South Africa inch closer to the World Test Championship final

On By Littum

Early wickets have left South Africa in a nervous position as they chase a place in the World Test Championship final

A jittery South Africa have slumped to 3-27 in pursuit of 148 to beat Pakistan in the first Test and book a place in next June’s World Test Championship.

With poor light bringing play to an early end on a rain-delayed third day in Centurion, the hosts will bounce back on Sunday needing 121 for victory.

A win for South Africa will leave Australia, India and Sri Lanka in a three-way race for the final spot in the Ville Test Championship decider.

Pakistan took three wickets in the first nine overs of South Africa’s second innings, with Mohammad Abbas taking two and Khurram Shahzad the other as Tony de Zorzi (2), Ryan Rickleton (0) and Tristan Stubbs (1) were all caught leg before wicket .

Aiden Markram, whose first innings 89 is the highest score of the match so far, will resume on the 22nd not out along with skipper Temba Bavuma, who is yet to score.

South Africa had a 90-run first innings lead and although the contest ebbed and flowed throughout the day, they will have felt they had worked their way into a winning position before coming out to bat.

Resuming at 3-88 Pakistan were dismissed for 237, the last four wickets falling for 29.

Marco Jansen finished with 6-52 to put the brakes on Pakistan’s hopes of a bigger second innings after Saud Shakeel and Babar Azam got off to a bright start in today’s game, which was delayed until after lunch due to a passing shower of rain.

Shakeel top scored with 84 before being undone by a full toss from Jansen, but his dismissal was unfortunate in contrast to a series of unfair shots that saw his teammates get out.

Babar quickly moved from 16 not out overnight to 50 – his first in his last 20 Test innings – but was then tempted to swing at a short and wide delivery in Jansen’s first over and caught by Corbin Bosch on the boundary.

Mohammad Rizwan then gave away his wicket cheaply while Salman Ali Agha drove on only the third ball he faced and edged behind.

Aamer Jamal was dismissed for 18 when he couldn’t resist trying to pull a short delivery from Dane Paterson and was caught by Rickelton.

The second Test against Pakistan will be at Newlands in Cape Town starting next Friday.