South Africa fought a rearguard action to turn the second test against Pakistan on their head and take the upper hand after an enthralling third day’s play on Wednesday.
Spinner Simon Harmer took three wickets to leave Pakistan 94-4 at stumps in their second innings, with a slender 23-run lead, but it was the comeback from the South African tail that saw the tourists go on top with two days left.
Seerun Muthusamy scored an unbeaten 89 and Kagiso Rabada a maiden test 50 as South Africa’s lower order hauled them out of trouble and secured a 71-run lead after they scored 404.
South Africa started the day on 185-4, trailing by 148 runs, and were in trouble when they lost three wickets in the first hour to be 210-7, well behind Pakistan’s first innings total of 333.
But Muthusamy led a comeback as they overhauled the home team’s total. He was stranded 11 runs short of a maiden test century while Rabada’s 71-run knock, which ended as he was caught slogging, was his highest test tally. It was only the third time a South African No. 11 batsman had scored a test half-century.
The pair put on 98 for the last wicket after Muthusamy and Keshav Maharaj had a 71-run partnership for the ninth wicket, frustrating the Pakistan bowlers. Maharaj was stumped for 30.
