Pak vs SA: Proteas build lead as Pakistan hunt for two wickets

CENTURION: After Pakistan crumbled in just 57.3 overs on Thursday as they fell victim to Dane Paterson and debutant Corbin Bosch’s incredible bowling, they hoped to bring an even quicker end to the Proteas’ batting efforts on Friday.

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Aiden Markham began the day by bringing up his half century in the third over of the first session. And he did it in style, hitting a beautiful cover drive. As he closed in on what he hoped would be the eighth test century of his career, a couple of his teammates were dismissed.

South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma was sent off after poking at a delivery from Aamer Jamal, only connecting with the thick outside edge of his bat before Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan took the catch. Bavuma made 31 runs off 74 deliveries before leaving the field.

Naseem Shah would get his first wicket soon after, bringing an end to what was shaping up to be a threatening knock by David Bedingham. The South African made a quick 30 runs off just 33 balls, but then threw it away in similar fashion to Bavuma. The ball was seaming away from Bedingham, but he poked at it anyway, leading to an edge and another catch, this time by Kamran Ghulam.

The two teams would then break for lunch.

Soon after play resumed, Naseem would take two more wickets. He would dismiss Kyle Verreynne in the 49th over, who only managed to make two runs before Naseem’s delivery found a thick edge, popping the ball up and allowing Salman Agha to take an easy catch at the slips.

Marco Jansen fell two overs later, and Naseem got his third wicket of the game. The Pakistani fast bowler found yet another edge, and Rizwan took the catch. Jansen, like Verreynne, didn’t manage to get going, only scoring two runs before he was sent off.

The Proteas struggled to stop the bleeding, losing another wicket in the 56th over. This time it was Khurram Shahzad getting his second wicket, dismissing the man that had been leading South Africa’s charge, Markham. Shahzad’s bouncer surprised Markham, and he ended up gloving the delivery straight to Rizwan. However, the Proteas’ batter had done enough to take South Africa over Pakistan’s first innings total.

South Africa currently stand at 222 for eight after 58 overs. They lead by 11.

Earlier:

South Africa ended Thursday’s final session with a score of 82, with three wickets lost. Twenty five year old Khurram Shahzad took two of those wickets. He bowled Tony de Zorzi in the third over, and found the edge of Ryan Rickelton’s bat in the seventh, allowing skipper Mohammad Rizwan to take the catch.

Mohammad Abbas dismissed Tristan Stubbs in the sixteenth over after his delivery hit the South African’s front pad. The umpires finger would go up immediately, and South Africa would find themselves three down at the end of day one.

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