Pakistan's Eagle Shaheen Afridi sends world champions Proteas crashing to defeat in Lahore

The Proteas’ promise that they were ready to face Pakistan’s spin threat became a mantra before this Test series began. “Bring it on,” said stand-in captain Aiden Markram.

But in their obsession with countering the spinning ball, they were exposed by fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi’s mastery of reverse swing that brought this first Test at the Gaddafi Stadium to a rapid close.

Afridi, who is not known as the Eagle, blasted through the Proteas lower-order with four searing wickets to bundle the visitors out for 183, handing Pakistan a comfortable 93-run victory and a 1-0 lead in the series. 

It also brought an end to the World Test champions’ 10-match unbeaten streak, stretching back to the drawn Test against the West Indies in August last year. 

The defeat will sting, especially as the Proteas had their chances in this Test match, especially on the first day when they had Pakistan at 199/5, but some poor catching allowed the hosts to post an imposing 378. 

On a surface that was always going to transform into a pile of dust the longer the Test wore on, playing perfectly into the hands of ace left-arm spinner Noman Ali, they were fighting for survival from thereon. 

Noman Ali certainly made his mark with the veteran claiming another four wickets to go along with his six first innings scalps to complete yet another 10-fer, and he will only be itching for more after taking a little bit of tap from Proteas youngster Dewald Brevis on the fourth morning.

Brevis showed his more experienced teammates that run-scoring is not impossible on these surfaces through a positive mindset. Equally, Ryan Rickelton, across both innings, and first-innings centurion Tony de Zorzi also proved that through application and a dogged determination results could be achieved. 

On the bowling front, Senuran Muthasamy finally proved to be himself more than anyone else that he need not take backward step to his more illustrious spinning partner Keshav Maharaj with career-best figures of 11/174 and that he should be one the partnering Maharaj next week in the second Test in Rawalpindi.

Scoreboard

PAKISTAN v SOUTH AFRICA

First Test, Day 4

Pakistan: 378 & 167 (Babar 42, Muthusamy 5/57, Harmer 4/51)

South Africa: 269 & 183 (Brevis 54, Rickleton 45, Shaheen 4/33, Noman Ali 4/79)

Pakistan won by 93 runs, lead series 1-0