CENTURION: Fast bowlers Dane Paterson and Corbin Bosch made early breakthroughs to leave Pakistan reeling in their Boxing Day Test against South Africa on Thursday. The South African duo dismantled Pakistan’s top order, giving the visitors a strong start.
Pakistan found themselves in trouble early, but an 81-run partnership between Kamran Ghulam, who scored a lively half-century, and Mohammad Rizwan helped them recover from the morning collapse. However, Paterson’s five-wicket haul kept South Africa in control, reducing Pakistan to 209 for 9 by tea.
Bosch struck first, dismissing Pakistan captain Shan Masood (17) with a loose drive that was caught in the slips, leaving Pakistan at 88-4 at lunch. The pitch at SuperSport Park proved to be seamer-friendly, and Pakistan lost four wickets for just 20 runs in the morning session. Bosch’s wicket of Masood made him the fifth South African bowler in history to take a wicket with his first ball in Test cricket, joining an exclusive list that includes Bert Vogler, Dane Piedt, Hardus Viljoen, and Tshepo Moreki.
Masood and opening partner Saim Ayub (14) had initially held off the pace attack of Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen in the first hour after captain Temba Bavuma won the toss and elected to field under overcast conditions. But once Bosch made the breakthrough, Paterson took advantage of the conditions, finding edges from Ayub and Babar Azam (4).
Babar, who had been dropped from the last two Tests against England, continued his struggles in red-ball cricket. He hit Bosch for a boundary off his first ball but then played a loose shot to Paterson and was caught in the slips after just 11 balls.
Left-hander Saud Shakeel (14) managed three fours off Paterson, but Bosch struck again, having Shakeel caught down the leg side off a sharp short-pitched delivery, following a successful television review.
Both teams fielded an all-pace attack, with no specialist spinner in the lineup, reflecting the pace-dominant nature of the venue over recent years. South Africa, leading the World Test Championship standings, needs a win in either of the two Tests against Pakistan to secure a place in the final at Lord’s next June.
Seventh-place Pakistan included fast bowlers Naseem Shah, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, and Aamer Jamal in their team. Abbas made his return to Test cricket after more than three years, while Naseem came back after missing the last two home Tests against England in October.
