There’ll likely be lots of tossing and turning when the remaining Proteas batters put themselves to bed on Saturday night, after their side was left teetering at 27/3 in pursuit of a target of 148, that should it be reached would see SA qualify for the final of the World Test Championship.
To say it was a nervous start to the second innings, would be an understatement. The umpires decision to take the players from the field half an hour earlier than scheduled because of bad light was greeted with enthusiastic applause from a reasonable crowd, who were chewing their fingernails for most of the final 15 minutes of the third day’s play.
Unlike SA’s attack earlier, Pakistan’s new ball bowlers Mohammad Abbas and Khurram Shahzad provided a meticulous examination of the batters technique and temperament throughout nine, tension filled overs. Their reward was three wickets — all lbw.
Tony de Zorzi, who’s looked scratchy in both innings failed to get behind the line of lovely delivery from Abbas, while Ryan Rickelton, played around a straight ball from Khurram, and Stubbs, was undone for the second time in the match by a beauty from Abbas, that left him just enough off the pitch and crashed into his back pad.
Aiden Markram looked secure in making 22, hitting four fours and Pakistan will be desperate to remove him on Sunday morning, when the start of play could be delayed again, if the forecast rain arrives.
What Pakistan would do for an extra 50 runs on the target. They were the masters of their own demise in their second innings. It was bemusing at times, often hilarious and no doubt left the tourists with a mixture of embarrassment and anger.
A short wide ball lifted to deep point. A 122km/h bouncer hit to deep square leg. A ‘leave’ to third slip. A wildly executed drive edge to the keeper. A full toss trapping another batter lbw.
Pakistan seemed determined to create a catalogue of bad dismissals. They succeeded against a lot of bad bowling from the Proteas.
Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel, who’d resumed with Pakistan still two runs short of erasing SA’s first innings lead, were able to score quickly against some average bowling from the hosts in the first hour.
Babar still looked troubled outside off stump but the lack of consistency from the Proteas meant any examination in that region wasn’t sustained. But there was no need for such fundamentals, because Pakistan, would enter into the spirit of the festive season and provide a host of gifts to the South Africans.
It started with Babar, previously a member of batting’s ‘big four’ (along with Joe Root, Kane Williamson and Virat Kohli) slapping a short wide ball to deep point — a position usually reserved to save boundaries — just one delivery after Corbin Bosch had been placed there.
Babar, who’d registered his first Test half century in two years, looked crestfallen a feeling that would be shared by his teammates on crazy afternoon.
Saud was able to notch up a half century, but the inability of anyone to stay with him, meant Pakistan couldn’t reach a substantial target.
Marco Jansen took 6/53, but his bowling on Saturday was not of the same quality as Friday, when he took the first of those two wickets. He, like the rest of the attack, struggled with his line and length, and there were too many freebies on offer.
Kagiso Rabada picked up two wickets and there was one apiece for Dane Paterson and Corbin Bosch, but it was hardly a stint they will look back on with much fondness.
It will be easier to do, if they can knock off 121 runs on Sunday.
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