1st Test Pakistan vs South Africa Day 3: SA 72-4 at close in second innings, trail by 121 runs

Pakistan are firmly in control of the first Test against South Africa at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

After gaining a 193-run first innings lead, Pakistan reduced the Proteas to 72 for 4 in their second innings to set themselves up for a comprehensive victory in the Two-Test series.

With two days to go and Pakistan bowlers extracting more life from the placid pitch compared to the South African pace attack, it will be a testing time for AB De Villiers and night-watchman Dale Steyn who will resume batting tomorrow.

All the Pakistan bowlers got wickets to get rid of the top four South African batsmen to make for a happy Eid occasion for their fans.

The day belonged to Pakistan with the skipper first leading from the front with a patient century, while wicket-keeper Adnan Akmal played a nice cameo towards the end with 32.

Dale Steyn was the pick of the bowlers for the Proteas with three wickets, while Vernon Philander too took three to reach 92 wickets from 17 Tests.

Zulfiqar Babar bowling the last over of the day gets Amla out off his first ball, getting the edge of the bat from a peach of a ball. 

Hashim Amla c Akmal b Zulfiqar Babar 10 (27b, 0x4, 0x6)

Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers play cautiously as they take SA to 72 for 3 with just an over to go to end the day's play.

South Africa in all sorts of trouble as birthday boy Kallis is trapped in front of wicket by Junaid Khan. This is the first time in 32 innings Kallis has fallen for a duck. 

Jacques Kallis LBW Junaid Khan 0 (5b, 0x4, 0x6)

Ajmal thus bagged his 150th victim from 29 Tests. 

Smith, who looked uncomfortable against Ajmal, once again was foxed by the bowler as he stepped out and missed and wicket-keper Akmal, who failed to collect it at the first attempt, grabbed the ball to remove the bails.

Graeme Smith st Akmal b Ajmal 32 (61b, 2x4, 0x6)

Mohammad Irfan, who troubled both batsmen, finally got his reward when he had Petersen gloving one to wicket-keeper Adnan Akmal.

Alviro Petersen c Adnan Akmal b Irfan 17 (32b, 1x4, 0x6)

South Africa move along slowly and nicely to 35 for no loss after 10 overs with Smith unbeaten on 18 and Petersen 16.

Graeme Smith and Alviro Petersen push and prod for runs with Smith struggling a bit against Mohammad Irfan after being rapped on the pads twice.

Pakistan introduce spin as early as the fourth over with Ajmal replacing Junaid.

Pakistan rode on a century from skipper Misbah-ul-Haq to take a commanding lead over South Africa in the first Test at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.

Misbah was out on 100, his fourth Test ton, as Pakistan ended their innings on 442 to take a healthy lead of 193 runs.

Adnan Akmal chipped in with a useful 32 as the South African bowlers toiled in the hot sun.

Steyn came back in style bagging three wickets and a run out. Vernon Philander also ended with three wickets and Duminy chipped in with two.

Steyn sends Akmal's stumps cart-wheeling to end the Pakistan innings at 442. Steyn finished with figures of three for 88. 

Adnan Akmal b Steyn 32 (59b, 5x4, 0x6)

Steyn bowls a short ball to Junaid who tries to pull it over mid-wicket but hands Morkel an easy catch.

Junaid Khan c Morkel b Steyn 3 (4b, 0x4, 0x6)

Pakistan take tea at 429 for 8 after Zulfiqar Babar was brilliantly run out by Steyn.

Earlier, skipper Misbah scored a century to propel Pakistan to a healthy lead.

Zulfiqar Babar run out 2 (10b, 0x4, 0x6)

Ajmal pokes at an away going ball from Philander and it ends in De Villiers' gloves. South Africa celebrate but Ajmal calls for a review which is later given out.

Saeed Ajmal c de Villiers b Philander 13 (15b, 2x4, 0x6)

Saeed Ajmal and Adnan Akmal throw their bats around for some quick runs. Ajmal was a bit lucky when an edge went past the slips between Smith and Kallis.

Misbah is trapped plumb in front of wicket by Steyn but calls for a review which is upheld. 

Misbah LBW Steyn 100 (187b, 4x8, 0x6)

Misbah completes his fourth Test hundred after pushing Duminy to mid-wicket.

New man Adnan Akmal gets a nasty inswinger from Morkel and de Villiers dives to collect it down the leg side. The South Africans appeal for a caught behind which is given out by the umpire but Adnan goes for a referral and after a lot of deliberation from the third umpire is given not out. 

South Africa are left without any reviews.

Shafiq mistimes this slower one from Duminy and hands Petersen an easy catch at short mid-wicket. His sixth-wicket partnership with Misbah was worth 82 runs.

Asad Shafiq c Petersen b Duminy 54 (105b, 5x4, 0x6)

Shafiq, gaining in confidence, gets to his 50 off 102 balls with five boundaries as Pakistan stretch their lead to 118.

Misbah moves into the eighties, his highest Test score against South Africa.

South Africa appeal for a caught-behind against Misbah which was given not out. Smith went for the referral and after replays it showed that the bat hit the ground and not the ball. The Proteas are left with just 1 review now. 

Pakistan went into lunch against South Africa with a 103-run lead in the first innings of the 1st Test match at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.

At the crease was skipper Misbah-ul-Haq with an unbeaten 78 from 136 balls and Asad Shafiq with 40 from 87 balls.

Their 60-run partnership for the fifth wicket helped Pakistan reach 352 for 4 after centurion Khurram Manzoor departed scoring a brilliant 146. 

Misbah and Shafiq involved in a 50-run partnership from 103 balls as Pakistan stretch their lead to 100.

Kallis tries to get back at Shafiq with a short ball but Shafiq hooks him over deep fine leg for another boundary.

Shafiq sends Kallis through the covers to the boundary. Suddenly there is a flurry of runs.

Misbah goes after Peterson, smacking him for a boundary and two runs as runs begin to flow. Pakistan hold a 82-run lead.

Shafiq opens up a bit clipping Kallis off his legs to mid-wicket for two and then finding the gap between covers for a boundary to up the scoring. 

Pakistan move at a snail's pace after the fall of Manzoor's wicket, lead South Africa by 74 runs. 

Asad Shafiq plays with a straight bat to send Morkel through mid-off for three runs as Pakistan reach 300 for 4 in 95 overs.

Opener Manzoor's long innings comes to an end when he reaches out for an outswinger from Philander only to edge it to birthday boy Kallis, who takes his 195th catch from 163 matches.

Khurram Manzoor c Kallis b Philander 146 (266b, 15x4, 0x6) 

Manzoor goes down on one knee to thump Steyn through covers for a boundary.

Manzoor with an unbeaten 137 becomes the highest scorer for Pakistan against South Africa. 

Misbah nudges Philander for two to reach his 22nd fifty in Tests.

Misbah uses soft hands to guide a ball through the slip cordon for four.

Pakistan will look to consolidate their position after they were firmly placed at 263 for 3 against South Africa when they resume their innings today.

Overnight batsmen Khurram Manzoor and skipper Misbah-ul-Haq looked in good touch yesterday and Pakistan will hope they carry on their form to build up a good platform for a healthy total.

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