Dropped catches cost South Africa as Pakistan take control on Day 1

Captain Shan Masood and Abdullah Shafique survived four dropped catches to hit half centuries as Pakistan grinded to 259 for five against world champion South Africa on the opening day of the second and final test on Monday.

Masood, put down on 71, scored bulk of his runs in singles before falling for 87 off 176 balls in the final session on a dry wicket that is expected to favour the spinners more and more. Kagiso Rabada should have dismissed Shafique off his fourth ball of the test match, but had to wait for his first wicket until late on the first day when he trapped Mohammad Rizwan plumb lbw on the backfoot.

Left-hander Saud Shakeel was batting on 42 and Salman Ali Agha was not out on 10 at stumps as South Africa could get just one wicket with the second new ball late on Day 1. Surprisingly South Africa used its best bowler in the first test - Senuran Muthusamy - for only two brief spells of two overs each. Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer kept the scoring rate under control by sharing 54 overs in between them.


South Africa's scrappy fielding allowed Masood and Shafique to add 111 runs for the second wicket stand after spinners created several chances in the first two sessions but got little support from the fielders.