Centurion Test, Day 2: Abbott picks 7 on debut, Pakistan staring at huge defeat

Live updates from the second day of the thrid and final Test between South Africa and Pakistan.

Zeenews Sports Bureau

SCORECARD» I HIGHLIGHTS» ALSO READ: No ‘doosra’ like Saeed Ajmal»I Gautam and his ‘Gambhir’ phase»I ==================================================================================== Brief Summary We all know how dangerous Steyn and Philander are, and after picking 7 wickets on his debut, we can be rest assured that Abbott too will come with all guns blazing on Day 3. It was a day highly dominated by the Proteas bowlers and Steyn once again showed why he is the World No. 1 bowler as he dismissed Hafeez off the first delivery of the second innings. Smith would be extremely proud of Kyle Abbott who kept hitting the deck hard and delivered astonishing figures of 29/7 on his debut. The Proteas skipper wouldn’t have missed Morne Morkel’s presence with that stupendous performance. PAKISTAN (2nd innings) Score: 14/1 II Overs: 9 (Younis 8*) So it’s Stumps and that ends a horrendous day for Pakistan. They still trail by 239 runs with 9 wickets in hand. Things aren’t looking bright for the hosts who lost 11 wickets in two sessions today. Apart from Younis Khan, none of their batsmen have looked comfortable at the crease. Younis and Azhar Ali have added 14 runs for the second wicket but Pakistan are in dire need of a couple of huge partnerships to put some fight. ==================================================================================== PAKISTAN (2nd innings) Score: 0/1 II Overs: 0.1 (Farhat 0*) So Pakistan trail by 247 runs as Mohammad Hafeez and Imran Farhat come at the crease with an uphill task ahead of them. Guess what! In my previous update I mentioned that Steyn has had a quiet day so far and once again he makes his presence felt by striking first ball! He once again dismissed Mohammad Hafeez who was surprised by the extra bounce as he played on! Good move by Pakistan, Younis Khan comes to bat at no. 3. Mohammad Hafeez b Steyn 0 (1b) ==================================================================================== PAKISTAN Score: 156/10 II Overs: 46.4 (Rahat 0*) Pakistan are all-out and Smith has enforced the follow on! With 9 wickets down, Younis was looking to play most of the deliveries, and in the process of doing so, was out lbw. Even though he reviewed it, he knew he was out as Kyle Abbott (29/7) has the second best figures on debut after Lance Klusener who picked 64/8 vs India (Kolkata, 1996). It has been a fantastic day for Abbott and for a while it is difficult to believe that Steyn and Philander are playing as well. Younis Khan lbw b Abbott 33 (86b) ==================================================================================== PAKISTAN Score: 149/9 II Overs: 45 (Younis Khan 30*) A five-wicket haul on debut for Abbott! He has come out of nowhere and has dismantled the Pakistan batting order. He missed a hat-trick as he dismissed Sarfaraz Ahmed (17) and Saeed Ajmal (0) off consecutive deliveries. And just one over later he completed his five-wicket haul as Ehsan Adil nicked one towards the slips. His jubilant teammates got into a huddle for the celebrations. Mohammad Ifran’s stay at the crease lasted for one ball as he too was dismissed by Abbottt in the same over. So in short, Abbott has dismissed four batsmen in four overs. And not much to the surprise of many, Younis Khan is still at the crease as Pakistan are staring at a definite follow-on! Mohammad Irfan c Elgar b Abbott 0 (2b) Ehsan Adil c du Plessis b Abbott 9 (13b) Saeed Ajmal c Smith b Abbott 0 (1b) Sarfraz Ahmed c Smith b Abbott 17 (28b) ==================================================================================== PAKISTAN Score: 121/5 II Overs: 38 (Younis Khan 19*) Smith dismissed Shafiq in his eighth over and even though Shafiq reviewed the decision, there was no doubt he wasn’t out. Younis Khan is at the crease and all is doing at the moment is watching his teammates return to the pavilion one by one. A follow looks quite possible here. ==================================================================================== PAKISTAN Score: 91/4 II Overs: 29 (Younis Khan 13*) And no more relief for Pakistan as they have lost their skipper as well. Misbah edged one towards slips and Alviro Petersen, who has already taken a few terrific catches in the series leaped towards his left to take another superb catch. Pakistan are wobbling here and it is yet to be seen whether Younis Khan can rescue them, once again. Abbott picked his