Pakistan search for positives after South Africa complete Test series sweep
South Africa have wrapped up a 2-0 cricket series win over Pakistan
after easing to a 10-wicket victory in the second match in Cape Town despite
second-innings resistance from the tourists.
Forced
to follow on 421 runs behind on the first innings, Pakistan battled to 478 all
out. But South Africa, who qualified for the World Test Championship final last
week, easily knocked off a target of 58 late on Monday.
David Bedingham hit 44 not out off 30 balls as South Africa sealed
victory in just 7.1 overs on the fourth day of the match.
Bedingham
was opening in place of Ryan Rickelton, who suffered a hamstring strain in the
field after scoring 259 in South Africa’s first innings of 615.
Captain
Shan Masood led Pakistan’s fightback, scoring 145.
Following
the result, Masood said he believes there are better days ahead for Pakistan as
they held their own for long periods in challenging conditions.
There were lots of good things [in the series],”
Masood said. “Knowing we did really well [in Pretoria] but didn’t close it out.
Even here, we didn’t start off well with ball and bat. We conceded
too many runs initially, then we folded with the bat [in their first innings]
on a really nice surface. But then the fightback, we made our highest score
against South Africa in Test cricket. Individually, people stepped up.”
Masood
fell to the second new ball, trapped leg before wicket by 18-year-old debutant
Kwena Maphaka.
His
dismissal came three balls after Kagiso Rabada had Saud Shakeel caught at
second slip for 23, ending a 51-run fourth-wicket stand.
Pakistan, a batter short after Saim Ayub suffered a broken ankle
while fielding on the first morning, were still 92 runs in arrears after the
double blow.
But
Mohammad Rizwan (41) and Salman Agha (48) put on 88 for the sixth wicket and
Aamer Jamal hit a quick 34 before the innings was ended.
South
Africa’s bowlers received virtually no assistance from a placid pitch.
Left-arm
spinner Keshav Maharaj, who had been expected to be a major factor on a
fourth-day pitch, achieved minimal spin and toiled for 45 overs to take three
for 137.
Masood will rue the fact his side allowed South Africa to score a
massive 615 in their first innings, which meant the tourists were always
chasing the game.
Not
that it is anything new, Pakistan have played well in patches recently but also
underperformed under pressure. Masood hopes they can be more consistent in
their upcoming two-Test home series against West Indies that starts on January
17.
We need to learn how to win the crucial moments,” Masood said. “We
bounced back well against England [to win the series 2-1 in October]. With our
backs against the wall, we did well.
“But
we need to learn how to land the first punch. We have a lot of young cricketers
who will learn, and luckily we go straight into another series with West Indies.”
Meanwhile,
South Africa will go into the Test championship final against Australia at
Lord’s Cricket Ground in London in June on the back of seven straight wins , the second most successful sequence in their history
