
Source: Dr Robert Chandler, clinical psychologist at Lighthouse Arabia
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Q&A with Dash Berlin
Welcome back. What was it like to return to RAK and to play for fans out here again?
It’s an amazing feeling to be back in the passionate UAE again. Seeing the fans having a great time that is what it’s all about.
You're currently touring the globe as part of your Legends of the Feels Tour. How important is it to you to include the Middle East in the schedule?
The tour is doing really well and is extensive and intensive at the same time travelling all over the globe. My Middle Eastern fans are very dear to me, it’s good to be back.
You mix tracks that people know and love, but you also have a visually impressive set too (graphics etc). Is that the secret recipe to Dash Berlin's live gigs?
People enjoying the combination of the music and visuals are the key factor in the success of the Legends Of The Feel tour 2018.
Have you had some time to explore Ras al Khaimah too? If so, what have you been up to?
Coming fresh out of Las Vegas where I continue my 7th annual year DJ residency at Marquee, I decided it was a perfect moment to catch some sun rays and enjoy the warm hospitality of Bab Al Bahr.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
