Second Test, Abu Dhabi (day four):
South Africa 584-9 dec & 173-4 v Pakistan 434
Match scorecard
 Rehman's maiden 50 helped Pakistan avoid the follow on |
Pakistan spinner Abdul Rehman scored a maiden Test 50 and took three wickets to damage South Africa's hopes of winning the second Test in Adu Dhabi. Starting the day 317-6, in response to the tourists' first innings 584-9, Rehman (60) helped Pakistan avoid the follow on on route to a total of 434. With Graeme Smith unable to bat due to a broken finger, Hashim Amla (62) helped Proteas to 173-4 at the close. But their lead of 323 could have been greater but for the bowling of Rehman. The left-armer claimed three wickets in 36 balls to end the day with figures of 3-73 off 21 overs. "I am happy that my performance has saved my team and hopefully we will be able to save this Test because only odd ball is taking spin, so there is not much danger," said Rehman. South Africa now have one day in which to force a result from a match they have largely dominated but failed to truly press home their advantage. That Pakistan were able to defy the tourists was largely down to Rehman, who came to the crease in the first over of the day after Dale Steyn trapped Misbah-ul-Haq lbw for 77 for his fourth and final wicket of the innings. Assisted ably by Tanvir Ahmed - who scored 30 before being caught by Ashwell Prince off the bowling of Morne Morkel - Rehman steered Pakistan past the 400-mark for the first time in a Test this year.  | 606: DEBATE Amir Mir- It's Time To Break Into The Top 4 |
He eventually fell lbw to Johan Botha for 60 with his side trailing the tourists by 150 runs. With Smith unable to open the innings for South Africa because of a recurrence of the fractured finger injury he suffered in the first of the five one-day matches of this tour, Amla and Alvior Petersen (35) gave them a flying start of 81 before Rehman put the brakes on their progress by claiming three wickets in rapid succession. He removed Petersen, caught by Younis Khan in the last over before tea and then bowled Amla - who had earlier passed 1000 runs for the calendar year with his first boundary - with an arm ball. Rehman then trapped first innings double century maker AB de Villiers for 25, before Jacques Kallis fell to a loose shot off spinner Mohammad Hafeez for 10. Prince and Mark Boucher struggled to find momentum late in the day, leaving the tourists with a sizeable lead but running out of time in which to capitalise on it. "It wasn't a great pitch to bowl on," said Steyn, who finished with figures of 4-98 off 30 overs. "If we manage to get some quick runs, maybe we are able to set a target and pull it off." A decisive result in this encounter would also decide the two-match series after the first Test in Dubai was drawn. South Africa team manager Mohammad Moosajee confirmed after the day's play that Smith has been advised to take a three-week break and "faces a race against time to get fit for the first Test [against India on December 16] at Centurion." South Africa host India for three Tests, five one-day internationals and a twenty20 match. The Test series is billed as a contest between the world's top two teams, with India number one in Test rankings and South Africa at two.
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