Lunch Pakistan 194 and 312 for 3 (Masood 137*, Shakeel 16, Jansen 2-74) South Africa 615 for 109 runs
Keshav Maharaj played more or less throughout the session, interrupted only when he changed ends at one point. His variations in pace and flight, as well as a ball that continues to spin, posed the most significant threat to the batsmen, but the wickets have come at their pace.
Shahzad had done his job and never seemed prepared to continue for long. When Marco Jansen’s long ball became too big for him, he lofted it straight to Maharaj at the point. Kamran Ghulam never seemed to calm down completely, keeping the slip cordon interested throughout his innings. He should have gone his way without scoring when, in the same over, he clipped a deflected shot that slipped through David Bedingham’s hands at first slip.
However, the wicket was always coming. Rabada’s growing frustration with his lack of wicket and general indiscipline (he bowled another four no-balls this morning) was mounting. Just after overshooting, he found a beauty that again bit Ghulam outside the seam, clearing mid-wicket. It was a great way to mention his 50th Test wicket at Newlands, and the roar that followed made it clear how much it meant to him.
Saud Shakeel and Masood continue to make South Africa work for every scalp and yet South Africa could have had one more before lunch. Kwena Maphaka faced Shakeel with a beautiful delivery that straightened as it hit the pad, only for South Africa to opt not to review. While Shakeel received extensive treatment for the blow, Hawkeye demonstrated that he was hitting the leg stump.
It showed how little margin for error Pakistan have in this innings, and with the new ball arriving shortly after lunch, that job may become much more difficult.
