Pakistan seamer Shabbir Ahmad (2-25) perfectly filled the shoes of banned speedster Shoaib Akhtar Friday as South Africa was restricted to 108 for three at lunch on the first day of the second cricket test.
Herschelle Gibbs was holding one end up with his stylish 59, which included nine fours, while the experienced Gary Kirsten was not out on 31. They combined to add 68 runs after Pakistan had reduced the visitors to 40 for three within the first hour.
Captain Graeme Smith’s (2) run of bad form continued after he elected to bat first on a grassless wicket of Iqbal Stadium when Ahmad dealt a double blow in his first spell.
Ahmad, a right-arm lanky bowler, got his chance after Akhtar’s appeal against a ban for one test match and two one-day internationals was rejected. He found the outside edge of Smith’s bat in his second over as the Proteas captain tried to drive with little feet movement and Inzamam-ul-Haq took a well judged catch at second slip. Smith has scored just 140 runs in his last nine test innings since scoring a double century against England at Lord’s in July.
Boeta Dippenaar (4) survived a confident appeal for caught behind before Ahmad removed him.
Leg-spinner Danish Kaneria, who shared the man of the match award with Umer in Pakistan’s eight-wicket victory in the first test, picked up the prized scalp of Jacques Kallis (10) off his fourth delivery of the match. Kaneria tempted Kallis to drive off a
big leg-spinner but instead gave slipsman Umer a sharp catch.
Pakistan made three changes from the side before the match.
Ahmad replaced Akhtar while all-rounder Abdul Razzaq was included for the injured Mohammad Sami. Inzamam returned to lead the side after recovering from a groin injury as Yousuf Youhana was ruled out after straining his hamstring in the first test.
Left-arm spinner Robin Peterson was the only change in the South African squad as the Proteas dropped seamer Andre Nel in a bid to level the two-test series. – Sapa-AP