By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Pakistan secured a 93-run victory over South Africa on the fourth day of the first test in Lahore to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
South Africa, set a daunting 277-run target for victory, were bowled out for 183 on the fourth day at Gaddafi Stadium.
Dewald Brevis scored a dazzling, run-a-ball 54 in the morning session to briefly raised the tourists expectations but the writing was on the wall when Shaheen Afridi pinned Tony de Zorzi (16) lbw with the third ball of the day on his way to figures of 4-33.
Resuming on 51-2 the Proteas hopes lay with first innings centurion, de Zorzi, and opener Ryan Rickelton but it was not to be. Tristan Stubbs (2) reverse-swept left arm spinner Noman Ali straight to Salman Agha at slip – just the eighth ball of his innings – and Brevis was bowled by a beauty from Noman which pitched on leg stump and hit the top of off.
Brevis counter-attacked in brilliant style twice driving Noman for straight sixes and adding half a dozen fours on both sides of the wicket but had no answer to a delivery which would have bowled most right handers.
Rickelton’s long, defensive vigil came to an end with an edge against offspinner Sajid Khan (2-38) which was well caught low to the ground by Agha, his fifth slip catch of the match.
Noman’s 4-79 at the break gave him his third 10-wicket haul in just 21 test matches, a remarkable start to a belated career for the 39-year-old.
Defeat for South Africa marked a losing start to the defence of their World Test Championship crown at the beginning of a new two-year cycle.
“There was some good stuff over the few days that we played, I thought, really good signs, I suppose, bat and ball. So we have a bit to take out, bit to learn as well, and clean up our space for the next game,” said South Africa captain Aiden Markram.
Next week’s second test will be played in Rawalpindi.
Pakistan: Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood (captain), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wkt), Salman Agha, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan
South Africa: Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Aiden Markram (captain), Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis, Kyle Verreynne (wkt), Senuran Muthusamy, Prenelan Subrayen, Kagiso Rabada, Simon Harmer.