South Africa collapse to 116-8 against Pakistan as fast bowler Abbas shines in 1st Test

On By Littum

CENTURION, South Africa (AP) – South Africa collapsed to 116-8 against Pakistan as fast bowler Mohammad Abbas ran riot on Day 4 of the first Test as the tourists edged closer to their first Test win in South Africa in 18 years on Sunday.

Abbas grabbed 6-43 on his return to Test cricket after more than three years, with South Africa still needing 32 runs at lunch to book a place in next year’s World Test Championship final.

Tailenders Kagiso Rabada, unbeaten on 10, and Marco Jansen on 5 not out put up a grim fight for the home side against the relentless Abbas.

Captain Temba Bavuma’s controversial dismissal spelled a collapse for South Africa as it lost four wickets for just three runs, with Abbas grabbing three off his six balls.

Bavuma, who made 40, surprisingly did not request a TV review as replays suggested Abbas’ ball had brushed the batter’s pocket and failed to make contact with the inside edge of the bat, but the South African skipper went back to the dressing room. .

Abbas played an unchanged marathon spell of 13 overs but had to wait until Aiden Markram (37) and Bavuma cleared the Test first hour.

Bavuma and Markram resumed at a shaky 27-3, with 121 runs still to go for victory, showing plenty of patience against Abbas’s probing line and length before the fast bowler finally made the breakthrough after the first drinks break.

Abbas was rewarded for his brilliant seam bowling when he beat the outside edge of Markram’s bat and beat the stumps back.

Bavuma survived a couple of close chances when he successfully overturned an lbw decision on the pitch against him early in the day and Naseem Shah couldn’t hold on to a sharp catch at fine leg as he overstepped the boundary pad while grabbing the ball overhead .

South Africa had controlled the game at 96-4 before Bavuma’s dismissal saw Abbas find the outside edges of David Bedingham (14) and Corbin Bosch’s (0) bat off successive deliveries, and in between Kyle Verreynne pulled Naseem Shah’s delivery back onto his stumps to give Pakistan a chance of victory.

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