Centurion – After a relatively successful morning, Pakistan fell apart after lunch in their second innings of the third and final Test against South Africa, in Centurion on Sunday.
The tourists were on 176/6, still trailing by 77 runs at tea.
The turning point came when Azhar Ali was unnecessarily run out, after he had batted patiently for his 27 off 110 balls. Azhar was turning for a second run and tried to turn back but was beaten by the powerful arm of Dale Steyn.
Azhar and Imran Farhat had added 54 runs for the fourth wicket, off 135 deliveries, but the demise of their partnership signalled the beginning of the end for the visitors.
Kyle Abbott – the debutant who rose to overnight fame with his seven for 29 in Pakistan’s first innings – grabbed his first wicket of the day although it was not a particularly good ball.
The delivery was short and a touch wide but Farhat slashed at it and found the edge through to the keeper for 43.
In the next over, captain Misbah-ul-Huq got a thin edge which saw him removed for five, giving Rory Kleinveldt his first wicket of the match.
Kleinveldt got his second in his next over when Asad Shafiq spooned a catch to Vernon Philander at mid-off for six runs.
Sarfraz Ahmed and Saeed Ajmal came together at 114 for six and provided some entertainment, with the latter hitting the only six of the match. Between them, they managed to smack 13 runs off one over bowled by Steyn.
At tea, Sarfraz was on 27 and Ajmal on 30, having added an unbeaten 62 for the eighth wicket. – Sapa