South Africa make Pakistan toil as Du Plessis scores ton

Photo: AFP

South Africa are in total control of the second Test match against Pakistan in Cape Town as the side were 382-6 at stumps on day two.

Quinton de Kock is batting on 55 while tail-ender Vernon Philander is unbeaten at six runs. Proteas have a lead of 205 runs.

Skipper Faf du Plessis led from the front with a century as he was supported by middle-order batsman Temba Bavuma, who was dismissed after scoring 75 runs.

The duo put on a spectacular 156-run partnership which put Proteas in cruise control.

The Proteas captain was dismissed after scoring 103 off 226 with 13 boundaries to his name as he edged the ball to wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed from the bowling of Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Du Plessis and De Kock put on a 51-run partnership of on the sixth wicket.

The Pakistani skipper Sarfraz Ahmed dropped his South African counterpart when he was batting on 96.

It would be a forgettable day for the Pakistani bowlers as they could only manage to get four batsmen out on the second day.

The hosts started the second day’s play with 123-2 with Hashim Amla at the crease on 24 not out.

Amla did not add to his overnight score of 24 before he was bowled by a ball from Mohammad Abbas which snaked back off the pitch to hit his leg stump.

Theunis de Bruyn played a loose drive and was caught at gully off Shaheen Afridi after making 13.

Du Plessis came out to bat and he, along with Bavuma, went on to score half centuries.

Pakistan were dismissed for 177 in their first innings with only Sarfraz showing any kind of resistance to the South African bowlers.

South Africa’s strategy of playing with four pacers paid off as all of them ended up getting wickets. Duanne Olivier proved to be the wrecking machine in the Proteas bowling attack as he finished with figures of 4-48.

Article source: https://www.samaa.tv/sports/2019/01/south-africa-make-pakistan-toil-as-du-plessis-scores-ton/