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Pakistan 40 for 7 (Sarfraz 1*, Ajmal 1*) trail South Africa 253 (Kallis 50, Hafeez 4-16) by 213 runs
If Pakistan were in any doubt about the challenge of facing South Africa's pace attack, they were quickly disabused on the second morning of the first Test. Seven wickets fell in a session of unrelenting pressure to leave the entire Pakistan top order back in the dressing room and their players pondering a question that has stumped most opponents over the last 18 months: how do you live with this South Africa team?
Even the matter of getting passed the follow on was looking a vexing one for Pakistan, as they reached lunch on 40 for 7, still 14 short of ensuring South Africa would have to bat again. Reaching 54 would also provide them with the small victory of avoiding their lowest-ever score in Tests.
Having resumed without loss, Pakistan would have known that the chances of them getting up towards South Africa's first-innings 253 rested on their successfully getting past the new ball. Recognising that did not come close to actually helping them achieving it, however, and at 12 for 3 after six overs the tone had been set. A partnership of 24 in almost 14 overs seemed to have stabilised the Pakistan innings, only for the darkness to swallow them up again, four wickets falling for three runs and the roar of the crowd becoming a blanket of white noise.
The session could not have resembled a horror show any more had Freddie Krueger been spotted in the Wanderers stands. As ever, Dale Steyn was a batsman's nightmare incarnate, his opening spell decapitating the Pakistan top-order in a manner worthy of any slasher flick, as the South Africa bowlers made perfect use of helpful conditions, useful bounce and more than a modicum of indecision among the tourists.
Mohammad Hafeez was the first to go, set up by a back-of-a-length delivery that beat the batsman's prod from the crease before soaring over the stop of off stump. The next ball, the 11th of the morning, was fuller and wider, pulling Hafeez across and into an fateful flirt, a tickle of the edge enough to end his stay. His opening partner, Nasir Jamshed, did not last much longer, pinned in front of leg stump by an inswinger two balls after surviving a review to a similar delivery from Vernon Philander that was judged to have been passing over the top.
Jamshed's debut was ended for the sum of two runs but experience was no defence against Steyn's weapons and he amassed further destruction with the final ball of the sixth over, as a full delivery left Younis Khan to take the outside edge.
Pakistan had been billed as the main event during the South African Test summer, after New Zealand were packed up and dispatched with indecent haste. That theory had been bolstered on day one, as Pakistan's bowlers showed why they are so highly regarded, but the real test was to be of the batsmen and despite the doughty defence of Azhar Ali and Misbah-ul-Haq, the innings lurched into the realms of Cape Town last month shortly before the break.
The pair had battled through, surviving five consecutive maidens after Younis' departure before Misbah was proffered a leg-stump gift from Steyn that he brushed for four. Azhar had survived an enthusiastic lbw appeal from Philander, which was followed up by a jaffer on off stump that missed everything, but with the arrival of Morne Morkel and then Jacques Kallis, there appeared to be some respite. A driven four through mid-off and a neat swivel pull for Azhar reinforced that view, only for Kallis to produce a brute of a lifter that took Azhar's glove to end the fourth-wicket stand.
Misbah has frequently shown the way for his side with a dogged approach to crease occupation and it took a review to dislodge him, Kallis again the bowler. Having been hit on the forearm, the stomach and the hands, he was channelling all his qualities of resistance, only for a feather of an edge, detectable only by Hot Spot, to send him on his way. The ball had been slightly wide and AB de Villiers, the wicketkeeper, didn't even appeal. There was an element of controversy, too, after Faf du Plessis had survived a similar review on the first day.
In the Pakistan dressing room, Dav Whatmore sprang from his seat in surprise; he would quickly have slumped back down, as Philander returned to remove Asad Shafiq, throwing the bat in desperation at a wide delivery, and Umar Gul, edging high to Graeme Smith at first slip. The catch was Smith's second of the morning - they may have survived on Friday but Pakistan were now getting a Biffing.
If Pakistan were in any doubt about the challenge of facing South Africa's pace attack, they were quickly disabused on the second morning of the first Test. Seven wickets fell in a session of unrelenting pressure to leave the entire Pakistan top order back in the dressing room and their players pondering a question that has stumped most opponents over the last 18 months: how do you live with this South Africa team?
Even the matter of getting passed the follow on was looking a vexing one for Pakistan, as they reached lunch on 40 for 7, still 14 short of ensuring South Africa would have to bat again. Reaching 54 would also provide them with the small victory of avoiding their lowest-ever score in Tests.
Having resumed without loss, Pakistan would have known that the chances of them getting up towards South Africa's first-innings 253 rested on their successfully getting past the new ball. Recognising that did not come close to actually helping them achieving it, however, and at 12 for 3 after six overs the tone had been set. A partnership of 24 in almost 14 overs seemed to have stabilised the Pakistan innings, only for the darkness to swallow them up again, four wickets falling for three runs and the roar of the crowd becoming a blanket of white noise.
The session could not have resembled a horror show any more had Freddie Krueger been spotted in the Wanderers stands. As ever, Dale Steyn was a batsman's nightmare incarnate, his opening spell decapitating the Pakistan top-order in a manner worthy of any slasher flick, as the South Africa bowlers made perfect use of helpful conditions, useful bounce and more than a modicum of indecision among the tourists.
Mohammad Hafeez was the first to go, set up by a back-of-a-length delivery that beat the batsman's prod from the crease before soaring over the stop of off stump. The next ball, the 11th of the morning, was fuller and wider, pulling Hafeez across and into an fateful flirt, a tickle of the edge enough to end his stay. His opening partner, Nasir Jamshed, did not last much longer, pinned in front of leg stump by an inswinger two balls after surviving a review to a similar delivery from Vernon Philander that was judged to have been passing over the top.
Jamshed's debut was ended for the sum of two runs but experience was no defence against Steyn's weapons and he amassed further destruction with the final ball of the sixth over, as a full delivery left Younis Khan to take the outside edge.
Pakistan had been billed as the main event during the South African Test summer, after New Zealand were packed up and dispatched with indecent haste. That theory had been bolstered on day one, as Pakistan's bowlers showed why they are so highly regarded, but the real test was to be of the batsmen and despite the doughty defence of Azhar Ali and Misbah-ul-Haq, the innings lurched into the realms of Cape Town last month shortly before the break.
The pair had battled through, surviving five consecutive maidens after Younis' departure before Misbah was proffered a leg-stump gift from Steyn that he brushed for four. Azhar had survived an enthusiastic lbw appeal from Philander, which was followed up by a jaffer on off stump that missed everything, but with the arrival of Morne Morkel and then Jacques Kallis, there appeared to be some respite. A driven four through mid-off and a neat swivel pull for Azhar reinforced that view, only for Kallis to produce a brute of a lifter that took Azhar's glove to end the fourth-wicket stand.
Misbah has frequently shown the way for his side with a dogged approach to crease occupation and it took a review to dislodge him, Kallis again the bowler. Having been hit on the forearm, the stomach and the hands, he was channelling all his qualities of resistance, only for a feather of an edge, detectable only by Hot Spot, to send him on his way. The ball had been slightly wide and AB de Villiers, the wicketkeeper, didn't even appeal. There was an element of controversy, too, after Faf du Plessis had survived a similar review on the first day.
In the Pakistan dressing room, Dav Whatmore sprang from his seat in surprise; he would quickly have slumped back down, as Philander returned to remove Asad Shafiq, throwing the bat in desperation at a wide delivery, and Umar Gul, edging high to Graeme Smith at first slip. The catch was Smith's second of the morning - they may have survived on Friday but Pakistan were now getting a Biffing.
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