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- South Africa vs Pakistan 2nd Test Live Score, Day 2
South Africa vs Pakistan 2nd Test Live Score, Day 2
The 18 years and 270 days old Maphaka broke Paul Adams’ South Africa record of youngest test player, who played his first test against England in 1995 at the age of 18 years and 340 days.
South Africa made three changes after sealing its place in June’s World Test Championship final with a dramatic two-wicket win in the first test at Centurion inside four days.
Australia, India and Sri Lanka all still in the race for the Lord’s WTC final against South Africa in June. Australia could advance to face South Africa if it wins the fifth test against India in Sydney.
“It’s hot and we expect the wicket to break up,” South Africa captain Temba Bavuma said at the coin toss. “We’ve had time to wrap around what we’ve achieved, the preparations for this test have been the priority … a chance to finish off with a good note.”
Fast bowler Mohammad Abbas brought Pakistan close to its first test win in South Africa in 18 years with 6-54 in the second innings at Centurion but tailenders Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen shared a half century ninth-wicket stand and quashed the visitors hopes.
The home team, which has six successive test wins, opted to go with the express pace of Maphaka in place of Dane Paterson, who was dropped after picking up his second successive five-wicket haul at Centurion.
Corbin Bosch was left out after making a stunning test debut in the first test where he took a wicket with his first ball and then made a scintillating unbeaten half century in the first innings which gave South Africa a match-winning lead of 90 runs.
Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj has recovered from a groin injury and replaced Bosch. Opening batter Tony de Zorzi had a thigh strain and was replaced by Wiaan Mulder as the all-rounder recovered from a finger injury and returned to the playing XI.
Pakistan, which has won just two of its last nine test matches in this WTC cycle, once again went without a specialist spinner. It rested fast bowler Naseem Shah and brought in left-arm fast bowler Mir Hamza.
“A bit less grass than usual, but we would have had a bowl,” Pakistan captain Shan Masood said.
Playing XI:
South Africa: Ryan Rickleton, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma (captain), David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Kwena Maphaka.
Pakistan: Shan Masood (captain), Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, Aamer Jamal, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas, Khurram Shahzad.
Mohammad Abbas to Aiden Markram, Hits the deck on a short of a good length, on off, Aiden Markram covers the line and keeps it out.
Mohammad Abbas to Aiden Markram, What a ball. On a good length, just outside off, Aiden Markram comes forward to defend but the ball shapes away and beats the outside edge.
The physio is out in the middle now. Seems like Ayub has been hurt on his right shin. Oh dear - AYUB IS GOING OFF THE FIELD. A worried AZHAR MAHMOOD looks on from the Pakistan dressing room, their bowling coach.
Mohammad Abbas to Ryan Rickelton, What's happened there? One of the Pakistan fielders is down on the ground. Think it is Saim Ayub. It was on a good length, outside off, Rickelton opened the face of his bat and guided the ball behind point. Two fielders chased it down - Aamer Jamal from backward point and Saim Ayub, I think from the slips. Jamal got to the ball and slid across, pushing the ball back in play. Ayub was behind him, to complete the tag-team effort but while trying to pick the ball up, he seemed to have done some mischief on his right shin or ankle. Did he twist it? Not sure. The batters take the third.
Mohammad Abbas to Ryan Rickelton, Landed around middle, pushed to the leg side.
On a serious note, given that South Africa have already qualified for the WTC final, they do have the luxury of taking some more time before finalizing their bowling attack for that match. Possibly, as many as three teams could make that final as of now - Australia, Sri Lanka and India. Given the seaming and swinging conditions in the UK, they might pick their attack based on which batting lineup they face. Arguably, India have the best batters of the three while the other two possess good bowling attacks. That might decide the inclusion of Mulder or Bosch.
- Aiden Markram 12 (15)
- Ryan Rickelton 15 (21)
Mir Hamza to Aiden Markram, Ends with a dot! On a good length, around off, going away, Aiden Markram doesn't offer any shot at it.
Mir Hamza to Aiden Markram, FOUR! Back-to-back boundaries for Markram! This one is more straight! Full again, overpitched, on off, angling away from the batter. Aiden Markram punches it down the ground off the front foot to the right of mid off for a boundary.
Mir Hamza to Aiden Markram, FOUR! CLASSY! Driven through the covers! Goes fuller, just outside off, from over the wicket, seaming away. Aiden Markram comes forward with the correct head position and drives it wide of cover for a boundary.
Mir Hamza to Aiden Markram, Full ball, wider outside off, let through once again.
Mir Hamza to Aiden Markram, Landed outside off, angling away, left alone.
Mir Hamza to Aiden Markram, Fuller, around middle, Aiden Markram pushes it towards mid on.
One interesting reason as to why is Kwena Maphaka playing today. Rickelton, Mulder, Rabada and Maphaka belong to the same school in Johannesburg! So it's high school reunion then.
- Ryan Rickelton 15 (21)
- Aiden Markram 4 (9)
Mohammad Abbas to Ryan Rickelton, Ends with a dot! Hard length, outside off, seaming away, Ryan Rickelton doesn't offer any shot at it.
Mohammad Abbas to Ryan Rickelton, Left alone! Drags his length, just outside off, seaming in, Ryan Rickelton moves across and opens up to shoulder arms.
This is a good toss to win. The south-easterm wind is blowing. There are a lot of bare patches, the groundsman has taken a lot of grass off. It might be on the slower side. There are a few cracks visible and they'll come into play on day three, four and five with the sun baking down on this surface. It's a really good surface, runs on the board are going to be vital. Spinners will come into play. It'll dry pretty fast. These bare patches might loosen up. There'll always be something in it for the pacers, there'll always be some moisture in the first hour.
