Second Test, Abu Dhabi (day three):
South Africa 584-9 dec v Pakistan 317-6
Match scorecard
 Misbah's unbeaten 77 has given Pakistan hope of avoiding the follow-on |
Captain Misbah-ul-Haq and Azhar Ali led the Pakistan fightback to dent South Africa's hopes of enforcing the follow-on on the third day of the second Test. Misbah's unbeaten 77 helped his side to 317-6 after Ali had departed for a patient 90 in Abu Dhabi. Asad Shafiq also scored 61, but the home side still need another 68 to avoid the follow-on after the tourists' first innings total of 584-9 declared. Dale Steyn was the pick of the Proteas bowlers, finishing the day with 3-78. Left-arm spinner Paul Harris took two wickets, with Jacques Kallis grabbing the other for the tourists. However, they were frustrated in their efforts to make further inroads by stubborn batting and an unresponsive wicket, which prompted the bowlers to dig in and wait for the Pakistan batsmen to make errors. "I think the Dubai wicket gave us a little bit more on the first three days and then sort of remained the same and did not deteriorate," said South Africa coach Corrie van Zyl. "I would like to see this pitch to deteriorate a little bit more. But there is some balance in it at times." Pakistan resumed on 59-1 and required big partnerships from their batsmen to stand any chance of turning the match in their favour.  | 606: DEBATE |
However they were left to rue a failure to build on promising starts. Opener Taufeeq Umar was the only man to fall in the morning session - top edging an attempted pull off Kallis to Hashim Amla for 43 - but after lunch Steyn struck twice in quick succession to remove Younis Khan cheaply and Ali to leave the home side on 156-4. Misbah added an invaluable 107 for the fifth wicket with Shafiq before Harris had the latter caught by Kallis at slip, and then 46 for the sixth with Adnan Akmal (17), who fell to Harris five overs before the close. Debutant Shafiq was satisfied with his contribution. "It was difficult out there but test cricket is all about hard work," he said. "I could have got a hundred but I am happy with the debut score. "My coach and my captain asked me to just play my natural game that is why I played some shots early on and carried on. Hopefully the wicket stays the same and Misbah carries on the good work." It is likely the captain will have to significantly add to what is his sixth Test half-century if Pakistan are to avoid a difficult last two-days. The opening encounter in the two-match series finished as a draw in Dubai.
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