Victory for Proteas in Boxing Day test at SuperSport Park in Centurion
The Proteas only needed three days to easily beat Pakistan by 6 wickets at SuperSport Park in Centurion in the first Test of their current three-test series.
Cricket lovers who were looking forward to support the Proteas over the weekend at SuperSport Park in Centurion, will have mixed feelings about the easy victory of the South Africans over the Pakistanis in the first test of the current three-test series.
Hashim Amla and Dean Elgar scored half-centuries and shared the only century partnership of the match to set the Proteas up for a six-wicket victory over Pakistan with a session and two full days to spare on Friday.
Although the Proteas lost a few wickets at the end, the deal was virtually done by the time Elgar (50 off 123 balls) was dismissed after making his 13th Test half-century.
Elgar and Amla shared a partnership of 119 in 42 overs after Aiden Markram had been dismissed without a run on the board with Amla finishing unbeaten on 63 (148 balls).
In the process Amla completed 1 000 Test match runs against Pakistan at an average in excess of 52.
It was South Africa’s 13 Test match victory in 24 outings against Pakistan.
The match was effectively won in the final session on day two when the Proteas seized the moment to take nine Pakistan wickets for 90 runs. As well as Pakistan bowled on the third day they were simply left with too small a total to defend.
Duanne Olivier was named Castle Lager Man of the Match for his career best match figures of 11/96.
The second Test match starts at Newlands on January 3 and the final one at the Wanderers on January 11.
* Meanwhile Cricket South Africa (CSA) has announced a refund policy for those patrons who bought tickets for days four and five of the first Test match between the Proteas and Pakistan at SuperSport Park, after the game only lasted three days.
CSA Chief Executive Thabang Moroe also expressed his gratitude to the fans who supported the Test match over the three days.
“It was the first time we have brought the Christmas Test match to SuperSport Park and it has worked out very well,” he commented.
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