Pakistan’s problems continue as five wickets fall in first session

Photo: AFP

South Africa’s decision to play four seamers was vindicated very early on in the second Test as all four were among the wickets to leave Pakistan in all sorts of trouble at 75-5 after the first session.

Dale Steyn was the first to pick up a wicket, getting a ball to rise up dangerously at Fakhar Zaman. The left-hander, playing on one, could just lob is into the welcoming hands of Temba Bavuma in the slip region.

Fakhar’s opening partner Imam-ul-Haq was the next to perish, caught in front of the stumps by the returning Vernon Philander to be dismissed for eight.

With both openers back in the pavilion and the score at just 13, Pakistan needed their experienced middle-order batsmen to hold the innings together.

Azhar Ali’s problems against Duanne Olivier’s shorter deliveries continued though and the pacer once again got the better of Pakistan’s most experienced batsman with a bouncer to dismiss him for just two to make it 19-3.

What would be particularly worrying is the pattern developing, with Olivier dismissing Azhar thrice now in three innings with the shorter-pitched stuff.

Asad Shafiq’s brief counter-attack then gave Pakistan some hope but he edged a Kagiso Rabada delivery to Dean Elgar, who held on to a sharp catch. All four bowlers had taken a wicket each as Pakistan succumbed to 51-4.

Things then went from bad to worse as Olivier continued to haunt Pakistan. This time the ball didn’t bounce as much as before and caught Babar Azam’s glove as uneven bounce accounted for yet another Pakistan batsman.

Skipper Sarfraz Ahmed, who was dismissed twice in the opening Test without troubling the scorers, came out into the middle with the score at 54-5.

There were to be no more mishaps for the visitors as they went into lunch with the score at 75-5 as Sarfraz decided the best way to survive is to take the attack to the South African bowlers.

Article source: https://www.samaa.tv/sports/2019/01/pakistans-problems-continue-as-five-wickets-fall-in-first-session/