Masood leads from front as Pakistan face South Africa on second Test day one

RAWALPINDI: National White-ball team’s skipper Shan Masood pushed for 87-run total to reach the team’s total up to 259 for the loss of five wickets till closing time of the day on second test day first against Proteas, who were poor in the field but kept in the contest by fine bowling in Rawalpindi on Monday.

Saud Shakeel is on 42 not out and Salman Agha has 10, with the Pakistan duo to resume on the second morning after weathering late pressure with the new ball from the touring team.

South Africa will rue not making further inroads into their host’s batting lineup after missing several chances in the field on a wicket that is so far playing true.

Earlier, the national Test team elected to bat after winning the toss of their second Test, suggesting this will again be a major factor in deciding the result with the tourists to bat last.

Simon Harmer, who is an off spinner of the rivals, grabbed the Pakistan’s Imam-ul-Haq (17), who was the opening batter of the Greens, enabling the bowler to claim down two wickets, with the first earlier but later at 75

But the visitors were their own worst enemies after that, as chance after chance went down and Masood and Abdullah Shafique (57) put on 111 for the second wicket.

The latter was caught down the leg-side off the bowling of Harmer and Tony de Zorzi caught Baber Azam (16) off a sharp chance diving forward from short-leg as South Africa finally took an opportunity in the field.

Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj (2-63) was the bowler and he also grabbed the wicket of Masood after he had four lives before being dismissed when he attempted a sweep and top-edged the ball to Marco Jansen at square-leg.

South Africa delayed taking the new ball but when they did, Kagiso Rabada trapped Mohammad Rizwan (19) leg before wicket.

Pakistan won the first test in Lahore last week by 93 runs. Defeat for South Africa marked a losing start to the defence of their World Test Championship crown at the beginning of a new two-year cycle.