Player of the Match
Player of the Match

2.59pm That's about it for us from the ESPNcricinfo team for the first Test of this three-Test series. Loads of drama, that you can catch up on here in Liam Brickhill's report. For the moment, it's goodbye from Chandan Duorah, Saurabh Somani, Danyal Rasool, Liam and myself, Debayan Sen. Here's wishing you all a very happy new year. Stay blessed and keep following the game with ESPNcricinfo!

Duanne Olivier is the man of the match.

Duanne Olivier: "It's just about contributing to the team, and each opportunity I get making the most of it I enjoy [the enforcer role] but it depends on the wicket, I wouldn't do it in every game. At the end of the day it's about putting in the hard work and committing to every ball. I'm not too fazed about Vern coming back. He's world class. I'll just take things day by day. This is a Test match I will never forget."

Faf du Plessis: "Great Test, and good to go one up. Very chuffed for Dale. He wanted to get it in Sri Lanka. He was desperate to get that wicket. But the way he's been bowling in the last few months, we knew he would get it in this Test. [Collapse] was the match-turning moment. Both teams were very similar in the first innings. We were talking about restricting them to 250, but that period where we got nine wickets was incredible from the bowlers, especially Duanne. He reminded me of Mitchell Johnson here a few years ago, making it very uncomfortable for the batsmen.Fantastic batting, and I'm very happy for Hashim. It looks like he's moving really well. Vernon in Cape Town is like peanut butter and syrup, he should be there."

SM : "Reminiscent of the 2015 WC quarterfinal. Good fast bowling in the face of a small total... only to be let down with bad fielding. Actually, you could probably pick out several dozen such examples in the last few years. "

Pierre: "Come on! All the what if's aside you can't set a premier test side 149 to win! Really good bowling from SA yesterday, and batting to secure the small but crucial lead. They were ahead of Pakistan in both departments at the end of the day just give credit where it is due"

Mubashir: "I have always heard one quote that catches win matches if fakhar got that catch the result might be different "

Hiba : "We must give credit to Pakistani fast bowlers they bowled with great attitude throughout the match..so bad that the batsmen provided no support."

Stanton: "Good win for SA. I do suspect that thinus de bruin will get dropped to make way for Vernon for the Cape Town tests his batting is not bad at all, and thinus had really struggled recently in tests. Olivier and Maharaj to be retained "

Pawan: "is this the first match in which no captain scored a single run?" --- Yes, the first completed Test match where both captains have been dismissed for pairs. Cannot account for matches where batsmen didn't bat, or had rain interruptions, etc.

Wasim : "Let's give credit to SA, we have now beaten Australia and India at home and now we 1-0 up vs Pakistan. We really are formidable at home! "

Noor: "Haris, Faheem, Rizwan in next match for Asad, Sarfaraz and Hassan"

2.35pm So a little over midway through this Test, and South Africa walk away with a six-wicket win. The margin flatters them a bit, because this day was about a stern examination set by the Pakistan seamers, that Amla and Elgar had to do well to pass. A 119-run partnership in a 149-run chase was always going to be crucial, and that's exactly how they helped overcome the early loss of Aiden Markram.

50.4
4
Yasir Shah to Bavuma, FOUR, THOSE ARE THE WINNING RUNS! Befitting that Bavuma gets them, getting down on his haunches to sweep a length ball aimed at the stumps, down to long leg. Terrific batting from Bavuma in the first innings that was largely responsible for setting this match up today. Today's effort was down to Amla, who finishes unbeaten on 63, and Elgar, who scored a gutsy 50 himself. South Africa lead the series 1-0!

Fraz: "Makes you think. Had Fakhar held on to the Amla catch and the umpire given the Eglar catch, South Africa would have been 16-3 and their ever so fragile middle order would have been exposed early to a pumped up Pakistani bowling lineup"

50.3
0
Yasir Shah to Bavuma, no run, length, outside off, and he defends from the crease
50.2
0
Yasir Shah to Bavuma, no run, floats this up, outside off, at 87kph, and he presses forward to smother it
50.1
0
Yasir Shah to Bavuma, no run, length ball, and he goes back to cut it towards point

END OF OVER:
50 | 7 Runs | SA: 147/4

  • Hashim Amla63 (148b)
  • Temba Bavuma9 (6b)
  • Shaheen Shah Afridi15-1-53-1
  • Yasir Shah7-1-16-1
49.6
0
Shaheen Shah Afridi to Amla, no run, shorter, and he goes up on his toes in trying to whip it away on the leg side, but fails to make contact
49.5
0
Shaheen Shah Afridi to Amla, no run, outside off, good length, and he leaves

Usama Jawad: "Just thinking, if Pakistan had extended the target to at least 200, they would have genuinely given South Africa a run for their money. Now, the only positives they can take from this match is their superb bowling attack, and fifties scored by Imam and Babar." --- I felt 175 would have been terrific on this pitch. And if they had held Amla early today. But cricket has to be played beyond the ifs and buts

South Africa 4th innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st0D ElgarAK Markram
2nd119HM AmlaD Elgar
3rd17HM AmlaTB de Bruyn
4th1HM AmlaF du Plessis
5th14HM AmlaT Bavuma