second wicket of the match has looked good so far. Misbah-ul-Haq c Petersen b Abbott 10 (27b) ==================================================================================== PAKISTAN Score: 56/3 II Overs: 19 (Younis Khan 0*, Misbah 0*) Huge trouble for Pakistan! They have lost two wickets off two deliveries. Abbott who is making his debut in the match struck off the last ball of his first over. He bowled a short of a length delivery outside the off-stump and Hafeez played it towards the gully area where Elgar held on to a low catch. Philander then took a wicket off the first ball of his next over as the ball kept low and hit Azhar Ali’s off-stump. The Proteas have suddenly bounced back. It needed 16 overs to get them their first breakthrough and their bowlers scalped two more wickets in the next two overs! Pakistan need a partnership here and they have two of their most experienced batsmen at the crease. Azhar Ali b Philander 6 (6b) Mohammad Hafeez c Elgar b Abbott 18 (44b) ==================================================================================== PAKISTAN Score: 51/1 II Overs: 17 (Hafeez 18*) Pakistan have lost their first wicket in the 17th over as Imran Farhat plays a lazy shot and is caught plumb in front of the wicket. The opening partnership was a decent one for Pakistan as Farhat and Hafeez added 46 runs and the Proteas bowlers had to wait for their first breakthrough for quite some time. Azhar Ali comes at the crease. Imran Farhat lbw b Philander 30 (60b) ==================================================================================== PAKISTAN Score: 9/0 II Overs: 5 (Farhat: 8*, Hafeez: 1*) LUNCH. Pakistan have safely negotiated the tense five overs from Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander before lunch after bowling out South Africa for 409 in the morning. Farhat managed to score a boundary off Philander. ==================================================================================== SOUTH AFRICA Score: 409/10 II Overs: 103.2 (Steyn: 5*) So, South Africa have been bowled out for 409. Kyle Abbott was the last man to be dismissed after being bowled by Ali. With this wicket Rahat has ended with a six-wicket haul. Interestingly, Saeed Ajmal returns wicketless. The home team has done well to have recovered from 248/6. Pakistan have a tough task ahead as the pitch looks not that easy for batting. ==================================================================================== SOUTH AFRICA Score: 400/8 II Overs: 100 (Abbott: 9*, Klienveldt: 0*) A good catch by Shafiq has ended AB de Villiers innings. RahAt Ali drops one shot and De Villiers employs the pull. He doesn’t time it well and Shafiq in the deep take a brilliant catch. De Villiers scored 121 (215b, 4X15). Rory Kleinveldt is the new man in the middle. ==================================================================================== SOUTH AFRICA Score: 378/7 II Overs: 95 (De Villiers: 109*, Abbott: 1*) Pakistan have finally broken the stand between De Villiers and Philander. Younis Khan bowls one full and Ohilander comes forward for the drive. The ball takes and edge and Hafeez take a good low catch. Philander scored 74 (113b, 4X9). Kyle Abbott is the new batsman in the middle. ==================================================================================== SOUTH AFRICA Score: 351/6 II Overs: 90 (De Villiers: 105*, Philander: 55*) AB de Villiers completed his 16th Test century with a triple off Rahat Ali. He is now batting on 105 and has struck 13 boundaries so far. Giving him good company is Vernon Philander who has recorded his maiden Test fifty. Philander could have been on his way out if a confusion between Sarfaraz and Hafeez as to who would snaffle the edge would have been avoided. That resulted in a boundary. ==================================================================================== SOUTH AFRICA Score: 334/6 II Overs: 85 (De Villiers: 98*, Philander: 45*) Even before a single ball was bowled, Pakistan suffered a major blow as two of their fast bowlers were unavailable for the 2nd Test. While Umar Gul couldn’t play because of a soar throat, Junaid Khan is still recovering from the injury. But Rahat Ali and Ehsan Adil lived up to the expectations of their skipper as they removed Smith (5) and Peterson (10) early in the innings. Since then Pakistan had a tough time as the Proteas stitched three crucial partnerships. Hashim Amla missed a ton (92) while de Villiers (98*) looks all set for his 16th Test ton. ====================================================================================