LAHORE: AB de Villiers lead South Africa’s charge on day two as the dashing batsman played with panache to almost bat Pakistan out of the game. Pakistan needed early wickets on day two but that wasn’t the case as de Villiers shepherded the South African innings throughout by combining appreciably well with the middle and lower order.
Pakistani bowlers bowled well early on but didn’t succeed as the pitch eased out and South Africans played their shots with ease. Debutant Tanvir Ahmed took two more wickets for Pakistan but once again there was little support from the other end for him as Umar Gul and Mohammad Sami were once again erratic.
De Villiers went about his innings serenely bringing up his double hundred in the post lunch session. The pitch got easier to bat on but Pakistani bowlers didn’t bowled the right line and length consistently and had to pay a heavy price as South Africans made merry against an ‘out of sorts’ team.
As South African innings gathered pace Pakistanis gave up to the class of AB and waited for the declaration by the opposition rather than going for wickets.
The most frustrating point for Pakistan was that 107 runs were added for the last wicket between AB de Villiers and Morne Morkel as Pakistanis looked clueless as to how to stop the runs. South Africans eventually declared and ended Pakistan’s misery after tea at 584-9 with AB de Villiers unbeaten at 278.
This was South Africa’s highest Test score against Pakistan. Tanvir was the best Pakistani bowler with 6-120 in 28 overs. By the end of day’s play Pakistan had reached 59-1 still 525 runs adrift of South Africa’s first innings total.
Proteas have batted themselves into a dominant position after their run spree on day two. Pakistan has looked pedestrian so far but will have to dig deep and put up a fight in face of adversity on day three.
The Pitch isn’t much difficult and if one puts in a concerted effort he can do well. Another batting test awaits Pakistan on day three as South Africans will be going for the kill to win the match and thus the series.
Star of the day: AB de Villiers Started the day on 120 not out and continued from where he had left.
The stylish batsmen never looked bothered by Pakistani bowlers and played all of them with utmost ease. De Villiers was never in a hurry as he reached one milestone after another. He completed his second Test double hundred after tea.
Eventually when Proteas declared AB was still there on a mammoth 278* off 418 balls including 23 fours and six sixes; also recording the highest individual Test score for South Africa.
Moments that Mattered: At 383-7 Pakistan had a sniff of restricting Proteas to a manageable total. However the late order combined well with AB de Villiers to frustrate Pakistanis.
59 runs were added with Dale Steyn, 35 with Paul Harris for ninth, and a deflating 107* for the last wicket with Morne Morkel as Pakistanis were punished all the way.
Tanvir Ahmed’s dream debut in Tests
LAHORE: Tanvir Ahmed became the 10th Pakistani bowler to take five or more wickets on debut in Tests. The right arm fast medium bowler, achieved this feat by taking six wickets for 120 runs in 28 overs on the second day of the Test match at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi on Sunday (November 21). He also became the first Pakistani bowler to take five-wicket haul on debut against South Africa.
Abdur Rehman’s four for 105 at Karachi in 2007-08 was the previous best by a Pakistani against South Africa on debut in Tests. The other Pakistani bowlers to take five or more wickets on debut in Tests before him were Mohammad Zahid, Mohammad Nazir, Arif Butt, Mohammad Sami, Shabbir Ahmed,Shahid Afridi,Shahid Nazir,Yasir Arafat and Wahab Riaz. Tanvir Ahmed also became the sixth Pakistan bowler to take a wicket in the very first over in Test cricket by dismissing South African opening batsman Alviro Petersen on the third ball of the opening day.
The other Pakistani bowlers to take a wicket in their first over in Test cricket were Intikhab Alam (first ball), Shahid Nazir (fourth ball), Mohammed Sami (fifth ball), Fazl-e-Akbar (sixth ball) and Mohammed Aamer (sixth ball). By S Pervez Qaiser
