South Africa made light work of a modest target of 58 to claim victory against Pakistan by 10 wickets at sun-drenched Newlands on Monday, concluding the series 2-0 within four days of the second and final Test.
Pakistan had carried the home team’s winning load with a score of 478 in the second innings and were asked to move on, their effort led by captain Shan Masood’s excellent 145 on a tame wicket.
But seamer Kagiso Rabada (3-115) and spinner Keshav Maharaj (3-137) continued to attack Pakistan’s wickets, helped by poor shot selection.
David Bedingham was promoted to open in the South African second innings after first-overs double centurion Ryan Rickelton suffered a hamstring strain.
Bedingham raced to 44 off 30 balls to lead his team to victory in 7.1 overs.
“The result is very satisfactory, it was a good test of cricket. There was something for the bowlers with the new ball and then the wicket really flattened out,” South Africa captain Temba Bavuma said.
“It was a good experience that will be very useful to us as a team. We let certain parts of the game go, but all those learnings will make us better.”
South Africa have won their last seven Tests in a row, their second-best winning streak behind a nine-match winning streak between 2002 and 2003.
It is the perfect preparation for their appearance in the World Test Championship final against Australia at Lords on June 11-15.
Pakistan resumed the fourth day at 213 for one, although they were effectively two down after in-form batsman Saim Ayub fractured his ankle while playing on the first day.
Even though the wicket offered little to the bowlers in terms of seam or spin, South Africa picked up two wickets in the morning session as Khurram Shahzad was caught by Maharaj at point off seamer Marco Jansen for 18.
Rabada bowled Kamran Ghulam for 28, a delivery that clipped the wicket and crashed into the stump.
The home team took the new ball shortly after lunch and that brought two more wickets, including the key scalp of Masood, who was trapped leg before wicket by 18-year-old fast bowler Kwena Maphaka, the youngest Test player in South Africa.
Saud Shakeel scored 23 before Aiden Markram caught him at second slip off Rabada.
Mohammad Rizwan (41) and Salman Agha (48) continued to show resistance but both fell to Maharaj, who also claimed the wicket of Aamer Jamal after a windy 34.
Pakistan’s total of 478 is the highest score ever achieved by a visiting team in South Africa, a much improved display after being bowled out for 194 in their first innings.
“We didn’t start well with bat and ball, conceding too many runs [in South Africa’s first innings of 615] and we retired quite early in our first innings on a really nice surface,” Masood said.
“The reaction after that was what you look for as a team and the individuals really stepped up. [But] We need to learn to win the crucial moments.”