There were three dropped catches and a missed stumping in the session, which allowed South Africa to get close to 300
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!South Africa’s lower order ate into Pakistan’s first innings lead, thanks largely to an ongoing fifty-run stand between left-arm spinners Senuran Muthusamy and Keshav Maharaj. The pair came together at 235 for 8, with South Africa trailing by 98 runs but took the attack to Pakistan against the second new ball to leave the match intriguingly poised.
Pakistan owned the first 90 minutes of the day as they took 4 for 50, with debutant Asif Afridi claiming his first Test five-for. Asif bowled an excellent stump to stump line and found the right pace on a wearing pitch to keep South Africa under pressure. But Pakistan will be disappointed that they were unable to give him more wickets. There were three dropped catches and a missed stumping in the session, which allowed South Africa to get close to 300.
South Africa’s hopes of their last specialist pair, Tristan Stubbs and Kyle Verreynne, putting on a significant stand were dashed in the first over of the day. Verreynne pushed at Asif’s fourth ball and got a thin edge, which Mohammed Rizwan gleefully pouched.
Stubbs, who was on 68 overnight, was back in his defensive shell and added just eight runs to his overnight score before being trapped in the crease by a quicker Asif ball that hit him on the pad. He was given out on field and reviewed, perhaps hoping for a sliver of bat, but with no edge detected and the ball crashing into the stumps, his innings was over. Asif struck again in his next over, when Simon Harmer missed a reverse sweep and was pinned in front of middle stump. Harmer reviewed, needlessly, as Asif’s five-for was confirmed. At 38 years and 299 days, Asif is the oldest man to take a five-for on Test debut.
Muthusamy, who had been at the crease from the first over of the morning, looked fairly comfortable and with all the main batters out, gave himself permission to play his shots. He swept particularly well and was perplexed when he was given out lbw to Sajid Khan and reviewed immediately. Ultra Edge confirmed an inside-edge.
Pakistan took the second new ball as soon as it became available and hoped Shaheen Shah Afridi would find some swing. He went searching and with some pace on offer, Marco Jansen didn’t miss out on the chance to drive him through mid-off. Asif shared the new ball in a spell that ended up lasting 19 overs and after two Afridi overs was joined by Noman Ali, who was wicketless in the Test so far.
Four balls in, Noman had his first. Even though Jansen thought he had got far enough outside the line, he hadn’t and was confirmed out lbw on review. Muthusamy continued batting positively, and Keshav Maharaj joined him in that approach. He attacked Noman, in particular, and also offered some chances. Maharaj was dropped by Imam-ul-Haq at silly mid-off in what was a tough chance akin to Tony de Zorzi which dismissed Babar Azam on day two, then could have been stumped off Asif as he charged down but Rizwan was unsighted and could not react in time and then offered Asif a return chance that he could not hold on to. Muthusamy decided to live dangerously too and swung across the line to hit Sajid high over the keeper. Salman Ali Agha ran back but could not get to the ball in time.
