Related Links : South Africa in Pakistan 2007/08 : Scorecard
Shoaib Malik and his team have finally started to play some good cricket in the first Test at Karachi but are looking at a very difficult task ahead. Proteas are sitting pretty with a lead of 235 with seven second innings wickets standing. The third day’s play saw a fightback from Pakistan but they have been doing the catch up job having had a batting collapse on the second day.
Left arm spinner Paul Harris picked up his maiden five-wicket haul that showed lot of promise as a force to reckon with in the otherwise pace-oriented South African attack. Pakistan resuming at 127 for 5 could go onto make 291 thanks to their Skipper Shoaib Malik coming good with a half century. Malik also went past the 1000 run-mark in his Test Career. But in a Test Match, a half century score will never be quite enough to turn the fate of a match. Malik put on a 84-run stand with Salman Butt, who came out to bat at no.8 after missing the second day’s play with stomach pain. Salman Butt’s innings lasted a couple of hours in which he got 24 before getting lbw to Harris. Malik on the other hand after scoring 73 (which came in 170 balls with 6 fours and a six) jumped out of his crease to Paul Harris only to be done in by the turn to lose his wicket. Both these wickets fell after lunch. Pakistan were bowled out in 97.3 overs for 291 with Danish Kaneria scoring a useful 26. Harris finished with a career best of 5 for 73 in 36 overs along with 13 maidens.
Mark Boucher during the Pakistan innings became the wicket keeper with the most dismissals in Test Match history when he stumped Umar Gul. Boucher now has 396 dismissals in 103 Tests compared to the 395 achieved by Australian Ian Healy who took 119 Tests.
Having got a first innings lead of 159, South Africa lost three quick wickets once Pakistan brought in its two spinners. First to go was Graeme Smith edging a cut shot off left armer Abdur Rehman. Smith was looking good for his 25 in an opening stand of 41 in 13.2 overs. Within a few minutes, Abdul Rehman produced a delivery that turned and bounce to beat Hashim Amla whose backfoot came out of the crease for a fraction of a second which was enough for a smart stumping from Kamran Akmal. Amla was out for a 10-ball duck. The other wicket that Pakistan got was that of Herschelle Gibbs who was caught at silly point after getting a glove in his attempted sweep off Danish Kaneria. South Africa slipped to 43 for 3 but could end the day on a better looking 76 for 3 in 32 overs thanks to the solidity of Jacques Kallis (18 from 47) and Ashwell Prince (11 from 48). The wicket is showing lot of turn, bounce and also quick deterioration and with South Africa already getting a lead of 235, it is going to be very tough for Pak to get into a winning position or even in a position to draw with two full days left.