South Africa defeat Pakistan by two wickets in first Test
Cricket
Mohammad Abbas took six wickets to give chance to his side, but the proteas had the last laugh
CENTURION (Reuters) - South Africa defeated Pakistan by two wickets in the first Test on Sunday.
Mohammad Abbas' 6 wickets turned the match upside down in favour of Pakistan but the host were quick to strike a balance and eventually had the last laugh.
Proteas lost eight wickets at just 116 runs at lunch on Day 4 while chasing 148 runs target set by Pakistan in the first test.
The match got interesting when the proteas still needed 32 runs, while Pakistan were in search for the last two crucial wickets after lunch.
The day four commenced at 27/3, South Africa required 121 more runs to win, while Pakistan needed seven wickets.
Adam Markram, who started the day on 22, was dismissed for 37 by Mohammad Abbas. Captain Temba Bavuma contributed 40 runs before falling to Abbas, who also claimed the wicket of David Bedingham for 14.
Kyle Verreynne was sent back by Naseem Shah, while Corbin Bosch became Abbas’s fourth victim of the day.
Earlier, Pakistan scored 211 runs in their first innings, while South Africa responded with 301. In the second innings, Pakistan set a target of 148 by scoring 237 runs.
Earlier, Saib Ayub, Shan Masood and Babar Azam made 27, 28 and 50 runs respectively. Kamran Ghulam and Mohammad Rizwan went back to the pavilion for 4 and 3 runs respectively.
For the proteas, all-rounder Marco Jansen grabbed six wickets and put his side in the driving seat.
Ken Borland, sports journalist, rightly said, “Pakistan lost another batsman to injudicious strokeplay! Aamer Jamal looked good for his 18, but now he can’t resist hooking at a Dane Paterson short ball, no attempt to keep the ball down. “
The start of the third day was also marred by rain which delayed the match at Centurion on Saturday, when the visitors were two runs behind with seven second innings wickets in hand.
Lunch was called as the rain continued to pour in the opening session.
Pakistan were 88-3 at stumps on Friday, fighting back after trailing South Africa by 90 runs.
Pakistan were put into bat on the opening day and scored 211 after which their hosts replied with 301.
Marco Jansen took 2-17, with Babar Azam not out on 16 and Saud Shakeel on eight.
Pakistan’s openers Saim Ayub and captain Shan Masood had batted briskly to halve the home side’s sizeable advantage in a determined fight back but three wickets in the last hour swung the advantage back South Africa’s way.
Kagiso Rabada bowled the exciting 22-year-old Ayub for 28, followed by Jansen dismissing Masood for 28 and Kamran Ghulam for four runs.
Earlier, Corbin Bosch continued his dream debut with a swashbuckling unbeaten 81 to help South Africa to 301 in reply to Pakistan’s first innings total of 211.
Bosch came in at number nine to contribute a potential match winning knock and add to his opening day heroics when he took 4-63 and became the 25th cricketer to take a wicket with his first test delivery.
Before his arrival Pakistan had taken five wickets, including opener Aiden Markram for 89, and were firmly in the contest after South Africa resumed on 82-3.
Markram had played a patient role as he headed towards a test century but then inexplicably chased a short-pitched delivery from Khurram Shahzad and gloved the ball to wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan, leaving his side with only a two-run lead and two wickets in hand.
Pakistan were looking to restrict their hosts to a small lead but tailenders Bosch and Kagiso Rabada had other ideas, putting on 41 runs for the ninth wicket to delight the home crowd before a wild swipe saw Rabada caught for 13.
Bosch looked stranded on 46 when joined at the crease by No 11 batsman Dane Paterson but swatted a ball in the next over to the boundary to bring up his fifty and kept going with a batting master class, including 15 boundaries, that belied his low position in the order.
The pair went onto score 47 more runs for the final wicket as Bosch hit his highest score in first class cricket before Paterson’s patience ran out and he skied part-time spinner Saim Ayub for Khurram to take a difficult catch and end the innings.
The test is the first of two, with the second starting at Newlands in Cape Town on Jan 3.