Mike Haysman and Vernon Philander on pitch report
Mohammad Abbas to Ryan Rickelton, Full again, around off, angling in, from around the wicket, Ryan Rickelton blocks it off the front foot back to the bowler.
Mohammad Abbas to Ryan Rickelton, FOUR! Deft touch. Not all that overpitched, but still a tad too full. Outside off, Ryan Rickelton comes forward and threads it to the right of mid off.
Mohammad Abbas to Ryan Rickelton, Full and straight, pushed down to mid on.
Mohammad Abbas to Aiden Markram, On a good length, outside off, Aiden Markram rises with the bounce and pushes it towards point for a single.
Interesting. Ryan Rickelton is the 7TH player to be used as an opener by South Africa, in this edition of the World Test Championship. The next best is 5 each, by Australia and England. Markram and Rickelton become the 5th opening pair in this cycle, joint most along with Australia.
- Ryan Rickelton 11 (16)
- Aiden Markram 3 (8)
Mir Hamza to Ryan Rickelton, FOUR! HE CASHES ON THIS ONE! Mir Hamza serves this full again, wide outside off, seaming away, from over the wicket, inviting the drive. Ryan Rickelton takes the front leg out and drives it wide of cover for a boundary to end the over. He is into double figures now!
Mir Hamza to Ryan Rickelton, The ball is swinging much more! Full ball, wide outside off, shaping away, Ryan Rickelton moves across and shoulders arms to let it go.
Mir Hamza to Ryan Rickelton, Slightly fuller, around middle, seaming in, Ryan Rickelton comes forward and defends it with the straight bat.
Mir Hamza to Ryan Rickelton, Landed outside off, shaping away, left alone.
Mir Hamza to Ryan Rickelton, Full and around off, Rickelton nudges it towards square leg.
Mir Hamza to Ryan Rickelton, Full and just around middle, Ryan Rickelton probably walks into the shot a touch too early but manages to keep the ball out.
Big call from Mike Haysman on air. He predicts that Mohammad Abbas will bowl UNCHANGED till Tea. Wow, direct till Tea. Not even Lunch. Say, we could have roughly 55-56 overs by then? Unless you are in Sydney where the over rate was awful. That means, Abbas to bowl 27 overs at a stretch? Now, that might be a bit too farfetched, won't it? We all know that he is called the machine, but surely, the machine also needs some rest?
- Aiden Markram 3 (8)
- Ryan Rickelton 7 (10)
Mohammad Abbas to Aiden Markram, Ends with a dot! Good length, outside off, Aiden Markram shoulders arms to let it go.
Mohammad Abbas to Aiden Markram, Hard length, around off, coming in, Aiden Markram presents the full face of the bat to keep it down.
Mohammad Abbas to Aiden Markram, Good running between the wickets! On a good length, on the fifth stump, straightens off the deck, Aiden Markram punches it off the back foot wide of cover and takes a couple of runs.
Mohammad Abbas to Aiden Markram, On a good length, just outside off, Markram gets across and defends.
Mohammad Abbas to Aiden Markram, Lovely bowling. Full and outside off, nipping back in a long way. But Aiden Markram gets a big stride ahead and shoulders arms.
Mohammad Abbas to Ryan Rickelton, A good length ball, from around the wicket, landing on middle stump. Ryan Rickelton gets across and nudges it towards fine leg for a single.
- Ryan Rickelton 6 (9)
- Aiden Markram 1 (3)
Mir Hamza to Ryan Rickelton, Ends with a single! Full again, around middle and leg, angling in, Ryan Rickelton nudges it wide of mid on for a single and retains the strike for the next over.
Mir Hamza to Ryan Rickelton, FOUR! CHIPPED IN! Much fuller, from over the wicket, in the slot, Ryan Rickelton is waiting for that length. He comes forward and flicks it down the ground to the right of mid on for a boundary. First one for him this morning.
Mir Hamza to Ryan Rickelton, Goes fuller, in the slot, just outside off, inviting the drive, shaping away. Ryan Rickelton doesn't offer any shot at it as the ball sails through to the keeper.
Mir Hamza to Ryan Rickelton, More away movement this time. The length is held back by just a fraction, but the line is a tad wider outside off. Ryan lets it go past as well.
Mir Hamza to Ryan Rickelton, No shape this time, but a lovely delivery nevertheless. Full and just outside off, Rickelton gets across and shoulders arms.
Mir Hamza to Ryan Rickelton, Full and outside off, immediately some shape for Hamza. He comes in from over the wicket, bowling with the breeze behind him and manages to get the ball to swing away from the left-hander. Ryan Rickelton pushes it towards point.
It will be Mir Hamza to share the new cherry with Abbas.
- Ryan Rickelton 1 (3)
- Aiden Markram 1 (3)
Mohammad Abbas to Ryan Rickelton, Comes around the wicket now, good length, around middle and leg, seaming in. Ryan Rickelton tucks it wide of mid-wicket and takes a quick single to get off the mark and ends the over.
Mohammad Abbas to Ryan Rickelton, Slightly full than the previous one, in the channel again, Ryan Rickelton tries to cover the off stump and blocks it out with ease.
Mohammad Abbas to Ryan Rickelton, Back of a length, from over the wicket, just outside off, angling away. Ryan Rickelton goes deep in the crease and defends it with the full face of the bat.
Mohammad Abbas to Aiden Markram, Similar ball, this time Markram nudges it past short mid-wicket and gets the scoreboard moving with a single.
Mohammad Abbas to Aiden Markram, Around off, nudged towards short mid-wicket.
Match Statistics
Venue
Newlands, Cape Town
