Day 3: Masood, Babar stage fightback after SA enforce follow-on
Cape Town: Pakistan skipper Shan Masood and Babar Azam staged a strong fightback in their second innings after South Africa enforced follow-on on Day 3 of the second Test in Cape Town on Sunday.
Earlier in the day, the hosts bundled out Pakistan for 194 runs in the first innings after putting up a massive total of 615 runs.
Pakistan continued their first innings from 64/3 on Day 3. Babar, who was unbeaten at 31, added 27-run to his tally before being dismissed by debutant Kwena Maphaka. Mohammad Rizwan soon followed after an inside edge off Wiaan Mulder saw the ball castle onto his stumps. Regular wickets soon followed as a late collapse saw the visitors score 194, having already lost prodigy Saim Ayub to a fractured ankle.
With a loss by an innings seeming to be inevitable, with Pakistan trailing by 421 runs, Babar (81) and Shan Masood (102 not out) went on to put on a 205-run opening stand, the longest partnership for Pakistan while following-on. With Masood having scored a century, it seemed Babar was on his way to a ton as-well before he was dismissed in the 47th over, just before stumps. Marco Jansen pitched a full-length delivery and the Pakistan batter nicked it in an attempt to connect a cover drive. The visitors ended the day at 213/1 and trail the Proteas by 208 runs.
Opener Ryan Rickelton scored a brilliant maiden double century while Kyle Verreynne (100) and Marco Jansen made vital contributions as South Africa posted a mammoth first innings total before coming out to claim three early wickets to take a commanding lead on Day 2.
Rickleton compiled a sensational 259 for his maiden double century while keeper-batter Verreynne forged a ton as South Africa put on a dominant batting display on the second day of the match.
Brief scores: South Africa 615 all out in 141.3 overs (Ryan Rickelton 259, Temba Bavuma 106, Kyle Verreynne 100, Marco Jansen 62; Mohammad Abbas 3-94, Salman Agha 3-148) lead Pakistan 194/10 & 213/1 (Shan Masood 102*, Babar Azam 81; Marco Jansen 56/1) by 208 runs.