Late strike jolts SA progress after Maharaj’s heroic thwart Pakistan

Two late wickets by a 38-year-old debutant spinner Asif Afridi checked world champion South Africa’s progress in the second and final Test against Pakistan on Tuesday.

Left-armer Afridi (2-24) picked up the wickets of half century-maker Tony de Zorzi (55) and Dewald Brevis got dismissed for his second duck of the series as South Africa slipped to 185-4 at stumps on Day 2.

The Proteas still trails Pakistan by 148 runs on an abrasive wicket where left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj earlier took 7-102 to dismiss the home team for 333 in the first session.

“I’m very happy for Asif, it’s very late (a test debut) for him but at least he’s got to play test cricket,” Pakistan middle-order batter Saud Shakeel said.

“He has so much experience of playing in domestic cricket ... and had a lot of success. When someone has built that base in domestic cricket, they don’t find it too difficult at this level.”

Tristan Stubbs and de Zorzi had thwarted Pakistan spin challenge of Noman Ali, Sajid Khan and Afridi for well over two hours with patient half centuries before Afridi got his first test wicket when he trapped de Zorzi leg before wicket on the backfoot.

Bangladesh on-field umpire Sharfuddoula Saikat ruled in favor of de Zorzi, but Pakistan which had already used two of its three television referrals, successfully went for the review.

Afridi then found the shoulder of Brevis’ bat and Salman Ali Agha took a smart catch as South Africa slipped to 171-4 and lost two wickets in space of four runs.

Stubbs, playing in only his 12th test match, showed plenty of patience against the spinners and was unbeaten on 68 off 184 balls as he raised South Africa hopes with a 113-run stand with de Zorzi before Afridi’s twin strike jolted the Proteas. Wicketkeeper-batter Kyle Verreynne will resume on 10.

Pakistan twice got chances to dismiss de Zorzi and Stubbs, who used their feet well against the spinners. However, Pakistan didn’t go for lbw review before tea when de Zorzi was on 5 and then Khan couldn’t hold onto a hard return catch when Stubbs came down the wicket and drove back to the off-spinner.

De Zorzi was the more aggressive of the two and followed his century in the first test with a fighting half century off 86 balls and Stubbs reached his fifty in style by lofting Khan for a straight six.

Shaheen Shah Afridi bowled an electrifying opening spell with the new ball and had Ryan Rickelton caught behind for 14. Captain Aiden Markram (32) survived two close lbws appeals against the left-arm fast bowler but he holed out to long-on when Khan was introduced in the 21st over before de Zorzi and Stubbs thwarted Pakistan with a century-stand.

Maharaj, who missed South Africa’s series-opening loss at Lahore last week due to a groin injury, snared the last five Pakistan wickets for 15 runs in a dramatic Pakistan batting collapse before lunch. Off-spinner Simon Harmer had figures of 2-75 and pace bowler Kagiso Rabada returned 1-60.

Resuming Tuesday at 259-5, Shakeel (66) and Agha (45) extended their sixth-wicket stand to 70 runs before Pakistan’s lower-order crumbled against Maharaj on a dry wicket.

South Africa made amends for lackluster fielding on Day 1, when they dropped several catches, and held onto all their chances on Day 2.

Pakistan’s sixth-wicket pair combined well in the first hour with left-hander Shakeel completing his half century off 118 balls when he pushed Maharaj to square leg for two runs.

Marco Jansen and Rabada bowled to tight lengths and also missed the outside edges of both batters but couldn’t get the breakthrough before Maharaj struck just before the drinks break.

Maharaj’s sliding delivery hit Agha on the shin as he went to play for the turn but missed the straight ball. In his next over, Maharaj found the outside edge of Shakeel’s bat and Markram, who had dropped Abdullah Shafique in the slip on Day 1, didn’t miss out.

Shaheen Shah Afridi, who was unveiled as Pakistan’s new ODI captain on Monday, was out without scoring when he played Maharaj across the line and was clean bowled.

Agencies