Du Plessis's ton gives South Africa 205-run lead against Pakistan
CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - Captain Faf du Plessis led from the front with a hard-earned century to give South Africa a commanding 205-run advantage at the end of the second day of the second Test against Pakistan at Newlands on Friday.
Du Plessis failed to score in either innings in the first Test in Pretoria last week, but made 103 in a 226-ball knock as South Africa piled up 382 for six in reply to Pakistan’s 177 all out on the opening day.
Pakistan will be up against it on Saturday when South Africa resume with Quinton de Kock not out on 55 and Vernon Philander on six as they look to press home their advantage.
Du Plessis had to toil for his ninth Test century on an uneven pitch, hitting some superb shots through extra cover but also surviving being dropped on 96 to an easy catch down leg that Pakistan wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed spilt.
He was eventually out to a feint tickle off teenager Shaheen Shah, who finished the day with the best Pakistan figures of 3-112.
Temba Bavuma, who saw two reviews go his way, made 75 and it was his 156-run fifth wicket partnership with the skipper that enabled South Africa to take the game away from their opponents after losing two wickets early in the day.
South Africa were on 123-2 overnight but Hashim Amla (24) and Theunis de Bruyn (13) departed in the morning session before Bavuma, having scored three, was reprieved by the third umpire after appearing to be caught in the slips.
It was decided that the catch had been taken off the turf.
He also survived a lbw decision with the review going his way to the exasperation of Pakistan.
Bavuma was eventually caught by Sarfraz off Shaheen, who then also bagged du Plessis but only after another review, which this time went Pakistan’s way.
De Kock hit fours off his first two deliveries and never looked back as he raced to his half century off 59 balls.
SCOREBOARD
Pakistan 1st innings Imam ul-Haq lbw Vernon Philander 8 Fakhar Zaman c Temba Bavuma b Dale Steyn 1 Shan Masood c Quinton de Kock b Kagiso Rabada 44 Azhar Ali c Hashim Amla b Duanne Olivier 2 Asad Shafiq c Dean Elgar b Kagiso Rabada 20 Babar Azam c Faf du Plessis b Duanne Olivier 2 Sarfraz Ahmed c Quinton de Kock b Duanne Olivier 56 Mohammad Amir Not Out 22 Yasir Shah c Faf du Plessis b Duanne Olivier 5 Mohammad Abbas c Quinton de Kock b Dale Steyn 0 Shaheen Afridi c Quinton de Kock b Dale Steyn 3 Extras 8b 2lb 1nb 0pen 3w 14 Total (51.1 overs) 177 all out Fall of Wickets : 1-9 Zaman, 2-13 ul-Haq, 3-19 Ali, 4-51 Shafiq, 5-54 Azam, 6-114 Khan, 7-156 Ahmed, 8-162 Shah, 9-163 Abbas, 10-177 Afridi Bowling Ov Md Rn Wk Econ Ex Dale Steyn 15.1 4 48 3 3.16 1w Vernon Philander 11 3 36 1 3.27 Kagiso Rabada 10 2 35 2 3.50 1nb Duanne Olivier 15 3 48 4 3.20 2w ......................................................... South Africa 1st innings Aiden Markram b Shan Masood 78 Dean Elgar c Sarfraz Ahmed b Mohammad Amir 20 Hashim Amla b Mohammad Abbas 24 Theunis de Bruyn c Babar Azam b Shaheen Afridi 13 Faf du Plessis c Sarfraz Ahmed b Shaheen Afridi 103 Temba Bavuma c Sarfraz Ahmed b Shaheen Afridi 75 Quinton de Kock Not Out 55 Vernon Philander Not Out 6 Extras 5b 1lb 2nb 0pen 0w 8 Total (116.0 overs) 382-6 Fall of Wickets : 1-56 Elgar, 2-123 Markram, 3-126 Amla, 4-149 de Bruyn, 5-305 Bavuma, 6-356 du Plessis To Bat : Steyn, Rabada, Olivier Bowling Ov Md Rn Wk Econ Ex Mohammad Amir 29 9 69 1 2.38 2nb Mohammad Abbas 31 8 81 1 2.61 Shaheen Afridi 26 3 112 3 4.31 Yasir Shah 21 1 79 0 3.76 Shan Masood 5 1 19 1 3.80 Asad Shafiq 4 0 16 0 4.00 ............................. Umpire Bruce Oxenford Umpire Joel Wilson Video Sundaram Ravi Match Referee David Boon
