Rickelton-Bavuma centuries put South Africa on top in high-scoring Day 1 against Pakistan

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA - JANUARY 03: Salman Agha of Pakistan celebrate with team mates after dismissing Tristan Stubbs of South Africa during day 1 of the 2nd Test between South Africa and Pakistan at World Sports Betting Newlands Cricket Ground on January 03, 2025 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images)

By Keanan Hemmonsbey

3 Jan 2025

South Africa 316 for 4 (Rickelton 176*, Bavuma 106) versus Pakistan.

South Africa are in a position of authority on day one after brilliant centuries by Ryan Rickelton and skipper Temba Bavuma, who shared a mammoth 235-run fourth-wicket partnership.

It was a second-career Test century for Rickelton, who played with supreme freedom and fluency in front of a soldout Newlands Cricket Ground, finishing the day on a career-best undefeated 176 off 232 deliveries, stroking 21 glorious fours and one six.

For Bavuma it was an emotional second century at Newlands and fourth overall, caressing nine fours and smashing two sixes off spinner Salman Ali Agha to finish on 106.

South Africa, though, were in a spot of bother before the two century makers came together at 72 for three on the stroke of lunch.

Aiden Markram (17 off 40), Wiaan Mulder (five off 18) and Tristan Stubbs (zero off six) all fell in the space of eight overs after Rickelton and Markram saw out the first hour while moving the team total to 61.

The home side moved from 61 for no loss to 72 for three in the space of eight overs before the lunch break.

Salman Ali Agha (left) of Pakistan celebrates with a teammate after dismissing Tristan Stubbs of South Africa during Day 1 of the 2nd Test between South Africa and Pakistan at World Sports Betting Newlands Cricket Ground on 3 January 2025 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo: Ashley Vlotman / Gallo Images)

Record stand

Bavuma and Rickelton pieced together a magnificent partnership on a pitch that got more placid as the opening day wore on.

It was Rickelton’s second century in the space of three Test matches, having recorded his maiden three-figure mark in Gqeberha against Sri Lanka at the start of December.

Rickelton scored his first one on a two-paced St George’s Park wicket where he showed grit and fortitude in his 250 ball stay for 101 runs while this century was free-flowing and dominant, showing his power of concentration to bat the day out.

“As the day progressed [it got easier],” Rickelton said after the match. “It was quite tight up front, but I think the wicket was pretty good, it still is pretty good.

“Naturally, I like to score quite quickly, so once I felt like I could take one or two dismissals out [of the equation], I could expand naturally as the game would allow, and didn’t really have to look for too much, it just kind of happened.”

The 235 runs the pair – who also play their domestic cricket at the Lions – accumulated together was a record fourth-wicket partnership against Pakistan, passing the 179 Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers set in the United Arab Emirates in 2010.

“We bat really well together, we don’t talk a lot in all honesty, but we just emphasise doing the basics for long periods of time,” Rickelton said.

“He’s been playing incredibly well for a nice period of time as well. We just emphasise doing the right things for a long time.

“When his calf started to cramp, he told me I needed to pull the old man through. So, I kept trying to remind him, telling him to keep doing the basics, keep looking straight and looking after the ball as best as he can.

“To share the partnership out there, [with the] captain of South Africa and captain of the Lions as well is special for me, and I’d like to thank him as well, it was really cool.”

Bavuma reached his fourth career century with a jubilant celebration. He ran off the cut strip after clipping the ball for a quick single and pumped both fists in joy.

“The celebration just happened spontaneously,” Bavuma said after the match. “There was a lot of emotion behind it. More around the fact of having crossed the three-figure mark.

“I was obviously quite frustrated at my last innings in SuperSport Park, in the manner that I went out. Albeit I was obviously trying to make a play for the team. Obviously I wanted to make a bigger contribution towards the team.

“And just get away from those 40s and 50s that I’ve been getting. So honestly, I think the celebration was around that. But also to prove to myself that I can play when there’s not much on the game … obviously there’s a series still on the line.

“But we obviously ticked off the major challenge of seeing ourselves in the final and one can easily kind of get suckered on that hangover.

“To be able to come out and still put my best foot forward. That’s obviously something that I took a lot of pride in and obviously playing in Newlands as well.

“Newlands is always special. The New Year’s Test is always special.”

Early scare

Markram was lucky to survive the first delivery of the day, bowled by Mohammad Abbas when he was wrapped on his back pad. Standing umpire Nitin Menon didn’t raise his finger after belligerent appeals from Pakistan and the Decision Review System assisted the opener too with the hawkeye signalling “umpire’s call” on whether the delivery would go on to hit the stumps.

Markram was also dropped by reserve fielder Abdullah Shafique at cover in the first session.

But his luck ran out soon enough, finding a faint inside edge off a Khurram Shahzad delivery to Mohammad Rizwan.

The opener never looked comfortable at the crease while his partner, Rickelton, doing the job for the first time, raced along to 40 runs at run-a-ball.

Mulder, coming in at first-drop, looked uncomfortable at the crease throughout his stay and eventually fell to a wider ball bowled by Abbas and caught by Rizwan.

Stubbs only stayed at the crease for six balls before he caught a thin edge of the non-spinning off-spin of Agha who collected his second wicket of the day four overs before stumps in the same fashion as Stubbs. Bavuma, after reaching his century, edged behind to Rizwan.

Pakistan also face a major challenge for the rest of the Test match with opening batter Saim Ayub injuring his ankle while chasing a ball in the morning session. He will not take any further part in the match. DM

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South Africa

Record stand

Early scare