This article may contain graphic and/or adult content unsuitable for minors and sensitive readers.
South Africa completed a rousing, four-wicket victory against Pakistan on Sunday when they chased down a victory target of 182 at Sahara Park Newlands to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the Sunfoil Test series with one match to play.
Vernon Philander once again played the lead role on his home ground when the tourists resumed their second innings on 100-3, a lead of 112. Philander claimed two wickets in as many balls to break the back of the batting resistance as a promising position was reduced to a total of 169 all out.
Hashim Amla (58) and AB de Villiers (36) led the charge towards victory but there was still time for mystery spinner Saeed Ajmal to take another four wickets to add to his six in the first innings for a match haul of 10-147 with South Africa finishing on 182-6.
Pakistan’s loss of seven wickets for the addition of just 69 runs in the morning began with an injudicious sweep shot from captain Misbah-ul-Haq (44) against Robin Peterson which ended in the hands of opposite number Graeme Smith at short fine leg.
Philander bowled Asad Shafiq (19) when a text-book defensive stroke saw the ball spin back on to the stumps and wicket keeper Sarfraz Ahmed (5) then left a delivery from Peterson which spun past his pads from outside leg-stump to hit the top of off-stump.
Philander’s game-changing ‘double’ began with Azhar Ali (65) edging a perfect leg-cutter to AB de Villiers and concluded with a spectacular slip catch by Alviro Petersen to remove Umar Gul for a duck. His return of 4-40 gave him a match haul of 9-99 and 30 wickets at Sahara Park Newlands at an average of less than 12.
Amla’s 58 from 96 balls laid the platform for victory but De Villiers’ 36 from 45 balls provided the injection to the innings which allowed the match to be concluded comfortably before the scheduled close of the fourth day.
