Marco Jansen claimed magnificent figures of 6-52 to lead the way in dismissing Pakistan for 237 in their second innings leaving the home side with a target of 148 to win on the third day of the first test at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Saturday.
Any thoughts that South Africa were strong favourites, however, were brusquely dismissed as the home side plunged to 27 for three in the fourth innings with another 121 runs required on the fourth morning with the contest balanced on a knife edge.
Persistent drizzle delayed the start of play until 1:40pm and Babar Azam (50) and Saud Shakeel batted comfortably through the first hour, taking their fourth-wicket partnership to 79 before Jansen (10-1-42-5) struck in unconventional fashion.
A short, wide delivery was ingloriously uppercut by Babar straight to Corbin Bosch on the deep cover boundary and the wicket floodgates opened.
Mohammad Rizwan (3) gloved a half-hearted pull shot against Jansen into Kyle Verreynne’s gloves down the legside and Salman Agha (1) played a millionaire’s drive at another wide ball from Jansen and edged it to Verreynne.
Amir Jamal (18) played the third poor shot of the day, top-edging a hook against Dane Paterson to Ryan Rickelton at deep square leg and Naseem Shah (0) flapped inelegantly at his fourth ball from Kagiso Rabada (2-68) to gift Tristan Stubbs a straightforward catch at third slip.
Jansen bagged the key wicket of the last batsman, Shakeel, who missed a knee-high full toss and was trapped lbw for 84 from 113 balls (10x4, 1x6) after the tourists had taken tea on 212 for eight hoping that Shakeel would be able to push the target beyond 150.
As expected a run chase in the region of 150 proved to be a nervy proposition and brilliant new ball bowling from Mohammad Abbas (4-3-3-2) and Khurram Shahzad (5-0-22-1) earned them three lbws in the nine overs which were possible before bad light ended play prematurely.
Tony de Zorzi (2) and Tristan Stubbs (1) were trapped with magnificent deliveries by the immaculate Abbas while Rickelton had no answer to a prodigious inswinger from Shahzad.
Aiden Markram (22*) and Temba Bavuma (0*) will resume on the fourth morning with a relatively small but steep mountain to climb to earn the victory they need to secure a place in the World Test Championship final at Lord’s in June next year.
The contest was already intriguingly poised when the tourists resumed on 88 for three with former captain, Babar, on 16 and Shakeel on eight. Popular opinion was that a fourth innings run-chase of over 150 might prove problematic but even more seemed likely at 153 for three, a lead of 63 with seven wickets remaining.
SOUTH AFRICA: Tony de Zorzi, Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma (captain), David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Dane Paterson.
PAKISTAN: Shan Masood (captain), Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Rizwan (wkt), Saud Shakeel, Salman Agha, Amir Jamal, Naseem Shah, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas.