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South Africa’s lower order added 88 runs for the last two wickets after Aiden Markram’s 89, with Corbin Bosch playing a pivotal role in the tail-end recovery. Bosch, in his dream debut, scored a maiden half-century off 46 balls, setting the record for the highest score by a No. 9 batter on debut in Tests. […]
South Africa’s lower order added 88 runs for the last two wickets after Aiden Markram’s 89, with Corbin Bosch playing a pivotal role in the tail-end recovery. Bosch, in his dream debut, scored a maiden half-century off 46 balls, setting the record for the highest score by a No. 9 batter on debut in Tests. His contribution helped South Africa extend their lead to 90 runs in the first innings. Pakistan fought back in their second innings, reducing the deficit, but they lost three crucial wickets and were left just two runs behind, leaving South Africa with a slight advantage.
The hosts, needing one more win to secure a spot in the World Test Championship final, seemed to be in danger of squandering their advantage after a collapse from 178 for 4 to 213 for 8. However, a crucial 41-run partnership between Bosch and Kagiso Rabada, followed by a 47-run stand between Bosch and Dane Paterson, gave South Africa a healthy first-innings lead. Pakistan’s openers, Saim Ayub and Shan Masood, responded with a solid 49-run partnership off just 11 overs, but the hosts struck back, taking 3 wickets for 25 runs. It was a day full of twists and turns, providing more entertainment than high-quality cricket.
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Both sets of batters will undoubtedly look back with frustration at the manner in which they were dismissed. South Africa’s middle order will be questioning some poor shot selection, while Pakistan, still reeling from their first-innings collapse, must now contend with signs of variable bounce as they look to set a target they can defend. Amid these larger concerns, Bosch’s standout performance was a source of joy for South Africa, as he remained unbeaten on 81 and was entrusted with the new ball in Pakistan’s second innings, adding further to his remarkable debut.
Bosch had come to the crease with South Africa struggling at 191 for 7, with Aiden Markram on 87 and Naseem Shah in the middle of a marathon spell. Naseem had made crucial inroads before lunch, including a brilliant delivery that drew an edge from David Bedingham’s back-foot drive to first slip. Post-lunch, Naseem continued his relentless attack, dismissing Kyle Verreynne with a loose drive to the slips. He then nearly got Marco Jansen, but a dropped catch at gully proved inconsequential as Naseem had overstepped. However, he soon made amends with a back-of-a-length delivery that Jansen edged behind to the wicketkeeper.
At that moment, Markram might have been wondering if he was running out of partners, but Bosch quickly provided the answer with back-to-back boundaries off Khurram Shahzad and two more off Naseem Shah, allowing South Africa to regain their composure. Markram faced 14 of the 30 balls bowled after Bosch’s arrival and added just three runs before being dismissed. Shahzad set him up with a series of deliveries just back of a length before delivering a rising ball that Markram wasn’t expecting, resulting in an edge to Mohammad Rizwan, leaving him 11 runs short of a second century this year. At that point, South Africa’s lead was just two runs, and Pakistan had a chance to restore some balance, but Bosch continued his destructive form.
Bosch’s aggressive strokeplay, both on the front and back foot, was complemented by a disciplined partnership with Kagiso Rabada, who played one of the most eye-catching cover drives of the match. Pakistan’s frustration deepened when Rabada, after a patient spell, fell to Aamer Jamal just before tea, caught by Babar Azam at short midwicket. Bosch, however, reached a milestone of his own, bringing up his half-century with a stunning cover drive, marking the second-fastest fifty by a South African debutant. Paterson followed suit with a swashbuckling knock, hitting Jamal for four and then sending Abbas over long-off for a six. Despite Naseem’s return and continued pressure, it was part-time spinner Saim Ayub who ended the resistance, with Paterson skying a shot to mid-off, where Shahzad took the catch.
South Africa’s bowlers started poorly in Pakistan’s second innings, with Rabada and Bosch both being too short and wide in their opening spells. Ayub and Shan Masood took advantage, racing to 41 in the first seven overs. Temba Bavuma then introduced Paterson from Bosch’s end, and his first two overs, conceding just five runs, applied some pressure. This allowed Rabada to find his rhythm, and in his sixth over, he delivered a beautiful ball that nipped away and hit the top of off-stump, sending Ayub back to the pavilion. Rabada finished his spell with figures of 1 for 31.
Jansen took over from Rabada and immediately posed a threat with his bounce. Masood survived his first over, but in Jansen’s second, he found extra lift, prompting Masood to edge a loose shot to Tristan Stubbs at third slip. In Jansen’s next over, Kamran Ghulam, who had scored 54 in the first innings, edged to Ryan Rickelton in the gully. Although the catch required a few replays, Rickelton appeared to have his fingers under the ball, sending Ghulam back. Saud Shakeel capitalized on some loose bowling towards the end of the day, striking two authoritative boundaries before bad light brought an early close to play.
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