The second test match between Pakistan and South Africa gets underway in Rawalpindi on Thursday and the Proteas need to win to ensure the series ends all square.
The first test was staged in Karachi last week and it ended in a 7 wicket win for Pakistan who had started the game as favourites at a shade of odds against.
Quinton de Kock won the toss and elected to bat first but South Africa disappointed with a well below par total of 220 all out before the close of the first day.
Key wickets were lost to run outs (van der Dussen and Bavuma) and Dean Elgar (58) was the only Proteas batsman to make it past 35 runs. Yasir Shah was leading Pakistan wicket taker with 3.
Pakistan's reply began late on Day 1 and they quickly found trouble at 27/4. Day 2 saw Pakistan take control with Azhar Ali (51), Alam (109) and Faheem Ashraf (64) taking the hosts sailing past SA's total and eventually they were all out for 378. Kagiso Rabada reached the 200 test match wickets milestone as he and Maharaj both took 3 wickets.
South Africa's second innings started well enough, they put on 48 for the first stick and were on 175 when the second wicket fell. Markram (74) and van der Dussen (64) were the top scorers but the Proteas went from 185/2 to 225 all out with Bavuma (40) the only other score of note. Nauman Ali took 5 of the second innings wickets on his debut.
Although Nortje removed both Pakistan openers relatively early Pakistan never looked likely to fluff their lines and they completed a comfortable win.
This was how the teams lined up for the first test.
Pakistan: Abid Ali, Imran Butt, Azhar Ali, Babar Azam (c), Fawad Alam, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Faheem Ashraf, Yasir Shah, Hasan Ali, Nauman Ali, Shaheen Afridi
South Africa: Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Faf du Plessis, Rassie van der Dussen, Quinton de Kock (c & wk), Temba Bavuma, George Linde, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje
The Betting, 2nd Test Match Result
Pakistan 8/10
Draw 17/4
South Africa 12/5
Note, odds quoted are available at the time of writing but are subject to change
The Verdict:
The Prtoteas lost 14 of their 20 wickets to Pakistan's 2 front line spinners in Karachi and they will be hoping conditions are less suitable for that duo in Rawalpindi.
The “1st innings player to score a 50” for the Proteas caught my eye and Van der Dussen's quote of 2/1 stood out given he was run out in the first innings for 23 and made 64 in the second knock when the Proteas were battling to save the game.
There is no doubting the form of Fawad Alam after his ton in Karachi so the same price for him to do likewise for Pakistan also stood out.
Finally in the Man of the Match market Yasir Shah gets my vote with the Proteas battling to handle any turn.
Bets: 1st Innings player to score a 50, van der Dussen at 2/1
1st Innings player to score a 50, Fawad Alam at 2/1
Man of the Match Yasir Shah at 8/1
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