Pakistan Route 64 by 3 (Babar 31*, Ghulam 12, Rabada 2-9) South Africa 615 (Rickelton 259, Verreynne 100, Jansen 62, Abbas 3-94) by 551 runs
Having taken command before lunch, South Africa crushed Pakistan in the afternoon. Rickelton finished with a 259, just shy of Stephen Fleming’s 262 as the highest score at Newlands. Verreynne brought up his fourth Test hundred. Jansen, out of form with the bat for the entire year 2024, ushered in the new year with a whirlwind half-century. Six fours and three sixes helped him get there in 42 balls. Thus, as many as 137 runs were added in the second session, and South Africa rose to 566 for 7 by tea, their highest score at home in four years.
Pakistan continued to fight valiantly, but their efforts never seemed to bear fruit on a wicket that had long since flattened out and batsmen who had long since settled. Much of the second session became a milestone exercise. Verreynne continued the belligerence that had illuminated the first session, a boundary off Mohammad Abbas and a single off the next ball that added three figures. This put Newlands on his feet once more; Their legs may hurt from how often they had to do that.
Salman Ali Agha struck next to remove him as Verreynne tried to sweep hard, but that did little to hamper South Africa’s momentum. With no scoreboard pressure, Jansen let his natural talent do the talking, swinging freely and timing them beautifully. He needed 11 balls to break free, but once he did, there was no one to stop him. Two fours and a six from Khurram Shahzad in two successive overs helped form the 50th partnership in 46 balls, while Rickelton and Jansen helped themselves with sixes from Salman.
Pakistan finally saw Rickelton’s back before tea was announced. After hitting Mir Hamza on the head for four, he edged the next ball to Abbas at long-on, who held on to send him on his way, but not before almost doubling his Test tally in an innings.
By morning, Rickelton had become the first South African in eight years to score a double hundred in the Test as South Africa tightened its grip on the Test. Pakistan began the session with some promise, taking the new ball straight away and striking within four overs, when Abbas tempted David Bedingham to drive outside off off stump and induced an outside edge. It gave Pakistan a boost, but Rickelton simply continued the discipline that saw him remain unbeaten overnight on 176. He was cautious of long deliveries and disdainful of everything else.
Verreynne, meanwhile, was less discerning in his shot selection, a hook over a deep back square in front of Abbas revealing his intentions. It was a shot that defined the session for him; He hit two more sixes off Jamal in the final before lunch in the same manner. When Shan Masood placed three defenders close to cover, he still found a way to get through that region against Hamza, whose attempts to induce cover drives were successful, but not in the way he expected.
At the other end, Rickelton reached his double century with a punch to the offside, running towards the middle of the field in celebration. But the highlight belonged to Verreynne, who greeted Salman with a reverse sweep for four off the second ball and another to finish off the over. Before the session ended, Verreynne had bowled Jamal by plundering 17 runs in an over.
Pakistan finally managed to close out the innings after more than 140 overs under the hot Newlands sun, ending, with pleasing symmetry, as they began. Abbas hit the top to knock down the stumps of debutant Kwena Maphaka, just as Abbas would have done with the first ball of the innings had Aiden Markram’s pad not been in the way.
But as soon as they started with the bat, they would almost have been left wishing South Africa’s innings would not end. Masood didn’t see the first over, pushing a Rabada delivery that he nibbled and took his outside edge with it. Saud Shakeel fell in almost identical fashion as he drove uncharacteristically towards Rabada, the same lead went to the same defender, and David Bedingham made no mistake.
In the middle, Jansen’s extra pace and bounce forced Kamran Ghulam into an awkward position which culminated in his stumps scattering behind him.
So threatening was South Africa’s opening salvo and so apathetic were Pakistan’s batsmen that he felt the hosts might get deep into the tail tonight. But Babar Azam, opening in Ayub’s absence, dug in alongside Mohammad Rizwan, and South Africa’s replacement bowlers were not at the devastating level of Rabada and Jansen.
It helped Pakistan that they made sure to end a day that had no redeeming features in the hope that the next one might delay the inevitable a little longer.
Danyal Rasool is Pakistan correspondent for ESPNcricinfo. @danny61000
