Proteas forced to toil with the ball in Pakistani fightback on placid Newlands deck

Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada of South Africa on day three of the second Test against Pakistan at Newlands Cricket Ground on 5 January 2025. (Photo: Ashley Vlotman / Gallo Images)

By Keanan Hemmonsbey

5 Jan 2025

Pakistan 194 (Babar 58, Rabada 3-55, Maharaj 2-14) and 213 for 1 (f/o) (Masood 102*, Babar 81) trail South Africa (615) by 208 runs.

Shan Masood and Babar Azam have led a surprising fightback against South Africa, decreasing their deficit to 208 on day three after two days of exertion at Newlands Cricket Ground.

masood azam Shan Masood (left) of Pakistan celebrates scoring a half-century with teammate Babar Azam of Pakistan on day three of the second Test at Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town on 5 January 2025. (Photo: Ashley Vlotman / Gallo Images)

The Pakistani openers put on a solid 205-run partnership, surpassing the 194 team total they were bowled out for earlier in the day. Masood became the first Pakistani captain to score a century in South Africa, going to stumps on 102 off 166 deliveries with a massive task on his hands to attempt to get a lead for his side.

Azam, though, was dismissed 15 minutes before the end of play on 81 off 124 deliveries to go with the half-century he made in the first innings — the only one of the innings for his side.

Babar Azam of Pakistan on day three of the second Test against South Africa at Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town on 5 January 2025. (Photo: Ashley Vlotman / Gallo Images)

Shan Masood (captain) of Pakistan on day three of the second Test against South Africa at Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town on 5 January 2025. (Photo: Ashley Vlotman / Gallo Images)

At the start of the day, in the first innings, Azam and Mohammad Rizwan took the overnight total of 64 to 118, batting through the first hour of play comfortably.

But as they have done so far in every innings in the series, the Pakistani batters capitulated one after the other.

Young wicket-taker

maphaka Kwena Maphaka of South Africa on day three of the second Test against Pakistan at Newlands Cricket Ground on 5 January 2025. (Photo: Ashley Vlotman / Gallo Images)

The moment of the day belonged to 18-year-old Kwena Maphaka when he broke the overnight stand by dismissing Pakistan’s best batter, Azam.

It wasn’t a particularly good delivery, but that mattered little to either the crowd at Newlands Cricket Ground or Maphaka himself who celebrated ecstatically at his first Test wicket.

The delivery angled down the leg side and Azam got a feather, pouched by Kyle Verreynne behind the stumps.

Rizwan decided to take a more attacking approach once his partner had fallen. It led to a dismissal that looked poor given the context of the match, with his team on 143 for the loss of four wickets.

His wicket also led to his side’s batting collapse.

He skipped down the track trying to attack Wiaan Mulder, in the process completely losing his shape and chopping the delivery on. Pakistan’s batters all fell cheaply from there, with the next five wickets going for only 50 more runs.

Keshav Maharaj picked up two of those wickets with an elite display of control, with the odd ball biting sharply out of the wearing, but placid Newlands surface.

rabada Kagiso Rabada of South Africa unleashes a delivery on day three of the second Test against Pakistan at Newlands Cricket Ground on 5 January 2025. (Photo: Ashley Vlotman / Gallo Images)

Rabada added one more wicket to his two from the previous day with a thunderous bouncer against Aamer Jamal which looped up and was easily pouched by David Bedingham, who took four catches in the innings — three at first slip and one good low reflex catch at short leg.

Fightback

South Africa had a massive lead of 421 after bowling Pakistan out for a modest 194.

Skipper Temba Bavuma decided to enforce the follow-on, but the wickets didn’t tumble as easily in Pakistan’s second dig of the day.

Openers Masood and Azam batted with more patience and resilience than any of the Pakistani batters have shown throughout the two-match Test tour.

They made the South African bowlers toil for 46.1 overs before the first wicket fell.

While the Protea’s bowlers weren’t as disciplined in their lines and lengths as the first Pakistani innings, their ill-discipline at the popping crease continued.

The team bowled 13 no-balls in the first innings and 10 so far in the second.

“It’s disappointing,” Proteas bowling coach Piet Botha said about the no-ball problem after the match. “It’s something that does creep into the game every now and then.

“We probably started a little bit with that problem in Bangladesh then sorted it out.” South Africa bowled 25 no-balls across the two Tests against Bangladesh in October last year.

“[It wasn’t] a problem against Sri Lanka, I suppose. We did well and now it’s crept back in,” Botha said. “That’s obviously something we have to pay attention to again and make sure we fix it.”

Wayward deliveries were nailed by the Pakistani openers on a pitch that played as evenly as a road and offered nothing outside a bit of turn for Maharaj.

“With the new ball [it’s] a bit challenging, but when you’re settled down and build a partnership, it’s a bit easier,” Azam said after the day’s play.

“Maharaj got some turn and bounce so it’s a bit challenging against spinners.

“Against the fast bowlers, if you are settled you can play your normal game.”

South Africa are still on top after three days of action in the Mother City, but will need to tighten up their discipline on a wicket that is offering little assistance.

If Masood kicks on and Pakistan pass 450 on day four, it could make for an interesting run chase. For South Africa, the game plan will be to build pressure through economical spells of bowling, to ensure Pakistan don’t gain any further momentum, says Botha.

The morning session on day four, which has brought wickets every day after the hour-mark drinks break, will play a big role in determining the direction of the match. DM

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