South Africa pushing for victory at Abu Dhabi
SA 584/9 dec & 203/5 PAK 434 & 66/0 LUNCH Day 5
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 is pushing hard for a win against Pakistan on the final day of the second and final Test match of the series at the Sheikh Zayed stadium in Abu Dhabi.
Resuming at their overnight score of 173 for four, the South Africans looked to score quick runs and put up a substantial target for the Pakistanis on a deteriorating wicket against a fragile batting line-up.
The South Africans had taken their lead past the 300-run mark yesterday, yet it seemed that they were not comfortable with that position. Especially since the Pakistanis responded with a 300-plus total in the fourth innings of the lat Test in Dubai, that
to for the loss of only three wickets.
The Proteas lost only one wicket today; Mark Boucher was bowled by Umar Gul as he went for an expansive drive outside the off-stump. The wicket-keeper batsman, who had a lean run with the bat in the series, scored only 15 runs off 40 balls.
He was Umar Gul’s only wicket in the match. After Boucher’s demise, Ashwell Prince and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Johan-Botha-c67173 pushed their side’s lead past the 350-run mark.
The South Africans declared their innings at 203 for five, setting Pakistan a target of 354- runs in two and a half-sessions at more than four runs per over.
The http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 team did well to restrict the Proteas in the final session on day four, which meant that Graeme Smith’s men had to delay their victory bid.
Abdul Rehman was once again the scourge of the South Africans, claiming three wickets with his left-arm spinners, Hafeez also picked up a wicket.
Pakistani openers Mohammad Hafeez and Taufeeq Umar were under intense pressure, as the stand-in South African captain Jacques Kallis surrounded them with close-in fielders.
Opening bowlers http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Morne-Morkel-c77722 kept the pressure going with some probing deliveries that had the batsmen rattled.
There were a couple of close leg-before-wicket shouts too in the first few overs, which further affected the nerves of the camp.
However the two survived the hostile period, and then built a solid partnership to take Pakistan to lunch at 66 for no loss. Hafeez played some spanking drives, while the left-handed Taufeeq also played some delightful shots before the lunch break.
The Pakistanis need another 288 runs in the last two sessions of the day, however a draw looks the likeliest result at the moment.
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