SA vs Pak: Duanne Olivier takes five wickets to put the Proteas in driving seat

Duanne Olivier registered a second five-wicket haul as he took South Africa on the brink of a win by setting a total of 149 runs to chase down with three days left for the contest to end.

Olivier had earlier bagged a six-fer in the first innings and followed it up with 5/59 in the second and this devastating spell of his left Pakistan all out for 190 runs by stumps on the second day. Despite brave knocks from Imam-Ul-Haq (57) and Shan Masood (65), the rest of the batting couldn’t offer any resistance to the fiery Proteas pace attack. Earlier, South Africa were able to manage a lead of 42 runs despite four-wicket hauls from Mohammad Amir and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

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The pitch that has turned out to be tricky could yet offer more surprises with 30 wickets already fallen in just two days–which goes to show the variable bounce it has offered. Pakistan were lucky at the beginning when Hashim Amla could not hold on to a chance at slip to dismiss Ul Haq off Dale Steyn’s bowling. The visitors capitalised on this mistake as the left-hander went on to drill some boundaries down the ground. Fakhar Zaman would be very unlucky in the way he got dismissed when he picked out Olivier, the only fielder in the leg-side. But Pakistan roared back into the contest with Imam and Masood joining forces to stitch a 57-run stand.

However, they couldn’t offer more resistance to the innings and a collapse followed when Imam dragged an Olivier delivery onto his stumps. The marauding right-arm bowler struck in his next over when he removed Azhar Ali. It was followed by the dismissal of Asad Shafiq who survived a lbw chance and edged a Steyn delivery back to the keeper. Skipper Sarfraz Ahmed also edged one for his second duck of the match. From a strong 101/1, Pakistan had been reduced to 159/8 and eventually, they were skittled out for 190.