Spinner Noman Ali took four wickets to restrict South Africa to 216-6 at the end of play on the second day of the first Test in Lahore on Monday, despite fighting off a half-century from Tony de Zorzi.
The spinners dominated on a revolving Gaddafi Stadium pitch as all 11 wickets of the day went to the slow bowlers, with South African left-armer Senuran Muthusamy taking a career-best 6-117 to bowl out Pakistan for 378.
Zorzi maintained the lead at the end with 81 not out and Muthusamy with six, as South Africa were 162 runs behind in the first innings.
Zorzi batted with guts, knocking nine boundaries and a six, battling Noman, who took 4-85.
South Africa started well with 45-0 on the board as Noman removed touring captain Aiden Markram for 20 and Wiaan Mulder for 17, both caught behind by wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan.
Ryan Rickelton, who scored a punishing 71 with two sixes and nine boundaries, and Zorzi added 94 for the third wicket, taking on the spinners with some aggressive shots.
It was part-time player Salman Agha who broke the stand as he forced a Rickelton lead with Babar Azam taking a clever low catch at the slips.
Noman returned for his third spell to catch Tristan Stubbs behind for eight and Kyle Verreynne ahead for two, while Sajid Khan removed Dewald Brevis for a golden duck.
“We need to get them out as soon as possible and a 120-run lead would help us win this Test,” Noman said.
“This release will help the spinners even more in the coming days, so it is good for us.”
Earlier, it was Muthusamy, the Noman-like left-arm spinner, who destroyed Pakistan after they resumed at 313-5, losing their last five wickets for just 16 runs.
Muthusamy, who improved on his previous best of 4-45 against Bangladesh in Chattogram last year, said: “It was really good to add value to the team by getting wickets.
“It wasn’t ideal to have lost a wicket close to the stumps, but we will fight tomorrow.”
Agha hit five fours and three sixes in his 93 and was the last man out, trapped in the deep by spinner Prenelan Subrayen, who took 2-78.
Agha added 49 with Rizwan to take his sixth wicket to 163 before Muthusamy ripped off the middle order with three wickets in the 12th over of the day.
Rizwan was the first to go, for 75, when he sent a sharply turning ball towards keeper Verreynne after a knock containing two fours and two sixes.
Two balls later, Noman was left scoreless, bowled when playing on the wrong line and then Sajid Khan followed the first ball, caught in the slips.
It became 378-9 when Muthusamy bowled Shaheen Shah Afridi, for seven, for his sixth wicket.
