Series whitewash: South Africa beat Pakistan by an innings and 18 runs

A run out shortly after lunch sparked a collapse as Pakistan slid towards defeat.

PRETORIA: South Africa beat Pakistan by an innings and 18 runs to secure a 3-0 series victory on the third day of the third and final test at Centurion on Sunday.

Post-lunch, an immediate run out sparked a collapse as Pakistan slid towards defeat.

Pakistan showed some rare fighting spirit on their tour of South Africa and lost just one wicket in the morning session to reach 87 for two at lunch on day three of the third test at Centurion on Sunday.

The visitors, made to follow on, still trail by 166 runs in their second innings, but will be happy with the better application shown by their batsmen as they frustrated the home side.

South Africa expected more from their pace quartet on a helpful pitch and in perfect conditions but Azhar Ali (27 not out) and Imran Farhat (32 not out) added 48 runs for the third wicket and could not be separated.

Having lost a scoreless Mohammad Hafeez to the first ball of the innings last evening, Pakistan started day three on 14 for one.

There were plenty of deliveries going past the bat early on as the South African bowlers extracted bounce and movement out of a wicket that was doing plenty.

However, there was also a tendency to bowl short and wide, especially from Dale Steyn, who battled to find his radar.

When he did get it right he collected the wicket of Younus Khan (11) with a ball that pitched on middle stump and shaped away. Younus was forced to play, but could only get a thick edge to Graeme Smith at first slip.

Kyle Abbott, who claimed seven for 29 in Pakistan's first innings, troubled the batsmen with a straighter line and also with balls that kept low.

An early finish seemed in prospect when Pakistan lost four wickets quickly after lunch to be floundering at 114 for six, but Sarfraz Ahmed (27 not out) and Saeed Ajmal (30 not out) batted enterprisingly and with a modicum of luck to put on an unbeaten 62 for the seventh wicket.

Azhar Ali and Imran Farhat defied the South African bowlers for most of a morning during which only the wicket of Younis Khan fell.

They saw Pakistan through to lunch at 87 for two, with Azhar on 27, eked out over 110 balls.

But Azhar did not face another ball before he was run out by a superb throw from fine leg by Dale Steyn after being sent back by Farhat, who had initially been seeking a second run.

Pakistan's hopes of avoiding an innings defeat crumbled as three more wickets fell in quick succession.

Farhat was caught behind, slashing at first innings bowling hero Kyle Abbott for 43 and without addition to the score Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq edged an away-swinger from Rory Kleinveldt to wicketkeeper AB de Villiers.

Asad Shafiq made only six before he drove Kleinveldt to mid-off. But Sarfraz and Ajmal showed spirit in batting through until tea.

South Africa lead the three-match series 2-0 having won the first test in Johannesburg by 211 runs, before clinching the series with a four-wicket victory in Cape Town.

At tea Pakistan were 176 for six, still 77 runs short of an innings defeat which would complete a 3-0 series sweep for South Africa.