De Zorzi, Rickelton shine but Noman Ali keeps Pakistan ahead

Led by Noman Ali, Pakistan claimed a position of strength after reducing South Africa to 216/6 at stumps on Day 2 in the first Test at Lahore. After restricting the visitors to 378, South Africa started strongly with the bat but lost their footing in the final session.

South Africa, who toiled hard on the first day, made light work of Pakistan's lower order and picked up the five remaining wickets in just 10.4 overs with the hosts managing to add 65 runs to their overnight tally. Salman Agha and Mohammad Rizwan continued to look solid to start the day and scored with freedom but the tide turned in the 102nd over in which Senuran Muthusamy saw the back of three Pakistani batters. He managed to extract vicious turn and bounce to first dismiss Rizwan caught behind. He then dismissed Noman Ali and Sajid Khan off successive deliveries to claim his maiden five-wicket haul in Tests.

With the surface having dried out, there was considerably more assistance for the spinners. Even as Shaheen Afridi hung around briefly with Salman, it was only a matter of time before South Africa wrapped the innings up with the ball misbehaving and beating the bat regularly. Muthusamy claimed his sixth when Afridi holed out and Salman fell similarly, seven short of his century, in the following over to Prenelan Subrayen. The South African openers safely negotiated four overs before heading into lunch.

Pakistan attacked with spin from both ends straightaway after lunch as the South African openers remained watchful while also seizing opportunities to score as they came along. Aiden Markram, who reviewed successfully after being given out caught behind, ended up falling in the same fashion just two balls later to Noman Ali in the 12th over. Pakistan continued to probe but the South Africans kept the scoreboard ticking - employing sweeps and reverse-sweeps to great effect. Just as a partnership was developing, however, Noman managed to dismiss Wiaan Mulder in the 25th over and South Africa headed to tea on 112/2.

Ryan Rickelton, who played with a great mix of caution and aggression, raised his maiden Test fifty with a boundary in the third over after tea. Pakistan missed a couple of chances early in the third session - first a difficult catch at short-leg and then an opportunity to run Tony de Zorzi out with a direct-hit. They then ended up burning a review in the hopes of overturning an LBW decision against Rickelton. Meanwhile, de Zorzi marched on confidently, using the crease to not just score but to also put the Pakistani spinners off their lengths. He notched up his half-century off just 63 deliveries and South Africa began to assert control.

As the partnership approached the three-figure mark, however, Babar Azam produced a sensational one-handed grab at first slip to send Rickelton on his way. South Africa then slipped as they lost both Tristan Stubbs and Dewald Brevis in successive overs. Noman Ali then struck for a fourth time as he trapped Kyle Verreynne LBW in the 61st over. Eager to extend their advantage, Pakistan then burned their only remaining review in the following over while challenging an LBW decision against de Zorzi. No further wickets would fall as de Zorzi and nightwatchman Muthusamy took South Africa to 216/6 at stumps.

Brief Scores: Pakistan 378 (Imam-ul-Haq 93, Salman Agha 93; Senuran Muthusamy 6-117) lead South Africa 216/6 (Tony de Zorzi 81*, Ryan Rickelton 71; Noman Ali 4-85) by 162 runs.