Sports Desk
South Africa bounced back after early fielding fumbles, as they got key wickets before stumps to reduce Pakistan to 259-5 at stumps on day 1 in Rawalpindi on Monday.
When the umpires removed bails after completion of 91 overs, Saud Shakeel was unbeaten with solid 42, while Salman Ali Agha was batting at 10.
Pakistan will rue not taking full advantage of batting first on a track that was quite decent for batting. They now have to ensure they create enough of a cushion today (Tuesday), with the ball just beginning to react off the surface more consistently.
Abdullah Shafique was dropped three times – on 0, 15 and 41 – on his way to a sixth Test half-century while Shan Masood was put down on 71. He went on to score 87.
In anticipation of a more abrasive pitch, South Africa changed the composition of their attack to include a left-arm seamer in Marco Jansen, and two left-arm spinners with Keshav Maharaj returning to partner Senuran Muthusamy.
They also have off-spinner Simon Harmer, who looked the most dangerous of the spinners, on hand and they created more chances than the scorecard shows. He ended up with figures of two for 73.
Earlier, Pakistan took advantage of some poor South African fielding to reach 177-3 at tea on the opening day of the second and final Test.
Despite their fielding lapses South Africa’s spinners removed Abdullah Shafqiue (57) and Babar Azam (16) to check the momentum of the hosts, who won the toss on a spin-friendly pitch.
Shan Masood, dropped on 71 off a luckless Keshav Maharaj, was unbeaten on 77 with two fours and three sixes while Saud Shakeel was six not out at the break.
Shafqiue’s chancy knock finally ended when he edged Simon Harmer to wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne after adding an invaluable 111 runs for the second wicket with skipper Masood.
Azam, again cheered by a home crowd willing him to return to form, fell after Tony de Zorzi took a low catch at silly point for Maharaj’s first wicket.
Azam has gone 29 Test innings without a century.
Maharaj himself dropped Shafique on 15 off his own bowling and then saw Aiden Markram drop the same batter on 41 and 53.
Shafique also survived on nine when a Marco Jansen delivery beat him and hit the stumps after rolling down, but did not dislodge the bails.
In the morning session South Africa’s only breakthrough came from Harmer, who bowled Imam-ul-Haq for 17 with a sharp turner that beat the bat and hit off-stump.
Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada was also unlucky when Tristan Stubbs dropped Shafique in the slips off the fourth ball of the match for nought.
Harmer has figures of 2-57.
Having won the first Test in Lahore by 93 runs, Pakistan strengthened their attack by including a third spinner in Asif Afridi, dropping fast bowler Hasan Ali.
At 38 years and 299 days, Asif becomes the second oldest Pakistani Test debutant, behind Miran Bakhsh, who made his debut at 47 years and 284 days against India in 1955.
South Africa named three spinners and two pacers.
