Player of the Match
Player of the Match

Presentation:

Misbah: "Improved performance especially the batting. It was Peterson who took the advantage from us. If we had set 250 target that would have been tricky on this wicket. Credit to the South African bowlers today, we could not score fully. The pressure created leads to wickets. Ajmal always puts us in commanding situations.

Smith: "It was a tough Test. The conditions reminded me of the subcontinent. Ajmal's not the No.1 bowler for no reason. It's a quality bunch of guys. We were hoping to strike with the second new ball but Vernon struck for us. We turned it around in our first innings. Robbie's 84 really contributed well for us."

The Man of the Match is Robin Peterson: "I'm pleased we got over the line. All week the coaching staff had been hammering it to me to play with more positive intent. Everyone did their part, even though we missed Morne. I've said it before that Ajmal is a genius. To take those wickets and not get the Man of the Match must be disappointing for him."

Win for Smith in his 100th Test as captain of South Africa. Plenty to read on this match in the next few hours. Thanks for your company and the mails. We'll see you all for the Centurion Test starting on Friday. Cheers!

End of match: South Africa take an unassailable 2-0 series lead with one to play. They were pushed close in this Test but showed the character to bounce back after struggling in the first innings. Peterson's knock helped get them close to Pakistan's score, but the visitors couldn't capitalise as well as they would have liked. There was a turnaround today when the ball was changed after the first drinks break, triggering off a collapse. From then on it was all South Africa.

Pakistan fought hard and they shouldn't be too despondent. Their errors were obvious. At the start, they erred by not playing an extra spinner in Abdur Rehman. Ajmal had to shoulder almost all the burden. To say that Mohammad Hafeez was underbowled would be an understatement. Misbah will have a lot to answer. Selection cost Pakistan here. Tanvir was hardly a seam option. He didn't have the pace, nor the movement. Expect changes at Centurion. Ajmal toiled manfully, and Shafiq and Younis showed fine character under pressure in the first innings.

43.1
1
Saeed Ajmal to Elgar, 1 run, Game, set, series to South Africa! Slog to finish things things off, tossed up and he gets on his knee and clears midwicket

END OF OVER:
43 | (maiden) | SA: 181/6

  • Robin Peterson1 (9b)
  • Dean Elgar10 (12b)
  • Mohammad Hafeez2-1-11-0
  • Saeed Ajmal17-2-50-4
42.6
0
Mohammad Hafeez to Peterson, no run, still no win! Fine over from Hafeez, tossed up on the pads and he works it to midwicket
42.5
0
Mohammad Hafeez to Peterson, no run, cramped him for room as he tried to cut, chops it to point
42.4
0
Mohammad Hafeez to Peterson, no run, turn and bounce again and it clips his pads and rolls away
42.3
0
Mohammad Hafeez to Peterson, no run, stays back and he pushes it to mid-on
42.2
0
Mohammad Hafeez to Peterson, no run, where did that turn from! Gosh! That kicked up and turned so far that Younis collected it at first slip
42.1
0
Mohammad Hafeez to Peterson, no run, comes down the wicket, flatter delivery and he cuts straight to point

And Hafeez gets a bowl!

END OF OVER:
42 | 2 Runs 1 Wkt | SA: 181/6

  • Robin Peterson1 (3b)
  • Dean Elgar10 (12b)
  • Saeed Ajmal17-2-50-4
  • Tanvir Ahmed5-0-34-1
41.6
1
Saeed Ajmal to Peterson, 1 run, gets an inside edge that sneaks past short leg and SA have equalled
41.5
0
Saeed Ajmal to Peterson, no run, tossed up on middle and off and he gets forward and pushes it to the off side
41.4
0
Saeed Ajmal to Peterson, no run, comes forward and he drives this one down to mid-off

Can Peterson finish this off?

A bit too late though

Nahim: "A hammer blow for du Plessis's average."

41.3
W
Saeed Ajmal to du Plessis, OUT, Faf has been given out lbw and he is reviewing it, hits a good length and spins back in, he was shuffling a long way across and you could see middle and leg, no inside edge and that was hitting alright, Oxenford gets it right. Ajmal picks up ten for the match

F du Plessis lbw b Saeed Ajmal 15 (32m 16b 2x4 0x6) SR: 93.75

41.2
0
Saeed Ajmal to du Plessis, no run, flatter delivery and he comes well forward and defends
41.1
1
Saeed Ajmal to Elgar, 1 run, dropped it short and wide outside off and he cuts and it's in the air and drops wide of point

Three to win

END OF OVER:
41 | 6 Runs | SA: 179/5

  • Dean Elgar9 (11b)
  • Faf du Plessis15 (14b)
  • Tanvir Ahmed5-0-34-1
  • Saeed Ajmal15.1-2-48-3

Dave Angel: "So proud of this SA team. Every time they seem to be up against it, they find a way to come out on top. They did it in England, then in Aus, and now at home against Pak. They seem to use setbacks as opportunities to do something extraordinary. So proud of them."

40.6
3
Tanvir Ahmed to Elgar, 3 runs, comes round the wicket, he works it away wide of midwicket, should never have been more than two, but with Irfan there's always the chance to sneak in an extra run

Pakistan tour of South Africa 2012-13 News

South Africa 4th innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st10GC SmithAN Petersen
2nd53HM AmlaGC Smith
3rd25JH KallisHM Amla
4th62HM AmlaAB de Villiers
5th18AB de VilliersF du Plessis
6th12F du PlessisD Elgar
7th2RJ PetersonD Elgar