DAY 1: Pakistan strike late for lunchtime advantage

Two quick wickets from Mohammad Abbas and Agha Salman handed Pakistan the advantage at lunch on day one of the second test with South Africa on 72 for three at World Sports Betting Newlands in Cape Town on Friday.

Abbas (8-0-27-1) removed Wiaan Mulder (5) 10 minutes before the lunch-break, as the right-hander edged through to Mohammad Rizwan behind the stumps. Abbas, who opened proceedings from the Wynberg End, switched ends and had immediate success after the Proteas had won the toss and elected to bat first.

Aghar (0.5-0-1-1) then snagged the wicket of Tristan Stubbs without scoring, nicking though to Rizwan to bring up lunch with one ball left in the over. Mulder had been promoted up the order at the fall of Aiden Markram’s wicket. Markram, who survived a first-ball review for leg before, managed three boundaries from 40 balls before falling for 17.

Markram was handed a life – on 17 – as a strike to Abdullah Shafique in the covers off Khurram Shahzad (6-2-17-1) was bottled. However, Markram and Ryan Rickelton had given the home side a decent start with an opening stand of 61 runs before Markram edged Shahzad to Rizwan behind the stumps.

Rickelton was also dropped by Shafique in the covers off the bowling of Shahzad but used his life well, striking seven boundaries from 73 balls to bring up his first test fifty in 113 minutes at the crease. The left-handed Lions opener looked composed at the crease despite the life given when on 44.

The comfort of Rickelton’s morning expedition was highlighted by the fact that he moved the ball all around the park, striking boundaries behind square on the offside, through the covers and down towards the long-on region.

Rickelton will more than likely be joined at the crease by his captain, Temba Bavuma in the second session as Pakistan look to take a stranglehold on proceedings.

SOUTH AFRICA: Ryan Rickelton, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma (capt), David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Kwena Maphaka.

PAKISTAN: Shan Masood (capt), Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Aamer Jamal, Mohammad Abbas, Mir Hamza, Khurram Shahzad.