A nervous South Africa fell to 27-3 when bad light closed play early on a rain-delayed third day, still 121 runs away from victory in the first Test against Pakistan in Centurion.
The home team is chasing a modest target of 148 after bowling out Pakistan for 237.
However, Pakistan kept their own hopes of victory alive by taking three wickets in the first nine overs of South Africa’s second innings, with Mohammad Abbas taking two wickets and Khurram Shahzad the third, while Tony de Zorzi (2), Ryan Rickleton ( 0 ) and Tristan Stubbs (1) were caught leg before the wicket.
Aiden Markram, the hosts’ top scorer in the first innings, will resume on the 22nd not out, along with captain Temba Bavuma, when play resumes on Sunday.
South Africa fast bowler Marco Jansen helped stop Pakistan’s attempted counter-attack earlier in the day, as the tourists made 212 runs for eight wickets at tea, with only a slim lead of 122 runs.
Saud Shakeel top-scored with 84, before being beaten by a full toss from Jansen, but his dismissal was unfortunate in contrast to a series of reckless shots that saw his teammates run away.
Jansen took three wickets in four overs to complete a five-wicket haul, while Dane Paterson and Kagiso Rabada took one wicket each on Saturday to give the hosts the lead after Pakistan had made a positive start to the day’s play. .
Shakeel and Babar Azam scored fifties to reverse a two-run deficit early in the game, which was delayed until after lunch due to a passing storm.
Babar scored his first fifty in his last 20 Test innings in a much-needed return to form, while Shakeel continued where he left off in his last Test against England as Pakistan overcame South Africa’s 90-run first innings lead and looked to Set your hosts a test target.
They were 153-3 and beginning to make their hosts nervous before a series of ill-advised shots saw them lose wickets and momentum.
Babar had quickly gone from 16, not out overnight, to 50, but was then tempted to bowl a short wide delivery in Jansen’s first over and was caught by Corbin Bosch on the boundary.
Mohammad Rizwan then also gave away his wicket cheaply, out for three after playing a wayward leg delivery to be caught by wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne and Jansen’s third wicket of the day added to his five, as Salman Ali Agha drove alone. in the third. ball that he faced and approached from behind.
Aamer Jamal was dismissed about 10 minutes before tea for 18 because he couldn’t resist trying to play a short pass from Paterson and was caught by Ryan Rickelton. Naseem Shah remained scoreless after bringing down Rabada.
South Africa are looking for a win to secure a place in next year’s World Test Championship final, although if they do not win they will have another chance in the second Test against Pakistan, which begins at Newlands in Cape Town on January 3.
