First South Africa v Pakistan Test in balance as quicks dominate on topsy-turvy day
The game began amid much anticipation, with Dale Steyn starting play one wicket away from being South Africa’s standalone all-time wicket-taker in Tests. It didn’t take him long to bring up the landmark, nicking off Fakhar Zaman with the first ball of his fourth over.
By then Pakistan were two down, Imam-ul-Haq pinned in front by Kagiso Rabada in the second over of the day, and the tourists seemed intent on rolling out the red carpet in honour of Steyn’s special occasion. Soon after lunch they slipped to 111/8, offering little resistance.
Duanne Olivier was the main architect of their demise, and he bowled excellently. Not many quicks can claim to have outbowled Steyn and Rabada, but that is what he did, bowling an attacking full length, consistently topping 90 MPH, and finishing with 6/37 for his efforts. That three victims were bowled and one leg-before was down to his approach, targeting the stumps, while even the usually stoic Azhar Ali was roughed up by his pace, getting into a tangle against a short ball and offering a sharp chance to Theunis de Bruyn at third slip.
Babar Azam played a gem of an innings to help Pakistan recover from their perilous position. His counterattacking 71 gave them a foothold in the contest. His knock was impressive for his clear-headedness and clean timing, putting a play and miss out of his mind before middling the next ball, and for whom he chose to target, the newly anointed Steyn. He smashed the legendary fast bowler for 43 runs in 31 balls.
He was ably supported by Hasan Ali, who made an unbeaten 21, and by the time Babar and Shaheen Afridi were dismissed in quick succession, Pakistan had 181, not an imposing total, but at least something to bowl at. It looked plenty when South Africa slipped to 43/4 early on. Opening pair Hasan and Mohammad Amir claimed the first two scalps, with Hasan pinning Aiden Markram in front and Hashim Amla getting a leading edge which flew to gully.
That set the stage for Shaheen to strike, with the precocious left-arm quick removing Dean Elgar and Faf du Plessis in successive balls. Though he didn’t go on to claim a hat-trick, Pakistan were well on top.
Temba Bavuma and de Bruyn hit back to add another twist to an already winding tail. Bavuma has a reputation as something of a firefighter, often hauling South Africa out of holes even if he doesn’t always cash in when the going is good, and the same was true this time.
He counterattacked to good effect, striking six fours in his 47-ball 38. With de Bruyn the calm foil, South Africa seemed to be taking the upper hand, reaching 112/4. Then Amir struck again, enticing de Bruyn to edge behind.
Two late boundaries from nightwatchman Dale Steyn put the seal on a special day for him, and a fantastic day of Test cricket, which saw more than 300 runs scored and 15 wickets fall, and somehow still ended evenly poised.