South Africa began their must-win second Test against Pakistan on Thursday with the right spirit after grabbing three wickets, two by spinner Keshav Maharaj, in the first session in Rawalpindi.
The hosts, who lead the two-match series 1-0 following victory in Karachi, went into lunch at 63/3, with Babar Azam and Fawad Ali leading a stoic fightback.
SCORECARD | Pakistan vs SA: 2nd Test Day 1
The morning didn’t begin with the vigour with which it ended, though, for the tourists.
Temba Bavuma dropped Imran Butt at slip off Maharaj – one he should have banked – and it looked like it might be a long day for the visitors, after Pakistan won the toss and chose to bat.
But captain Quinton de Kock showed adventure by not keeping his opening pacemen running in for long spells, after Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje opened the bowling.
Rawalpindi is a traditional fast-bowler’s pitch but, as Proteas head coach Mark Boucher indicated in his pre-match press conference, the grass was shaved off a couple of days before the start of the Test.
De Kock quickly turned to Maharaj, who was a slight doubt with a rib injury coming into the second Test, and swapped Nortje’s ends, resting Rabada.
The move almost paid off handsomely straight away, but for Bavuma’s slip up at slip with Butt on 13.
However, Maharaj finding his radar straight away and getting turn from his left-arm off-breaks meant the error didn’t cost much and the Proteas wrested control.
He finally got his reward when one delivery, pitched outside off stump, kissed Butt’s bat and went safely into De Kock’s grateful gloves, dismissing the Pakistan opener for 15.
In his very next over, Maharaj trapped Azhar Ali plum LBW with a deceptive floater that straightened and sent him immediately back to the locker room for 0 (9), with the score at 21/2.
With Nortje and Maharaj bowling in beautiful concert from opposite ends, SA restricted Pakistan to 0/2 in a 5 over spell where the Pakistan batters couldn’t buy a run and Maharaj kept them dancing.
Nortje also got his reward when Aiden Markram plucked a stunning catch at short leg to remove Abid Ali for 6 (43), leaving the hosts gasping for air at 22/3 within the first 15 overs.
Captain and fulcrum batsman Azam (24*) and first Test centurion from Karachi Alam (16*) stopped the bleeding and tried to cobble together a much-needed fourth wicket partnership.
The Proteas had some cause to worry, though, after George Linde’s finger got hurt trying to stop an Azam shot played straight back down the wicket off his own bowling.
Linde was struck on his bowling hand and he looked in agony as he ran off the field right away to seek medical attention on the bleeding finger.