By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Ryan Rickelton made 259 as South Africa took their first innings total to 615 all out on the second day of the second Test against Pakistan in Newlands, Cape Town.
Rickelton, who started the day 176 not out with the hosts 316-4, posted another 83 runs before being caught off the bowling of Mir Hamza shortly before tea.
It was the 28-year-old’s first time opening in Test cricket and his 259 moves him joint-seventh for the highest Test score by a South African alongside Graeme Smith against England in 2003. Hashim Amla’s 311 not out, scored against England at the Oval in 2012, is the highest score.
Rickelton’s 259 runs in the second Test against Pakistan came from 343 balls, with 29 fours and three sixes.
The opening batter’s score is the second highest Test score recorded at Newlands. New Zealand’s Stephen Fleming holds the record at 262 runs (scored in 2006). In third place is Ben Stokes (258, from 2016’s Test).
The double hundred is the first recorded by a South African in nearly eight years, almost to the day. The last score of 200 or more before Rickelton’s score on Saturday was the 201 scored by Amla, also at Newlands, against England, on 2 January 2016.
Captain Temba Bavuma (106) and wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne (100) also reached three figures, while all-rounder Marco Jansen passed 50 shortly before tea.
Spinner Salman Ali Agha took three wickets, while Hamza and Mohammad Abbas took two each.
South Africa lead 1-0 in the two-match Test series.