Pakistan’s mini fight back sets up exciting final day
After the spirited show by the two youngsters Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq, and the fight demonstrated by skipper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Misbah-ul-Haq-c1972, who was still unbeaten at the end of the third day, the Pakistan team would have hoped that the tail could build on the good work
and get them past the follow-on target. Given the team’s unpredictability though, no one could have been sure that they would manage to get to their target.
The day certainly did not begin too well for the Pakistan team. Captain Misbah, one of the three heroes of the day before for Pakistan, fell lbw to the first ball of the morning by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Dale-c52110 Steyn on 77. With 68 runs still to get to avoid the humiliation of follow-on
and only three wickets left, the follow-on seemed inevitable for the Pakistani side who didn't seem in a good position to get through it. However the Pakistani tail certainly had other ideas. For the 8th wicket a watchful Rehman struck up a partnership
of 36 runs with the free-swinging Umar Gul. Umar Gul as he has shown earlier this year against England is a very sweet hitter of the ball and he hit some fine shots in his inning of 21 runs before being trapped lbw by left arm spinner Paul Harris.
Abdur Rehman too at the other end was showing some batting talent and scoring some highly important, albeit somewhat fortunate runs. After his partnership with Umar Gul which must have restored some confidence in the dressing room having brought the team
within 32 runs of their follow on target, Rehman then shared the crease with debutant Tanvir Ahmed for 19 overs and 59 vital runs that took http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 safely beyond their 385 run target that was required to avoid the follow on.
Tanvir Ahmed and Rehman both, for the most part of their partnership at least, looked untroubled by the South African bowling. Rehman had brought up his maiden test fifty, before the 9th wicket partnership was put to an end by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Morne-Morkel-c77722 who
dismissed Tanvir for 30 well made runs. Pakistan’s last wicket stand too, that between Sami and Rehman, had yielded a useful 22 runs when Rehman was dismissed after a fine knock of 60, that had made saving the game a possibility for Pakistan.
Pakistan’s tail then had wagged considerably as they managed to reduce South Africa’s to 150. The South African opening pair, of which Amla was a part due to a fracture in Smith’s left hand, started the innings off in pretty brisk fashion, as they scored
81 in just 15 overs before being separated by Abdur Rehman. By then the pitch had started showing the characteristics that are expected from a late 4th day or 5th day test wicket and had begun to turn and bounce. Hashim Amla seemingly
unperturbed by the fact again scored a brisk 50, and had eventually moved on to a majestic 62 off 64 balls before being dismissed by a beauty by Abdur Rehman. Rehman’s fantastic show with the bat seemed to have instilled some confidence in his bowling too,
as he pitched one on middle that turned just enough to take Amla’s off stump, who before that delivery had looked simply unbeatable.
Further good bowling by Rehman and Hafeez saw South Africa 4 for 148, as De Villiers and Kallis were dismissed in the space of just 7 overs, compelling the Proteas to abandon their attacking tactics in favor of a more conservative approach. Amid non-stop
chirps of encouragement for the two spinners from the whole Pakistani team and especially keeper Adnan Akmal, the two South African managed to negotiate the remaining 15.3 overs without further losses, Prince remained not out on 27 while Boucher had scored
13 by the end of the day’s play to take South Africa’s 323 runs.
Tomorrow Pakistan will have to bat with all the concentration and determination they can muster, if they are to save the much on a pitch that has now started to turn and offer some variable bounce, which will make it a difficult task to defy the spinners.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 on the other hand, will be looking to declare pretty early in the morning to give them enough time to bowl the Pakistanis out and bag the series.
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