Pakistan left-arm spinner Abdul Rehman took three wickets and scored his maiden half-century to foil South Africa’s attempts to win the second Test at Abu Dhabi Stadium yesterday.
Rehman checked South Africa’s quest for quick runs in order to set a target for Pakistan with wickets of Alvior Petersen (35), Hashim Amla (62) and AB de Villiers (25) before South Africa closed the fourth day at 173-4, for an overall lead of 323.
Ashwell Prince was unbeaten on 27 and Mark Boucher was 13 not out on a day when the 30-year-old Rehman became Pakistan’s savior.
Rehman scored a career-best 60 to help Pakistan score 434 in their first-innings in reply to South Africa’s mammoth 584-9 declared — the first time Pakistan crossed the 400-mark in a Test this year.
South Africa, for whom captain Graeme Smith couldn’t open the innings after a recurrence of his finger injury, were running out of time to enforce a result in this match and the series which is tied at 0-0.
The first Test ended in a draw in Dubai last week.
SRI LANKA V WEST INDIES
REUTERS, COLOMBO
Sri Lanka, batting first on a new pitch, struggled for runs on a restricted opening day of the second Test against West Indies to crawl to 84-3 at the close yesterday.
Bad light and rain curtailed play after only eight balls in the final session. Just 37.2 overs were possible in the day.
The West Indies fast bowlers made full use of the pitch and conditions to capture three cheap wickets for 34 runs before skipper Kumar Sangakkara (25) and Thilan Samaraweera (26) put a stop to the rot with an unbroken partnership of 50 for the fourth wicket.
Kemar Roach struck the first blow for West Indies when he got rid of the dangerous Tillakaratne Dilshan for four by piercing his defense.
Roach also captured the wicket of the other opener Tharanga Paranavitana for 16 when he tempted him to edge a catch to second slip.
Skipper Darren Sammy, who bowled a marathon 17 over spell, was rewarded with his first wicket of the series when he bowled Mahela Jayawardene between bat and pad for two.
Sangakkara and Samaraweera then deprived the West Indies bowlers from gaining the ascendancy.
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