Despite Prince's unbeaten 78, the Africa XI were bowled out for 198 in 44.3 overs after being sent in by Pakistan's Inzamamul Haq, the Asia XI captain, in cool, overcast conditions.

The Africans made a bright start to the world's first official inter-continental one-day international when AB de Villiers and Boeta Dippenaar put on 39 for the first wicket.

But the dismissal of de Villiers in the seventh over started a collapse in which five wickets fell for 18 runs in the space of 34 balls.

Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar started the collapse when he trapped de Villiers leg before for 24 but it was Indian left-armer Zaheer Khan who did the major damage, taking the next three wickets. Zaheer finished with three for 37.

Prince and Mark Boucher put on 84 for the sixth wicket before Boucher missed a sweep against Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan and was leg before for 42.

Prince went on to bat through the innings, facing 113 balls and hitting five fours. He gave one chance in a composed innings when wicketkee-per Kumar Sangakkara could not hold an inside edge off Muralitharan when he was on 35.

The Africans, who started the match with nine South African players, called on a tenth player from the host nation when all-rounder Justin Kemp was brought in as a substitute, batting at number ten, in an attempt to bolster a poor batting performance.

It meant Kenyan fast bowler Thomas Odoyo was taken out of the match before making an appearance. But the switch did not pay off because Kemp was leg before to Shoaib for four.

On the other hand, the Asian side named Bangladesh's Mohammad Ashraful as its substitute. The other Bangladeshi in the squad, Mashrafee-bin-Mortuza was not even considered for the match.

The innings ended with boos from a sparse crowd when home town player Dale Steyn, batting at number 11 on his one-day international debut, was struck on the right arm and chest by two high full tosses by Akhtar, generally acknowledged as the world's fastest bowler.

The pitch proved helpful to both seam and spin bowlers, who were able to make the ball deviate off a course, grassy surface. The hastily-arranged series is being played during the South African winter and the Centurion outfield was brown from winter frost.

With the day-night match starting at the unusual hour of noon South African time to suit Asian television, the ground was only about a quarter full in chilly conditions.