LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — Senuran Muthusamy took three wickets in four deliveries Monday in a career-best haul of 6-117 to help South Africa dismiss Pakistan for 378 on the second day of the first cricket test.
Salman Ali Agha became the second Pakistan batter to narrowly miss out on a century in this innings when he was last wicket to fall for the home team.
Left-arm spinner Muthusamy bowled a triple-wicket maiden over with three perfect full pitched balls as Pakistan slumped from 362-5 to 362-8. Nine overs later, Agha was dismissed for 93 when he holed out to Muthusamy at mid-on.
Opening batter Imam-ul-Haq also made 93 on the first day in his comeback to test cricket after almost two years, and shared a 161-run partnership with captain Shan Masood (76).
South Africa reached 10-0 in four tricky overs before lunch Monday on an abrasive wicket as Pakistan went straight with the left-arm spin of Noman Ali, who shared the new ball with Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Resuming on the overnight 313-5 on a dry pitch with plenty of variable bounce, Agha and Mohammad Rizwan (75) extended their partnership to 163 and denied Kagiso Rabada (1-56) a breakthrough in his four-over spell while showing lot of aggression against the off-spin of Simon Harmer, who finished with 1-101.
Agha, who survived an lbw television referral in Rabada’s second over, twice lifted Harmer for sixes while Rizwan negated the spinner with his trademark sweep shots before Pakistan lost a bundle of three wickets without scoring for the second time in the innings.
Rizwan and Agha’s partnership bettered Pakistan’s previous best for the sixth-wicket against South Africa — Moin Khan and Inzamam-ul-Haq combined for 144 at Faisalabad in 1997 — before Rizwan edged Muthusamy behind while attempting an off drive.
Muthusamy then bowled Noman and had Sajid Khan caught at slip by Aiden Markram to be on a hat-trick for the second time in the innings.
Agha, who hit five fours and three sixes in his 145-ball knock, denied Muthusamy hat-trick. Prenelan Subrayen (2-87) ended the innings when Agha went for a big hit against the off-spinner.
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