Pakistan Eventually Finish Off South Africa

Saeed Ajmal (centre) took four wickets and Misbah-ul-Haq (right) hit the winning runs as Pakistan toppled South Africa in Abu Dhabi

Pakistan 442 (Khurram Manzoor 146) & 45-3 beat
South Africa 249 & 232 by seven wickets
First Test, Abu Dhabi
Scorecard | Day One | Day Two | Day Three

Pakistan survived a late wobble when they lost three wickets for seven runs to see off South Africa and take a seven-wicket win in the first Test in Abu Dhabi.

Despite AB de Villiers' 90 and Robin Peterson's 47, South Africa were bowled out for 232 in their second innings, leaving Pakistan a target of 40.

South Africa, faced with a first Test defeat since January 2011, made sure Pakistan had to work for every run and had them in trouble at seven for three.

However, Younus Khan (9 not out) and Misbah-ul-Haq (28 not out) saw them home with Misbah showing no desire to hang around, clinching the game with two sixes in a 26-ball cameo.

For South Africa to get anything out of this game they would have needed de Villiers, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Peterson and perhaps others to dig in and bat all day at least. However, against Pakistan's consistently effective bowling attack, such resistance didn't come close to materialising.

Having helped de Villiers take South Africa past the 100-mark, nightwatchman Dale Steyn hit out needlessly and was bowled by Zulfiqar Babar for seven.

Pakistan sensed victory when Duminy was trapped in front by Junaid Khan for nought and du Plessis, who hung around for 55 balls, was caught and bowled by Saeed Ajmal for nine.

Then came a combination of resistance and counter-attack from de Villiers (90 in 157 balls) and Peterson (47 not out in 67 balls).

The pair batted together for just under 15 overs to get South Africa within three runs of forcing Pakistan to bat again, at which point de Vliiers was caught by Shan Masood off Junaid. The partnership of 57 was the biggest of the innings.

Vernon Philander (10) hung around as Peterson threw the bat to try to set Pakistan some sort of target but Morne Morkel (0) was unable to help, both men falling to Ajmal, who finished with four for 74.

Junaid returned three for 57, Babar two for 51 and Mohammad Irfan one for 42.

After the tea break, Pakistan set about chasing down 40 runs for victory but made a dreadful start. Philander struck with the new ball to have openers Khurram Manzoor (4) and Masood (0) caught behind and when Azhar Ali was caught by Jacques Kallis off Steyn for three, Pakistan had lost three wickets in 21 balls.

What would South Africa have given at that point to have been able to add just another 50 runs to either of their innings?

Nevertheless, with Younus calmness personified at one end and Misbah on a mission to finish things off in a hurry at the other, it might not have made any difference.

The former faced 36 balls and the latter 26, the winning runs coming when captain Misba hit Peterson over long on for a six to confirm Pakistan's third ever win over South Africa and first since 2007.

In their last match, they lost to Zimbabwe but have now managed to comprehensively beat the world-leading team. Quite a month for Pakistan cricket.

The series continues with the second and final Test in Dubai which begins on 23rd October.

© Cricket World 2013

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Pakistan end South Africa's run

First Test, Abu Dhabi (day four)

Pakistan 442 & 45-3 beat South Africa 249 & 232 by seven wickets

Pakistan ended South Africa's 15-match unbeaten run with a seven-wicket victory in the first Test in Abu Dhabi.

Chasing 40 to beat the world number one side on day four, Pakistan wobbled on 7-3 before completing only a fourth ever victory over the Proteas.

South Africa had previously been bowled out for 249 and 232, either side of centuries from Khurram Manzoor and Misbah-ul-Haq taking Pakistan to 442.

In their last Test match, Pakistan lost by 24 runs to Zimbabwe.

14 - Imran Khan, Javed Miandad

12 - Wasim Akram

11 - Inzamam-ul-Haq, Misbah-ul-Haq

Misbah's side had also been whitewashed 3-0 in South Africa in February, but they continued a fine run of form in the United Arab Emirates - their adopted home after a terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka team in Lahore in 2009.

Since then, Pakistan are unbeaten in nine matches in the UAE - a streak that includes the 3-0 whitewash of England in 2012.

Victory over the Proteas was delayed by the efforts of AB De Villiers and Robin Peterson, who at least ensured Graeme Smith's side avoided an innings defeat.

The tourists began the final day on 72-4 - still 121 short of making Pakistan bat again - and slipped further into trouble at 133-6 when Faf du Plessis drilled at off-spinner Saeed Ajmal, who took a fine return catch.

De Villiers, though, found an ally in Peterson for a busy stand of 57, only for the wicketkeeper to fall 10 short of a century, driving Junaid Khan to Shan Masood Khan.

Peterson's defiance continued, but with Ajmal wrapping up the tail for four wickets in the innings and seven in the match, Pakistan were facing a meagre target.

They stumbled as Vernon Philander and Dale Steyn tore through the top three, but Misbah, supported by Younus Khan, led his side to victory on 28 not out, sealing the win by hitting Peterson for six.

Pakistan lead the two-Test series 1-0, with the second match beginning in Dubai on Wednesday.

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Tour Match Drawn, Pakistan Bolster Squad

Asad Shafiq made runs on the final day and was rewarded with a call-up to Pakistan's Test squad

Pakistan 'A' and the South Africans drew their tour game in Sharjah, after which Pakistan added Shan Masood, Ahmed Shehzad and Asad Shafiq to their Test squad.

On the final day, Pakistan 'A' reached 311 for six in their 100 overs before declaring, and South Africa used the remainder of the day to give their middle and lower-order batsmen time at the crease.

There were useful runs for Faf du Plessis (42) before they closed on 109 for three in their second innings.

Shafiq made a fluent 42 in 92 balls when Pakistan 'A' batted to impress the selectors enough to include him while captain Umar Amin fell for 12.

Sohaib Maqsood and Mohammad Rizwan were unbeaten on 34 and 31 respectively when Pakistan declared having faced 100 overs.

South Africa then opened with JP Duminy and du Plessis, Duminy making 23 and Robin Peterson, in at number three, falling for 16.

Vernon Philander (11) and Morne Morkel (16) were not out when stumps were drawn.

The first Test begins in Abu Dhabi on 14th October.

Pakistan Test squad: Misbah-ul-Haq (captain), Abdur Rehman, Adnan Akmal (wicket-keeper), Ahmed Shehzad, Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Junaid Khan, Khurram Manzoor, Mohammad Irfan, Rahat Ali, Shan Masood, Umar Amin, Younus Khan, Zulfiqar Babar

© Cricket World 2013

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