1st Test: Steyn bowls South Africa to victory
World’s number one Test bowler claims 11 in match to hand Pakistan 211-run defeat.
Steyn was the chief tormentor against Pakistan with 11 wickets in the match as the tourists struggled to handle his fiery spells. PHOTO: AFP
JOHANNESBURG:
Dale Steyn struck with the second new ball to secure a 211-run win for South Africa before lunch on the fourth day of the first Test against Pakistan at the Wanderers Stadium yesterday.
Steyn dismissed overnight batsmen Asad Shafiq and Misbahul Haq inside his first three overs with the new ball to sweep away the last serious resistance by the tourists.
He also took the last two wickets to finish with five for 52 and match figures of 11 for 60.
He became the first player in Test history to make a century and claim ten or more dismissals in a match after hitting an unbeaten 103 in the second innings.
Graeme Smith, captaining a South African Test side for the 100th time, said his men had achieved a peak of excellence on the second day when they bowled out Pakistan for 49 and then stretched their lead beyond 400 with solid batting.
“Day two was the standard,” he said. “We reached the height that we can achieve as a team. Staying at that level was the challenge. To keep backing up performances is the key for us. We have to focus on keeping standards high.”
Shafiq’s dismissal ended a stubborn fifth wicket stand of 127 with Misbah. The pair added 20 runs to the overnight total of 183 for four in the five overs that had to be bowled before the new ball could be taken. Only another four runs were added before Steyn had Shafiq caught at second slip by Jacques Kallis for 56 in the third over with the new ball. Shafiq had faced 168 balls and hit nine fours
In his next over Steyn had Pakistan captain Misbah caught behind for 64, made off 167 balls with 11 boundaries.
Sarfraz Ahmed chopped a ball from Vernon Philander on to his stumps and Saeed Ajmal provided De Villiers with his tenth catch of the match when he gloved a lifting ball from Morne Morkel to the wicketkeeper. Steyn had Gul caught behind and then trapped Junaid leg before wicket with the fourth ball of the last over before lunch.
Misbah said Pakistan needed to find a way to deal with South Africa’s fast bowlers.
“We have to give credit to the South African bowlers, especially Steyn. He took the game away from us,” said Misbah.
“We have to work on how to handle the new ball and the outswinging deliveries. We have to negotiate that well.”
The second Test will be played at Cape Town on February 14.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 5th, 2013.
Dale Steyn struck with the second new ball to secure a 211-run win for South Africa before lunch on the fourth day of the first Test against Pakistan at the Wanderers Stadium yesterday.
Steyn dismissed overnight batsmen Asad Shafiq and Misbahul Haq inside his first three overs with the new ball to sweep away the last serious resistance by the tourists.
He also took the last two wickets to finish with five for 52 and match figures of 11 for 60.
He became the first player in Test history to make a century and claim ten or more dismissals in a match after hitting an unbeaten 103 in the second innings.
Graeme Smith, captaining a South African Test side for the 100th time, said his men had achieved a peak of excellence on the second day when they bowled out Pakistan for 49 and then stretched their lead beyond 400 with solid batting.
“Day two was the standard,” he said. “We reached the height that we can achieve as a team. Staying at that level was the challenge. To keep backing up performances is the key for us. We have to focus on keeping standards high.”
Shafiq’s dismissal ended a stubborn fifth wicket stand of 127 with Misbah. The pair added 20 runs to the overnight total of 183 for four in the five overs that had to be bowled before the new ball could be taken. Only another four runs were added before Steyn had Shafiq caught at second slip by Jacques Kallis for 56 in the third over with the new ball. Shafiq had faced 168 balls and hit nine fours
In his next over Steyn had Pakistan captain Misbah caught behind for 64, made off 167 balls with 11 boundaries.
Sarfraz Ahmed chopped a ball from Vernon Philander on to his stumps and Saeed Ajmal provided De Villiers with his tenth catch of the match when he gloved a lifting ball from Morne Morkel to the wicketkeeper. Steyn had Gul caught behind and then trapped Junaid leg before wicket with the fourth ball of the last over before lunch.
Misbah said Pakistan needed to find a way to deal with South Africa’s fast bowlers.
“We have to give credit to the South African bowlers, especially Steyn. He took the game away from us,” said Misbah.
“We have to work on how to handle the new ball and the outswinging deliveries. We have to negotiate that well.”
The second Test will be played at Cape Town on February 14.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 5th, 2013.