KARACHI: Pakistan broke through the dogged resistance of South Africa’s Aiden Markram and Rassie van der Dussen late on Thursday to push themselves in sight of a famous victory after an engrossing third day of the first Test at the National Stadium here.

Starting their second innings with a deficit of 158 after Pakistan had been dismissed for 378, South Africa consolidated through the Markram and van der Dussen, who batted resolutely while putting on 127 for the second wicket. They looked well on course to taking their fine stand into day four in a position of dominance but spinners Yasir Shah and Nauman Ali combined to turn tables on them as Pakistan grabbed three wickets in 33 balls in the last few overs of the day’s play.

At draw of stumps South Africa had slumped from an impregnable 175-1 to a fidgety 187-4 — giving the tourists a slender lead of 29 runs — with nightwatchman Keshav Maharaj (2) and captain Quinton de Kock, who is yet to score, at the crease.

Knowing Pakistan’s notorious tendency in cracking up in the fourth innings, South Africa will be aiming for a target of at least 150, if not more on Friday’s extended first period of 150 minutes.

But it was Pakistan who trudged off the field in driving seat, thanks to Yasir and Nauman. Yasir made the decisive breakthrough as the leg-spinner first removed van der Dussen, caught at silly point by Abid Ali after scoring 64 and catching Faf du Plessis plumb in front of the stumps for 10 with a perfect googly.

Slow left-armer Nauman, who hardly let the South Africans score freely, was finally rewarded for his perseverance when he ended Markram’s long 307-minute vigil at the crease by forcing the right-handed opener to push hard at the flighted delivery and saw Abid hold a sharp catch close in on the off side to terminate his tenacious 224-ball innings of 74 that included 10 boundaries.

Naturally delighted with those late wickets, Yasir, who finished with figures of 3-53 from 24 overs, said Pakistan were in command of the match. “It was a great come back because the pitch was not that helpful. All credit to Markram and van der Dussen for the way they focussed on the job. At that point it was important to keep the scoring rate down.

“The plan worked very well towards the end of the day. I enjoyed the way Nauman [1-27 in 20 overs] bowled because he created doubts in the minds of both batsmen by holding up one end. Moreover, it was generally a good day for us to get quick runs that helped in putting pressure on South Africa,” said Yasir.

Earlier, after claiming the remaining two Pakistan wickets for 70 runs within 55 minutes of start of play, both Elgar and Markram remained together until lunch as the tourists collected 37 on the board.

After being rock solid in the first innings on day one, Elgar looked uncomfortable and was hit twice — first on the side of his helmet by Hasan Ali and then taking a painful blow on his hand from Shaheen Shah Afridi. The injury led to the left-hander being taken X-ray after he was dismissed by Yasir. Fortunately, it wasn’t as serious as feared and no fracture was detected.

All predictions about the pitch deteriorating with the passage of time turned out to be just a misinterpretation as the batsmen dug in well, particularly Markram and van der Dussen. Yasir — bowling round the wicket to take advantage of the rough outside the off stump, enticed left-handed Elgar into playing the sweep but the top edge bounced off his pad in front of the stumps, allowing Mohammad Rizwan enough time to dive forward and hold onto an excellent catch.

Markram, on the other hand, continued to live a charmed life. The 26-year-old opener from Centurion escaped thrice, with the DRS extending his stay twice.

Aleem Dar, Test cricket’s most celebrated umpire who is now standing in his 133rd match and his first on home soil, had the mortification of being overturned when van der Dussen — who was on 56 at the time — successfully reviewed the LBW decision against Faheem Ashraf.

Meanwhile, South Africa’s other star performer on the day was fast bowler Kagiso Rabada. After failing to take any wicket on Wednesday’s day two, Rabada spread-eagled Hasan’s stumps to join the exalted company of compatriots Dale Steyn, Shaun Pollock, Makhaya Ntini, Allan Donald, Morne Morkel, Jacques Kallis and Vernon Philander as the other South Africans to claim 200 or more wickets in the longest format.

The strapping 25-year-old fast bowler from Johann­esburg, playing his 44th Test, in the third fastest to the 200 landmark for the Rainbow Nation after Steyn (39 matches) and Donald (42).

Yasir, who has now snared 233 wickets in 44 Tests, holds the record of being quickest to the 200-mark in just 33 matches.

Pakistan owe Yasir and Nauman a huge debt for extending the overnight lead of 88 to over 150 as they shared a rollicking partnership of 55 in 64 deliveries in a quick time. Yasir thrashed 38 off 37 balls (four fours and a six) without being dismissed while the left-handed Nauman’s first Test innings yielded a solid 24 off 81 balls.

Maharaj took the final wicket to end up with 3-90 in 32.2 overs with Rabada claiming 3-70 from his 27 overs and seamer Anrich Nortje 2-105.

Scoreboard

SOUTH AFRICA (1st Innings) 220 (D. Elgar 58; Yasir Shah 3-54)

PAKISTAN (1st Innings, overnight 308-8):

Imran Butt c sub b Rabada 9

Abid Ali b Rabada 4

Azhar Ali c de Kock b Maharaj 51

Babar Azam lbw b Maharaj 7

Shaheen Shah Afridi b Nortje 0

Fawad Alam c Bavuma b Ngidi 109

M. Rizwan c du Plessis b Ngidi 33

Faheem Ashraf b Nortje 64

Hasan Ali b Rabada 21

Nauman Ali lbw b Maharaj 24

Yasir Shah not out 38

EXTRAS (B-1, LB-7, NB-10) 18

TOTAL (all out, 119.2 overs) 378

FALL OF WKTS: 1-5 (Abid), 2-15 (Imran), 3-26 (Babar), 4-27 (Shaheen), 5-121 (Azhar), 6-176 (Rizwan), 7-278 (Fawad), 8-295 (Faheem), 9-323 (Hasan), 10-378 (Nauman)

BOWLING: Rabada 27-7-70-3 (3nb); Nortje 27-4-105-2 (1nb); Ngidi

17-1-57-2 (3nb); Maharaj 32.2-4-90-3 (3nb); Linde 13-4-38-0; Markram

3-0-10-0

SOUTH AFRICA (2nd Innings):

A.K. Markram c Abid b Nauman 74

D. Elgar c Rizwan b Yasir 25

H.E. van der Dussen c Abid b Yasir 64

F. du Plessis lbw b Yasir 10

K.A. Maharaj not out 2

Q. de Kock not out 0

EXTRAS (LB-1, W1, NB-6) 8

TOTAL (for four wkts, 75 overs) 187

FALL OF WKTS: 1-48 (Elgar), 2-175 (van der Dussen), 3-185 (du Plessis), 4-185 (Markram)

BOWLING (to-date): Shaheen Shah Afridi 13-1-48-0 (3nb); Hasan Ali

12-1-50-0 (2nb), 1w); Nauman Ali

20-7-27-1 (1nb); Yasir Shah 24-6-53-3; Faheem Ashraf 6-3-8-0.

Published in Dawn, January 29th, 2021