A six wicket haul from Senuran Muthusamy was backed up by an unbeaten half century from Tony de Zorzi, in a mixed day for the Proteas.
A career best bowling performance from Senuran Muthusamy reigned in Pakistan in the morning session, before a strong start for the Proteas with the bat was blown late in the day, as they reached the close of play on 216/6 on day two of the first Test at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Monday.
Muthusamy was the reason for Pakistan’s collapse, claiming four of their last five wickets to pick up brilliant figures of 6/117 off 32 overs, as all five of their wickets fell just before lunch for only 16 runs, as they were bowled all out for 378 in their first innings.
The Proteas response was then led by half centuries to Tony de Zorzi, 81no off 140 balls (9×4; 1×6), and opener Ryan Rickelton, 71 off 137 (9×4; 2×6), but a late flurry of wickets saw them finish the day in a troubling position.
Proteas innings
The Proteas first innings got off to an okay start, but they lost captain Aiden Markram (20) and Wiaan Mulder (17), relatively cheaply, both feathering edges to keeper Mohammad Rizwan off Noman Ali, leaving them on 80/2.
That brought De Zorzi in to join Rickelton and they set about a solid 94-run third wicket partnership, as they tried to bat their side into a dominant position.
They took them to tea on 112/2, and moved past the 150 run mark in the final session, before Salman Agha made the breakthrough, as Rickelton edged the ball to first slip where Babar Azam took a smart catch just off the ground, with the score 174/3.
It was then carnage as Ali had Tristan Stubbs (8) caught behind, Dewald Brevis popped Sajid Khan to captain Shan Masood at cover for a first ball duck, and Kyle Verreynne (2) was trapped LBW for Ali, as the Proteas crashed to 200/6.
Muthusamy was then called on to bat after his star showing with the ball, and showed he can hold the willow as he faced 19 balls scoring six, and will resume in the morning session on Tuesday’s day three with De Zorzi looking to get a century, and eat into Pakistan’s lead.
Morning session
In the morning session Pakistan started the second day in a strong position on 313/5, with Mohammad Rizwan resuming on 62, and Salman Agha on 52, as they looked to bat their team to a powerful position.
And for most of the morning session that looked to be exactly what they were doing, as Rizwan, 75 off 140 balls (2×4; 2×6) and Agha, 93 off 145 (5×4; 3×6) extended their sixth wicket partnership to 163 runs as they guided their side past the 350 run mark.
But up stepped Muthusamy in the 102nd over to turn things on their head, as he had Rizwan caught behind by keeper Kyle Verreynne, bowled Noman Ali for a second back duck, and had Sajid Khan caught by captain Aiden Markram at slip first ball, as three wickets off four balls saw them crash to 362/8.
That proved to be almost a death blow, as Agha could only add 16 more runs with Shaheen Shah Afridi (7), before Muthusamy bowled Afridi, and Prenelan Subrayen had Agha caught by Muthusamy at long on, as he went for a six to try get a few more runs.
