Saturday, January 27, 2007

Live Scores-Pakistan toil as SA bowlers shine

Third Test, Cape Town, day two (tea): South Africa 183 v Pakistan 157 & 117-6
Here are the Live Scores.
South Africa gained the upper hand on day two of the deciding third Test by reducing Pakistan to 117-6 at tea, giving the tourists a lead of only 91.

Dale Steyn got both openers and Makhaya Ntini removed Younis Khan for a duck to leave the tourists reeling on 44-3.

Yasir Hameed (35) hit seven fours and Mohammad Yousuf (18) also tried to attack but Andrew Hall dismissed both.

Paul Harris had Kamran Akmal stumped, and skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq was dropped and survived a stumping opportunity.

It continued a frenetic and absorbing battle of wits which began on Friday on a pitch continuing to help seamers but losing a bit of the pace it had on day one.

The hosts, 131-5 overnight, had spoken of claiming a lead of 100 but that looked a remote possibility as soon as Pakistan struck three early blows.

Ashwell Prince appeared to get no touch to a Danish Kaneria googly but umpire Steve Bucknor raised his finger when the ball deflected off keeper Akmal's gloves to silly mid-off.

Harris drove flat-footedly at Asif to edge to slip and Hall nicked leg-spinner Kaneria behind before Boucher thrashed three fours and a massive six over long-on in an Asif over costing 22 runs.

Kaneria was then biffed over mid-wicket for another maximum before Younis brilliantly ran out Steyn and Ntini trapped Sami lbw first ball to end the mayhem.

Steyn was rewarded for some fine bowling at the start of Pakistan's second innings when Mohammad Hafeez thrashed a full delivery to Prince at backward point and Imran Farhat was pinned lbw by one that nipped back into the left-hander.

Younis should have been run out by yards when Hameed sent him back but was soon back in the pavilion anyway when he drove loosely outside off-stump.

Hameed and Yousuf were determined to get after the bowlers and amid some powerful drives, particular from the former, both came close to giving their wickets away with ambitious strokes.

With the lead creeping past 50 and things quietening down for almost the first time in the game, Hall sparked another flurry of wickets.

He jagged the ball back in sharply to bowl Yousuf through the gate and saw Hameed push leaden-footedly to Prince.

Inzamam could have joined the procession but Boucher missed a tough chance to stump and Kallis nearly held on to a stunner at second slip off Hall.

Akmal had no such luck and was a matter of milimetres outside his ground when he lunged forward to Harris and Boucher disturbed the bails.

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