SA in driving seat at 2nd Pak Test

Pakistan struggle at 64-3, trailing by 551

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA:

Ryan Rickelton posted the joint seventh-highest score by a South African in tests with 259 as his side ran up a huge 615 before reducing Pakistan to an effective 64 for four at the close on day two of the second and final test at Newlands on Saturday.

Pakistan have lost three wickets but, with in-form opener Saim Ayub out of the game due to an ankle fracture sustained in the field on day one, they are a batter light and trail by 551 runs.

Babar Azam is 31 not out and will resume on the third morning with Mohammad Rizwan on nine as Pakistan attempt to make inroads into their huge deficit. Seamer Kagiso Rabada (2-9) has taken two of the three wickets to fall, having visiting captain Shan Masood (2) and Saud Shakeel (0) both caught at first slip by David Bedingham.

Tall seamer Marco Jansen forced Kamran Ghulam (12) to chop the ball on to his own stumps. But the day belonged to Rickelton, who posted his highest first-class score in a 10-hour, 343-ball stay at the wicket that contained 29 fours and three sixes.

He put on a partnership of 235 with captain Temba Bavuma (106) on the first day and 148 with Kyle Verreynne (100) as the South African batters made hay in the sweltering conditions in Cape Town. Having been elevated to open the innings due to an injury to Tony de Zorzi, Rickelton was finally dismissed when he attempted a tired swipe at seamer Mir Hamza and skied a catch to Mohammad Abbas at mid-on.

The tourists removed Bedingham for five early in the day as he became one of wicketkeeper Rizwan's six victims in the innings, this time off the bowling of Abbas (3-94) with a poor shot outside off-stump.

That brought Verreynne to the wicket and he unleashed his full array of strokes on the tiring visitors, reaching his fourth Test century from 144 balls with five sixes before he was caught by Aamer Jamal on the midwicket boundary off spinner Salman Agha (3-148).

Jansen hit a breezy 62 from 54 balls and Keshav Maharaj got 40 from 35 deliveries as the home side looked for quick runs at the end of their innings. South Africa have already claimed their place in June's World Test Championship final at Lord's against as yet unconfirmed opponents, and are looking to win this series 2-0 after claiming a tense first test by two wickets in Pretoria. Reuters

Windies arrive in Dubai for Test tour of Pak

The West Indies squad arrived in Dubai on Saturday ahead of their highly anticipated Test tour of Pakistan.

Cricket West Indies (CWI) confirmed that the team will undergo recovery sessions in Dubai before heading to Pakistan. The Caribbean team is scheduled to land in Islamabad on January 6, marking the start of their first Test series in Pakistan in 19 years.

To prepare for the series, the West Indies will play a three-day practice match against Pakistan Shaheens, which begins on January 10. Both the West Indies and Pakistan Shaheens squads will assemble on January 6.

Training for the hosts will begin on January 7 at the Islamabad Club, while the visitors will conduct two intensive training sessions on January 8 and 9 in preparation for the upcoming Test series.

The two-match Test series will be held at Multan Cricket Stadium. This series is significant as it marks the West Indies' first Test series in Pakistan since their 2006 tour. Despite not having played a Test series in Pakistan for nearly two decades, the West Indies have toured the country three times since 2018 for limited-overs series.

Pakistan and the West Indies have faced off in 54 Test matches, with Pakistan leading the head-to-head record with 21 victories. The West Indies have won 18 matches, while 15 Tests have ended in draws.

The most recent longer-format series between the two teams took place in 2021 when Pakistan toured the West Indies for a two-match Test series. That series ended in a draw, with the West Indies winning the first Test by one wicket and Pakistan claiming victory in the second Test by 109 runs.

West Indies Test Squad:

Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Alick Athanaze, Keacy Carty, Joshua Da Silva, Justin Greaves, Kavem Hodge, Tevin Imlach, Amir Jangoo, Mikyle Louis, Gudakesh Motie, Anderson Phillip, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales, Kevin Sinclair, Jomel Warrican. Reuters