Dane Paterson completed his second test five-wicket haul in consecutive matches and Corbin Bosch claimed four on debut as Pakistan were dismissed for a modest 211 before South Africa reached 82-3, trailing by 129 runs, at the close of play on the opening day of the first test at Supersport Park in Centurion on Thursday.
Paterson finished with figures of 16-4-61-5 while Bosch, who bowled with great pace, finished with 4-63 from 15 overs while the excellent Kagiso Rabada went wicketless at a venue on which he averages seven wickets per test in eight matches.
Aiden Markram dominated the Proteas’ innings with an unbeaten 47 but Tony de Zorzi (2), Ryan Rickelton (8) and Tristan Stubbs (9) were all dismissed for single figures as Pakistan tried valiantly to fight their way back into the test match.
The tourists limped to a cautious 36-0 in the first hour having been asked to bat with openers Shan Masood and Saim Ayub playing and missing on at least a dozen occasions against seamers Rabada, Marco Jansen and Paterson while another four or five edges fell short of the slip cordon.
But the drinks break heralded a dramatic change in fortunes as Bosch became the 25th bowler in test history – and fourth South African after Dane Piedt, Hardus Viljoen and Tshepo Moreki - to claim a wicket with his first ball when captain Masood (17) edged a half-hearted drive to Jansen in the gully.
Fello opener Saim Ayub (14) edged a defensive push against Paterson to ‘keeper Kyle Verreynne nine balls later and when Babar Azam (4) was caught by Markram at second slip in Paterson’s fourth over Pakistan had lost 3-5 in 19 balls.
Saud Shakeel, having lashed 14 from just five balls, gloved his sixth down the leg side to Verreynne, undone by the extra pace and bounce generated by the impressive debutant Bosch but Pakistan rallied from 56-4 to reach lunch at 88-4.
Kamran Ghulam’s entertaining counter-attack came to an end after the break when a premeditated, running swipe against Paterson was caught by Rabada at long leg to end his innings on 54 from 71 balls before Mohammad Rizwan (27) edged the same bowler to Aiden Markram at second slip. Their fifth wicket partnership realised a potentially vital 81 runs.
Amir Jamal (28) and Salman Agha (18) added 47 for the seventh wicket to take the total from 142-7 to 189-7 before three wickets fell without the addition of a run.
Jamal dragged an expansive cover drive against Bosch onto his stumps, Agha toe-ended a pull against Paterson to Ryan Rickelton at cover and an uncomfortable Naseem Shah (0) popped a simple catch to Rabada at mid on against Bosch.
De Zorzi and Rickelton were dismissed by splendid deliveries from seamer Khurram Shahzad – the former bowled and the latter caught behind – while Stubbs was trapped lbw by an unplayable, shin-high ‘shooter’ from medium pacer Mohammad Abbas.
But Markram was in tremendous form cutting and driving nine fours in his 47* from 67 balls and with seven wickets in hand the home side will be fancied to achieve a significant lead on a pitch expected to develop significant uneven bounce.
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.