FAISALABAD, Oct 24: Paceman Shabbir Ahmed taking advantage of the absence of Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami grabbed four wickets on his return to Pakistan side to reduce South Africa to 256 for nine wickets on the opening day second Test on Friday.

The pace bowler, called up with Akhtar banned for one Test and Sami sidelined with injury, snatched four wickets for 63, plus a a vital run out.

A 108-run fourth-wicket stand between opener Herschelle Gibbs and Gary Kirsten provided bulk of the runs for South Africa who lost the first Test at Lahore and need to win here to level the series batted first after Graeme Smith won the toss under ideal batting conditions.

But Kirsten fell before tea for 54 and Gibbs shortly afterwards for 98 to leave tourists in serious trouble.

Pakistan were forced to make two other changes with skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq returning in place of injured Yosuf Youhana and Abdul Razzaq taking other bowling spot.

But they were motivated by the prospect of a first home series win over a leading Test nation since beating West Indies 3-0 in 1997.

The hosts maintained their dominance from the first Test in taking three quick wickets, with Graeme Smith first to go when was caught driving Shabbir by Inzamam for two.

South Africa captain has scored just 140 runs in his last nine Test innings since he made double-centuries in consecutive Tests against England in July.

Boeta Dippenaar followed for four in seventh over as he edged to Taufiq Umar at slip.

Taufiq was in the action again as he completed the catch to remove Kallis, with Kaneria immediately finding plenty of assistance from the pitch.

All three paid the price of trying to play expansive strokes too early in their innings.

Kirsten completed his 33rd Test half-century before he too was spectacularly caught by Taufiq off Razzaq for a well-crafted 54.

Gibbs took 11 off a single over from Mushtaq Ahmed before tea including well-struck six. But the veteran leg-spinner hit back with a flipper which the opener failed to read, halting him just short of three figures.

Neil Neil McKenzie nor Mark Boucher could capitalise after getting in, both men making 27, losing their wickets playing casual strokes.

Shabbir’s direct throw ran Shaun Pollock out for 16, and pace bowler claimed a fourth scalp when Robin Peterson top-edged a pull to long leg’s throat.

Robinson was South Africa’s only line-up change, brought in at the expense of medium pacer Andre Nel.

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