ONE wrong decision or failure to make proper use of the technology available can ruin the whole game or break the back of an aspiring sportsman aiming to make the grade.

I am writing this not because Pakistan have not been doing well in this Test and are faced with ignominy of being bowled out for their lowest in Tests on the second day, but for the fact that things could have been slightly better for Pakistan had they not on the wrong end of the TV umpire Steve Davis’s inconsistent decisions when the visitors batted.

At the end of the second day’s play, I was not surprised when I watched Pakistan team manager Naveed Akram Cheema standing right outside the visitors’ dressing room busy in an animated conversation with the ICC match referee Jeff Crowe.

Obviously, it could not have been anything else rather than making his point about hot-spot technology’s failure to show anything conclusive on review challenges.

Misbah-ul-Haq, the Pakistan captain, was not surprisingly upset at his dismissal in the first innings when an appeal off Jacques Kallis for a catch at the wicket was turned down but after South Africa referred that decision was overturned. The Pakistan captain, visibly upset, walked off in disbelief.

A.B. de Villiers, as in the first innings, also survived the review even in the second innings when given out lbw to Saeed Ajmal, but on referral the decision was overturned with not much help as far as the hot-spot was concerned.

De Villiers went on to make a hundred in the second innings, his 15th in the Tests, sharing a 176-run unbroken fourth wicket stand before South Africa declared, while leaving Pakistan chase a mammoth 480-run target.

The benefit of doubt, we all know, goes in favour of batsmen, but it has got to be consistent and fair for both sides which it was not as Davis faltered a number of times to upset the batsmen.When asked about the way decisions were made by the TV umpire, Pakistan coach David Whatmore commented: “Any comments will be made through right channels,” meaning, of course, that a protest is in the pipeline.

When a side is bowled out for its lowest score in a Test like Pakistan did on the second day, there is hardly any scope left to moan and groan. What Pakistan need now is to make sure they at least redeem themselves with a more determined performance to set the tone for the remaining two Tests.

When batted for the second time Pakistan were no doubt in a tight corner, losing Mohammad Hafeez too early. But they did put on a brave face while facing the threatening South African pace attack who right from the start aimed for the jugular with deliveries whistling past the jittery Pakistan batsmen who seemed unsure of their ability to survive after their first innings shambolic collapse.

Debutant Nasir Jamshed showed a lot more composure and confidence in the second innings scoring 46. Younis Khan, unfortunately, looked too much out of sorts as he played and missed and finally offered his bat to a moving ball to be caught behind.

Azhar Ali also survived difficult moments edging and ducking, but Misbah and Asad Shafiq did display sound technique and temperament to help their team in scoring a respectable total, showing the rest of the batsmen that no matter how hot or hopeless the situation may be, there always is a way forward.

Currently, gods may not be kind to them, but it would be good if they come out of this mire with a little more respect.

“Pakistan bowled like champions on the first day and batted like chumps in the first innings”, commented one scribe in the local newspaper yesterday. And he was right, no doubt. Not a tag that any batting side or a team would like to be called. Could Pakistan with a better display in the second innings make the scribe change his mind?