Pakistan fight back

PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA - FEBRUARY 24, Faf du Plessis, Alviro Petersen and Graeme Smith of South Africa appeal during the day 3 of the 3rd Test match between South Africa and Pakistan at SuperSport Park on February 24, 2013 in Pretoria, South Africa Photo by Lee Warren / Gallo Images

PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA - FEBRUARY 24, Faf du Plessis, Alviro Petersen and Graeme Smith of South Africa appeal during the day 3 of the 3rd Test match between South Africa and Pakistan at SuperSport Park on February 24, 2013 in Pretoria, South Africa Photo by Lee Warren / Gallo Images

Published Feb 24, 2013

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Pretoria – Pakistan showed some rare fighting spirit on their tour of South Africa and lost just one wicket in the morning session to reach 87/2 at lunch on day three of the third Test at Centurion on Sunday.

The visitors, made to follow on, still trail by 166 runs in their second innings, but will be happy with the better application shown by their batsmen as they frustrated the home side.

South Africa expected more from their pace quartet on a helpful pitch and in perfect conditions but Azhar Ali (27 not out) and Imran Farhat (32 not out) added 48 runs for the third wicket and could not be separated.

Having lost a scoreless Mohammad Hafeez to the first ball of the innings last evening, Pakistan started day three on 14/1.

There were plenty of deliveries going past the bat early on as the South African bowlers extracted bounce and movement out of a wicket that was doing plenty.

However, there was also a tendency to bowl short and wide, especially from Dale Steyn, who battled to find his radar.

When he did get it right he collected the wicket of Younus Khan (11) with a ball that pitched on middle stump and shaped away. Younus was forced to play, but could only get a thick edge to Graeme Smith at first slip.

Kyle Abbott, who claimed seven for 29 in Pakistan's first innings, troubled the batsmen with a straighter line and also with balls that kept low.

South Africa lead the three-match series 2-0 having won the first test in Johannesburg by 211 runs, before clinching the series with a four-wicket victory in Cape Town. – Reuters

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