Proteas battle back into contention at close on day four

The Proteas fought their way back into contention for the second test as they reached stumps on 127 for one on Sunday, still needing 243 runs to win on Monday’s fifth and final day against Pakistan at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi.

Aiden Markram (59*) and Rassie van der Dussen (48*) were unbeaten at the crease, having shared in a fantastic 94-run stand that has now given their side a fighting chance after the hosts were bowled out for 298 earlier in the day, setting the visitors a daunting 370 runs to win.

The pair resumed their partnership after tea with the score at 37 for one and attacked from the start, taking the Proteas past the 50-run mark with a Van der Dussen single off Hasan Ali, who was then targeted by Markram as he hit him for four boundaries over a two-over period.

Markram then took aim at Nauman Ali, lofting him back over his head for a maximum in the 20th over to bring up the pair's 50 partnership, before bringing up his own half-century with a flicked two to midwicket off the same bowler four overs later.

In the 26th over, a squirted single to fine-leg by Van der Dussen off Nauman Ali brought up the Proteas hundred, with both batsmen then slowing things down during the final hour of play and seeing the day out, so that they can look to continue their charge on day five.

During the second session, Pakistan got the all-important early breakthrough just before tea to reduce the Proteas to 33 for one at the start of their chase.

Dean Elgar (17) struck four boundaries in a confident start to his innings, but then didn’t offer any foot movement in chasing a wide delivery from Shaheen Shah Afridi in the ninth over to edge the ball behind to keeper Mohammad Rizwan.

Markram had been slow to start but eventually took on Nauman Ali, hitting him for two fours and a six to reach tea on 14 along with Van der Dussen on four.

MAIDEN TON

Earlier in the session, Pakistan resumed their second innings after lunch on 217 for eight and proceeded to bat themselves into an almost unassailable position, thanks to Rizwan notching up his maiden test century during a superb innings.

Rizwan ended the innings unbeaten on 115, having shared in a vitally-important 97-run ninth-wicket stand with Nauman Ali (45), as they took the attack to the Proteas bowlers.

Ali took a particular liking to the bowling of George Linde, slog-sweeping him for two sixes, while Rizwan hammered boundaries all over the ground, pulling a four in front of square to take the lead over 300 and then driving Linde through the covers for four to bring up the pair's 50 stand.

In the 96th over, Rizwan tapped Linde to cover-point for a single to reach his hundred. In the next over, he took on Kagiso Rabada, cracking him for two boundaries to take the lead past 350.

Ali then got in on the act, hitting Anrich Nortje for two fours, pulling one and ramping the other. However, his cameo came to an end in the 99th over, toe-ending a pull off Rabada to Elgar at midwicket, leaving Pakistan on 293 for nine.

Afridi (4) hit a lovely boundary off Rabada, but was then bowled by Linde to end the innings on 298 all out, a lead of 369, while Linde walked off with a maiden five-wicket haul, having picked up 5-64.

TAIL WAGGING

In the day's first session, the Pakistan tail was wagging once again by lunch as the hosts reached the break in a commanding position.

Pakistan started the day on 129 for six with Rizwan unbeaten on 27 and added 14 to the total before Hasan Ali (5) became the first wicket to fall, trapped lbw by Keshav Maharaj, despite reviewing the decision, with an umpire's call confirming his departure.

Rizwan was then joined by Yasir Shah (23) and they batted Pakistan into a strong position with an impressive 53-run eighth-wicket stand.

They took the score past 150. Rizwan then brought up his half-century with a late cut for four of Linde in the 72nd over. In the following over, another boundary off the bat of Rizwan brought up the pair's 50 stand.

The 74th over finally saw the breakthrough as Linde got a ball to spin away from Shah, who tried to cut it, only to feather a catch to Quinton de Kock behind the stumps, with Pakistan on 196 for eight, before Rizwan and Nauman Ali took their side past 200 and safely to lunch.

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PAKISTAN: Imran Butt, Abid Ali, Azhar Ali, Babar Azam (capt), Fawad Alam, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Yasir Shah, Nauman Ali, Shaheen Afridi

SOUTH AFRICA: Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen, Faf du Plessis, Quinton de Kock (capt & wk), Temba Bavuma, Wiaan Mulder, George Linde, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje