Marco Jansen puts Proteas in driving seat but Pakistan hit back with late wickets

By Nasri Alexander
28th December 2024

Marco Jansen returned figures of 6-52 to help the Proteas bowl Pakistan out for 237 but the visitors hit back with three late wickets on a rain-shortened third day of the first Test in Centurion.

The Proteas went to stumps on 27-3, chasing a target of 148, with Pakistan seam duo Mohammad Abbas and Khurram Shahzad doing the damage in a riveting final session.

The visitors started day three on 88-3, still trailing by two runs, with Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel at the crease but rain made sure the entire morning session was washed out.

When play eventually got underway after a three-hour delay, the Pakistan batting duo extended their partnership to 79 and looked largely untroubled in the first hour with Babar going to his fifty.

The stand was eventually broken when Babar (50) cut Jansen to the deep-point boundary where debutant Corbin Bosch took a simple catch.

The left-arm paceman then picked up his fourth wicket when he had Mohammad Rizwan (3) caught down the leg-side before completing his five-wicket haul with the scalp of Salman Agha (1) to leave Pakistan on 176-6, a lead of only 86.

Shakeel and Aamer Jamal (18) then stood firm for a 32-run partnership but Dane Paterson made the breakthrough when he had the latter caught on the square-leg boundary going for an ill-advised pull shot.

Kagiso Rabada removed Naseem Shah for a duck and that was the cue for Shakeel to go on the offensive and the left-hander did just that as he made his way to 84.

Jansen then returned to the attack and had Shakeel plumb lbw as the batter completely missed a full toss before Bosch wrapped up the innings with the wicket of last man Abbas.

With a tricky run-chase in front of them and the light fading, Abbas trapped opener Tony de Zorzi (2) lbw in the fourth over with the total on 11.

Shahzad then removed Ryan Rickelton for a duck before Abbas trapped Tristan Stubbs in front for single as the Proteas slipped to 27-3 in nine overs before the umpires called play off due to bad light.

Aiden Markram (22 not out) and his captain Temba Bavuma, who is yet to score, will resume on Sunday hoping to guide the Proteas over the line and a victory that will confirm their place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.