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Kwena Maphaka picked up his first Test wicket as Pakistan went to lunch on day three of the second Test against South Africa on 155 for six at World Sports Betting Newlands in Cape Town on Sunday.
Maphaka (8-1-43-1) – not yet 19 – strangled Babar Azam down the legside with Kyle Verreynne snagging the catch behind the stumps. Babar’s 58 included seven boundaries from 127 ball, ending a 98-run stand with Mohammad Rizwan (46) for the fourth wicket with Pakistan still 460 runs behind of South Africa’s first innings total of 615.
Wiaan Mulder’s struggle with no-balls yesterday did not seem to surface today as the right-arm seamer switched end’s and picked up the wicket of Rizwan, who came dancing down the wicket and toe-end the ball into the stumps.
Shortly before the lunch break, Verreynne displayed incredible hand-speed as he whipped the bails off from a Keshav Maharaj (3-1-2-1) delivery that turned past the outside edge of Slaman Agha’s bat. Agha’s foot was in the air and had to walk for a 22-ball 19.
Babar and Rizwan began the morning with Pakistan on 64 for three and their partnership having realised 44 runs. The pair of experienced top-order men navigated the first hour of play, taking the visitors to 116 for three and their partnership to 96.
However, shortly after the drinks break, Maphaka struck to the joyous rapture of the Cape faithful. Maphaka charged down the pitch in absolute ecstasy as Babar stood forlornly – unable to comprehend being caught down the leg side.
With just half an hour to go before the third day’s lunch break, Mulder (11-0-44-1), who had been targeting the middle stump all morning, bowled a little wider and Rizwan, who had faced 82 deliveries, eyed the opportunity to clobber the ball down the ground, only to send the ball onto his own stumps, after striking two fours and a six.
South Africa’s first innings had come to an end after tea on the second day, having being bowled out for 615 after winning the toss and batting first on Friday. Ryan Rickelton’s masterful 259 from 343 balls included 29 boundaries and three maximums.
Rickelton’s fourth-wicket stand with captain Temba Bavuma (106) of 235 was the highest 4th-wicket stand at Newlands, beating the previous best between Les Ames and Wally Hammond for England back in 1938/39.
The stand was an important one as Pakistan had reduced the home side to 72 for three at lunch on the opening day. Aiden Markram (17) had provided an solid opening stand with Rickelton of 61 but then Khurram Shahzad (25-4-123-2) had Markram edging through to Rizwan behind the stumps.
Mulder (5) and Tristan Stubbs (0) fell in quick succession to Mohammad Abbas (27.3-1-94-3) and spinner Salman Agha (38-4-148-3) respectively. Bavuma fell shortly before the end of play on day one with David Bedingham (5) and Rickelton taking their side to the close with South Africa on 316 for four.
Bedingham fell early on the second morning with Abbas and Rizwan combining again only for Verryenne (100) and Rickelton to pile on the pressure further with a 6th-wicket stand of 148. Verreynne’s aggression was evident throughout as the wicketkeeper cracked nine fours and five sixes from 147 balls.
Marco Jansen (62) and Mahraj (40) added further insult to injury. Jansen and Rickelton first added 86 runs for the 7th-wicket from only 67 deliveries while Maharaj dominated the 9th-wicket stand of 42 with Kagiso Rabada (6 not out) from 32 balls.
The Proteas had Pakistan in deep trouble as Rabada (11-3-28-2) and Jansen (12-4-36-1) reduced the visitors to 20 for three. Rabada had Shan Masood (2) caught at first slip by Bedingham and then Jansen had Kamran Ghulam playing on for 12.
Rabada and Bedingham combined again to see the back of Saud Shakeel for a 6-ball duck. But Babar and Rizwan knuckled down and took their side to the close of day two without any further damage.
