Dubai, Nov. 13: Pakistan opener Mohammad Hafeez scored a patient half-century to build on some good work by bowlers on the second day of the first cricket Test against South Africa here on Saturday.
Hafeez scored 60 during an opening stand of 105 with Taufiq Umer (42) to guide Pakistan to 144-2 after paceman Umar Gul chipped in with three wickets off 20 balls to wrap South Africa’s first-innings to 380 all out.
Experienced batsman Younis Khan was unbeaten on 21 and Azhar Ali was 12 not out as Pakistan trail by 236 runs with eight wickets intact. Pakistan will pin their hopes on Younis — playing his first Test since July last year — to build up a decisive first-innings lead as the pitch was expected to take spin on the last two days of the five-day match.
Hafeez, playing his first Test for three years, and Umer, playing his first since 2006, gave Pakistan a sound start, countering the three-pronged South African pace attack with confidence.
Hafeez smashed seven boundaries during his fourth Test half-century before giving a simple catch to mid-on off left-arm spinner Paul Harris. Six runs later, Umer was trapped leg-before by paceman Morne Morkel.
This was Pakistan’s first century stand for the opening wicket after 17 innings.
Brief scores: South Africa 380 (Graeme Smith 100, Hashim Amla 80, Gul 3/100, Rehman 3/101) vs Pakistan 144/2 (Mohd Hafeez 60, Taufiq Umar 42).