South Africa are poised for victory after left-arm pacer Marco Jansen delivered a spellbinding six-wicket haul to bowl Pakistan out for 237 in their second innings on the third day of the first Test at SuperSport Park. The hosts need just 148 runs to secure the win. Marco Jansen, who took 1/43 in the first innings, recorded figures worth 6/52 from 14 overs in the 3rd innings.
The left-arm pacer has raced to 70 Test scalps from 16 matches at 20.74. He claimed his third five-wicket haul. As per ESPNCricinfo, Marco Jansen owns a tally of 48 scalps at home from 9 matches, averaging 18.27. Marco Jansen also recorded the 7th-best bowling figures by South African bowlers against Pakistan in Tests. Marco Jansen has bowled well in 2024. In 4 matches, he has picked 22 wickets at 17.22. His tally includes two five-wicket hauls, one four-wicket haul and a match haul of 10 scalps.
Marco Jansen, who finished with figures of 6 for 52, turned the game on its head during a devastating spell, ensuring Pakistan could not capitalize on their start. Saud Shakeel was the lone beacon of hope for Pakistan, crafting a determined 84 off 113 balls, including 10 boundaries and a six. Meanwhile, skipper Babar Azam showed glimpses of his class with a much-needed half-century—his first in 19 Test innings—before falling to Marco Jansen.
Day 3 : Post Lunch Session : Pakistan squander start as Marco Jansen’s 5-fer helps SA tighten control over Pakistan
Marco Jansen’s five-wicket haul helped South Africa tighten their control in the first Test with three wickets in the afternoon as Pakistan squandered a promising start following a rain delay that wiped out the morning session. Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel put on 79 for the fourth wicket, with Babar reaching his first Test half-century in two years, but holed out to deep third immediately after. Mohammad Rizwan was squeezed down leg, and Pakistan crumbled around Shakeel’s unbeaten 66, going into tea 122 ahead with just two wickets in hand.
South Africa continued to remain in the ascendancy in the first Test in Centurion as they picked up five crucial wickets in the second session to peg Pakistan back. Marco Jansen completed a five-wicket haul as he broke through the Pakistan middle order. The visitors will be ruing their missed opportunities to inflict further damage on the hosts after they were 153 for 3 at one stage but ended the session on 212 for 8 despite a 79-run stand between Saud Shakeel (66*)and Babar Azam (50). They currently lead by 122 runs
Persistent rain saw the game start an hour after the lunch break concluded, and Pakistan began by taking advantage of a bowling effort that was nowhere near its best. Shakeel and Babar each worked Kagiso Rabada away for four in the third over, and the runs flowed for the next half hour. Twenty-three came off the next three, and though Babar still found himself beaten a few times, he was also finding the timing that in the past was so often a precursor to a big score.
After the first session was completely rained out on Day 3, Kagiso Rabada, the best bowler for the hosts in terms of control, was not as consistent in his opening burst on Day 3. He provided width which Shakeel and Babar cashed in on as the batters brought up the lead for the tourists.
The two Pakistan batters were positive throughout the opening hour, presenting the full face of the bat to find boundaries with ease. Pakistan brought up the 50-run lead in no time and soon after, Azam reached his milestone of 50. It was Azam’s first 50+ score in 20 innings and the first since 2023. But Azam fell an over later as he slashed an innocuous delivery from Marco Jansen straight to deep point.
Corbin Bosch found that out when he missed his line twice and Babar helped himself to two boundaries, before a clip into the covers brought up the long awaited half-century, his first in 20 innings. But he threw it away disappointingly, failing to get on top of a short and wide one from Marco Jansen, Bosch barely having to move to send a devastated Babar on his way.
It was soon a session of two halves for the visitors. Shakeel survived an LBW shout which could have gone either way but battled through to bring up his 50. But yet again, after a Pakistan batter reached a milestone, a wicket fell for the tourists and this time it was Mohammad Rizwan. The batter was strangled down the legside for just three before Salman Agha nicked behind after attempting a booming cover drive, as Marco Jansen picked up his fifth.
A brief partnership between Shakeel and Aamer Jamal of 32 runs ensued as the visitors attempted to claw themselves back into the game. But just when it was looking threatening, Jamal fell into the trap as he pulled Dane Paterson to the hands of deep mid-wicket. Rabada picked up his second of the innings as Naseem Shah nicked behind to third slip with the visitors continuing to capitulate
Marco Jansen was finding the wickets that eluded him in the first innings, with Rizwan and Salman Agha falling cheaply. A brief stand between Shakeel and Aamer Jamal once more gave the impression Pakistan would go into tea six down, before Jamal lobbed a tame Dane Paterson bouncer straight to deep midwicket, and Naseem helpfully nicking Rabada into the slips. It was the exclamation mark on a session that, for South Africa, had, under grey clouds, began much less brightly.
