Rabada, Maharaj fire back to put Proteas in control

A two-wicket burst from Kagiso Rabada and the crucial scalp of Pakistan skipper Babar Azam by Keshav Maharaj gave South Africa the initiative after they had earlier been dismissed for 220 on a drama-filled first day of the first test against Pakistan at the National Stadium in Karachi on Tuesday.

In all, 14 wickets fell in the day, only the second time this has happened in a test match in Karachi.

South Africa’s evening got even better when paceman Anrich Nortje bowled nightwatchman Shaheen Afridi just before the close to reduce Pakistan to 33 for four wickets in 18 overs, still 187 shy of South Africa’s seemingly moderate total. At the close, Azhar Ali and Fawad Alam were unbeaten on five apiece with the home team still having plenty to do to get back into the match they had earlier appeared to be in control of.

The tourists will have been particularly delighted to have seen the back of Pakistan’s star batsman and new captain, Azam, who came into the match having scored three centuries in a row.

Rabada bowled superbly in the final session, piercing Abid Ali’s defences in his third over with one that kept a little low but also appeared to beat the opener for pace as it knocked back his off stump.

Then, in his next over, the paceman managed the considerable feat of getting one to rise sharply off a length on a slow, fairly lifeless pitch to catch debutant Imran Butt’s glove, the ball looping gently to substitute fielder Keegan Petersen at backward short leg.

That made the total 15 for two wickets and it was Maharaj who then struck the critical blow when his arm ball trapped Azam in front as he pushed forward. The Pakistan skipper reviewed but the ball was shown to be squarely hitting his leg stump.

LOOSE BOWLING

Earlier, Quinton de Kock, playing his 50th test, won the toss and opted to bat first on a bare track that looked excellent for batting.

That certainly appeared to be the case initially as Dean Elgar and Aiden Markram gave the visitors a rollicking start when they raced to 28 without loss after four overs, taking advantage of some loose bowling from Hasan Ali who finished with the disappointing figures of 1/61 in 14 overs.

Then Pakistan pegged South Africa back when left-arm paceman Shaheen Afridi struck the first blow, slanting one across Markram who edged short of first slip. Debutant Imran Butt, however, dived to his left from second slip and picked up a superb two-handed catch.

Drinks were taken after an hour with South Africa scoring at almost a run a minute, but the tourists then gave away a soft wicket when new batsman Rassie van der Dussen was run out.

The right-hander punched a delivery from medium-pacer Faheem Ashraf to mid-off and set off for a quick run. Van der Dussen was immediately sent back by Elgar but he had already rushed three-quarters of the way down the pitch when he got the message, losing his bat in the process. Azam’s throw beat him comfortably as wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan broke the stumps.

The tame initial overs of left-arm spinner Nauman Ali and leggie Yasir Shah gave little indication of what was to follow as Elgar and Faf du Plessis made confident progress up to the lunch break which South Africa took at 94 for two wickets.

FINDING WAYS TO GET OUT

Then the rot set in as the pitch began to take turn and accept uneven bounce. Shah had Du Plessis dropped by Abid Ali at short-leg with his first ball after the break, then, in his next over, he had the former South Africa captain caught behind by wicketkeeper Rizwan after his perfectly pitched leg-break turned appreciably to take the edge of his bat as he pushed forward.

If that dismissal was down to the bowler, the next three were South African errors. First De Kock tried to slog debutant left-arm spinner Nauman Ali over the infield but only succeeded in picking out Butt at wide mid-on. Then Elgar, who had gone to his 16th test 50, drove loosely at a wide one from Ali, edging to Babar Azam at slip. Until then the left-hander had played impeccably, striking nine fours in his 58 that spanned 106 balls.

Temba Bavuma, batting at six, looked composed in defence as he helped George Linde to add 43 for the sixth wicket, but once again the diminutive right-hander found a way to get out when looking set. Having paddle-swept Ali fine, he went back for a risky second and was just beaten by Hasan Ali’s rocket throw with Rizwan triumphantly removing the bails.

It was the second unnecessary runout in the innings and a particularly careless error from South Africa’s point of view given that they had a long tail after allrounder Wiaan Mulder was omitted from the final XI.

The collapse continued after tea as Maharaj was castled by Shah while Linde, who had played well for his 35, top-edged a pull to deep midwicket. Rabada played some impressive shots in his unbeaten 21 but Nortje and Lungi Ngidi were quickly cleaned up as South Africa lost their last eight wickets for 87.

For Pakistan, spinners Shah (3/54) and Ali (2/38) did most of the damage, but most of the rest was self-inflicted.

While lamenting his side's poor batting, Elgar said South Africa now had the upper hand.

"I would not have said that after our batting, but then we fought back by taking wickets," he said.

"Knowing that this pitch will get tougher, and knowing that we have good spinners, I am confident that we can get further ahead."

It seemed as if the South African total was plenty short of what was required, but then the late heroics of Rabada and his fellow bowlers gave their score a much healthier glow.

South Africa are playing their first test in Pakistan in 14 years.

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

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