Pakistan sense victory after South Africa slump
- October 18, 2013, 12:23 pm
- Sports News
- 121 Views
Cricket: ABU DHABI, Oct 16, (APP/AFP) - Pakistan's lethal mixture of
pace and spin caught world number one Test team South Africa napping
on the third day of the first Test in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
South Africa lost four top-order batsmen against a
spirited Pakistan and they now need another 121 runs to avoid
an innings defeat and concede the lead in the
two-Test series.
AB de Villiers was unbeaten on 11 and with him
nightwatchman Dale Steyn on nought on a day when Pakistan
captain Misbah-ul Haq scored his fourth Test hundred and then
sent his rivals into submission.
Pakistan removed Alviro Petersen (17), Graeme Smith (32)
and Jacques Kallis (nought) by the 19th over and then
first innings centurion Hashim Amla for ten to move closer to a
big victory when bad light curtailed play seven overs early.
Paceman Mohammad Irfan started aggressively, trapping Smith
in front off the very first ball of the innings but Pakistan's
referral was unsuccessful after the umpire initially ruled it
not out.
But Irfan struck in his sixth over when a rising
delivery caught Petersen by surprise, the batsman failing to keep
his glove out of the way before Adnan Akmal held the
catch cleanly.
Smith looked confident during his 61-ball knock but
missed one delivery from Saeed Ajmal and was stumped on the
second attempt by Akmal, leaving South Africa at 57-2.
With Smith's scalp, Ajmal completed his 150 wickets in 29
Tests -- the joint fourth fastest to reach the milestone
and second Pakistani behind paceman Waqar Younis, who completed
the tally in 27 Tests.
A run later Kallis was trapped in front of the wicket by
fast bowler Junaid Khan for a five-ball duck, spoiling South
Africa's most reliable batsman's comeback and 38th birthday.
Amal, who hit 118 in the first innings, fell caught
behind off left-armer Zulfiqar Babar's first delivery in the
innings to leave South Africa tottering at 72-4.
South African paceman Vernon Philander admitted it will be
tough work to save the match.
"We need to be in a positive frame of mind, its going to be
hard work tomorrow because Pakistan's spinners have been good but
we need to try and get some partnerships going," said Philander.
Pakistan opener Khurram Manzoor said his team was in
a strong position. "We are in a strong position and taking
four wickets before the day ended was very good. I think the
spinners will have a big role to play (tomorrow)," said Manzoor.
Earlier Misbah ensured Pakistan increased their lead
after opener Manzoor departed for 146, adding an invaluable 82
for the fifth wicket with Asad Shafiq, who made 54.
At 39 years and 141 days, Misbah became the oldest
Pakistani batsman to score a Test hundred. He is also the oldest to
notch a Test hundred since England's Graham Gooch reached
the three-figure mark against New Zealand at Nottingham in 1994 at
the age of 40 years 314 days.
England's Jack Hobbs holds the record for oldest Test centurion
at 46 years and 82 days when he scored a hundred against Australia in 1929.
Manzoor, who resumed on 131, bettered Pakistan's
highest individual Test score against South Africa, held
by all-rounder Azhar Mahmood who scored 137 in Johannesburg
in 1998.
But Philander gave South Africa a much-needed
breakthrough by dismissing Manzoor, caught off a slash in the
slip by Jacques Kallis.
Manzoor hit 15 boundaries and batted solidly
throughout his 388-minute knock. He added 112 for the fourth
wicket with his skipper to strengthen Pakistan's position.
Misbah reached his hundred with a single off Jean-Paul
Duminy, his first after 16 Tests, off 185 balls, raising his arms
and bat in acknowledgement. In all he batted for 298 minutes,
hitting eight boundaries.
Steyn trapped Misbah leg before for 100 to finish with 3-88
after his first 23 overs went wicketless.
Duminy, who took 2-68, proved better than regular
spinner Robin Peterson who was wicketless in 27 overs, conceding 111 runs.
The second and final Test will be played in Dubai from
October 23. The teams will also play five one-day and
two Twenty20 internationals.
