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Muhammad Naeem Khan Niazi
LAHORE, Oct 15 (APP):Another four-wicket haul by Noman Ali brought Pakistan closer to victory as South Africa lost six wickets for 137 runs in pursuit of 277 at lunch on the fourth day of the first test match at Gaddafi Stadium here on Wednesday.
Both the overnight batters and first innings top-scorers for the proteas Tony de Zorzi 16 (47) and Ryan Rickelton 45 (145) are back in the hut. The firebrand explosive young Dewald Bervis 54 (54) gave Pakistan a scare as he built a partnership of 73 runs off 97 balls with Rickelton but he was clean bowled off an excellent ball by Noman Ali. The ball was looped towards the leg-side and as Brevis played the ball on the leg it turned sharply to smash into the off-stump, leaving the batter bamboozled.
Earlier, South Africa had a disastrous start to the fourth day’s play when first innings centurion Tony de Zorzi lost his wicket to Shaheen Shah Afridi’s reverse swing as the ball nipped back and hit the pads in front of the wickets without adding to the overnight score. He reviewed the decision but the snickometer did not detect any edge. Zorzi departed without adding any run to the overnight score of 51.
Trsitan Stubbs lasted only eight balls as he was caught in the slips reverse sweeping Noman Ali for 2 (8) with the team total at 55-4.
Ryan Rickelton got a life at 60-4 when Mohammad Rizwan missed a stumping chance off Noman Ali. The ball was too wide to handle and that saved the batter. Rickelton put up serious resistance and looked to score another fifity in the match but he was caught by Salman Agha in the first slip off Sajid Khan which gave Sajid first wicket of the second innings. Ball had pitched outside leg stump and as the batter tried to play it on the leg the sharp turn took a sharp edge and rested in the hands of Agha.
Noman Ali has got yet another 10-wicket haul with four wickets in the second innings, while Shaheen and Sajid Khan have claimed one wicket each so far.