Day 3 : Afternoon Session : Abbas, Shahzad keep Pakistan’s hopes alive with early wickets in a chase of 148 after Marco Jansen’s 6-fer
Pakistan struck thrice late on Day 3 to leave the first Test in the balance heading into Day 4 at SuperSport Park in Centurion. Mohammad Abbas and Khurram Shahzad had the ball on a string, getting the red cherry to beat the bat on numerous occasions before prizing out all three key wickets in the same manner – LBW. The hosts are currently 27 for 3 at Stumps and require a further 121 runs with seven wickets in hand to clinch a berth in the World Test Championship Final at Lord’s in June.
Before that, Marco Jansen picked up a six-wicket haul (6-52) to commence a Pakistan collapse from 153 for 3 to 237 all-out. Saud Shakeel top-scored with 84 and Babar Azam chipped in with 50 himself, his first half-century since 2023.
South Africa ended Pakistan’s resistance fairly quickly after the Tea break, within eight overs to be precise. However, Shakeel added some quick runs to the visitors total with three fours and a six as he farmed the strike from Shahzad. But he missed a full toss from Marco Jansen which rendered him plumb in front of the stumps. Corbin Bosch plucked the last wicket of Abbas as the debutant ended with five wickets in the match leaving the hosts a target of 148 to chase.
In the nine-over burst the hosts had to face, Aiden Markram scored a boundary in the first over with a half-hearted shot which fortunately for him, went over the slips. Shahzad began to find his rhythm in his second over with some beauties which cut Tony de Zorzi in half. Abbas from the other end then got one to keep low which thudded into the batter’s pads as he was adjudged to be in front of the stumps. Abbas then squared up Ryan Rickelton with a couple of deliveries before Shahzad picked him up for a duck.
Markram played a punch of the backfoot for four but new batter Tristan Stubbs faced a peach from Abbas which thudded into his pads sending him back for one. Both Rickelton and Stubbs were initially given not-out but Pakistan’s use of DRS was superb in the second innings as they got both reviews correct. Markram hit two more boundaries before Stumps was called due to bad light.
Road Ahead on Day 4 for South Africa and Pakistan
Nitin Menon takes a reading and asks Shan Masood if he wants to bring on a spinner. The Pakistan captain refuses and that’ll be stumps on Day 3. A superb passage of play from the visitors and you could say this Test is finely poised. It’s going to be 121 runs v 7 wickets when play resumes tomorrow and that’s a tasty affair.
The bowling has been top notch with veteran Mohammad Abbas leading from the front. He has made this new ball talk and has been rewarded with a couple of wickets, Khurram Shahzad has been the ideal foil and he struck by sending back Ryan Rickelton.
Pakistan’s reviewing was top notch and they were rewarded with two successful DRS calls. 148 ain’t a big target, but these are the chases which can get very nervy, if it isn’t already. Aiden Markram has started well and will probably have to play the big innings, he needs a couple of partners to stay on and that should probably be enough.
Off for bad light! And that will be stumps as well. The umpires ask Masood if he is willing to bring on slower bowlers, he says no and they are taken off. The light has deteriorated a bit in the last 15 minutes and that is enough to force the players off.
Pakistan have smiles on their faces as they make their way off the field, but boy, will South Africa be relieved! What a little spell of seam bowling we have seen here. And that has meant South Africa will not sleep easy over their qualification for the WTC final. Abbas has bowled away in such conditions in the county circuit and brought all his experience into play. His plan looked simple – attack the stumps and let the indecisive length do the rest. Shahzad supported him well. And as a result, we have a contest in our hands.
Babar ended his half-century drought today, scoring a fifty for the first time since December 2022. But once he was dismissed, Marco Jansen ran through the line-up to pick up a six-for. The only resistance that South Africa encountered was from Shakeel, who batted magnificently for 84. That meant South Africa had a tricky target of 148. Why the target was in the ‘tricky’ territory was amply seen in the last half hour.
Rain. Runs. Ruins. It was an action packed rain curtailed day at the SuperSport Park. 10 wickets fell. Babar and Shakeel scored some runs and at the end of day 3, it seems the game is in the balance. It wasn’t when Pakistan handed a target of only 148. But the visitors known for their out of the bolt performances thrived under pressure and bargained three early wickets to have SA reeling at 27 for 3 by the end of day 3. Markram has looked solid but the deck has enough it to keep the bowlers interested.
Despite setting a target, Pakistan’s totals of 211 and 237 pale in comparison to South Africa’s first-innings 301, leaving the Proteas with a manageable chase. With their batting lineup in form, South Africa are in a commanding position to wrap up the match on Day 4. With Marco Jansen’s brilliance and South Africa’s strong foundation, the Test is heading for a dramatic finish. Fans await to see if the Proteas will seal their dominance or if Pakistan has a final twist in store.