Proteas bowlers will need patience on placid Newlands surface: Verreynne

Two wickets from Kagiso Rabada and one for Marco Jansen further underlined SA’s dominance of the second Test against Pakistan at Newlands on Saturday. 

The tourists, already a man down with Saim Ayub out of the match with a fractured ankle, were 64/3 when stumps were drawn, with Babar Azam, looking solid on 31. He will resume on Sunday alongside long time compadre, Mohammad Rizwan, who has nine. 

Rabada was excellent after SA’s innings came to a close on 615, 40 minutes into the final session. He removed Pakistan skipper Shan Masood and Saud Shakeel with very similar deliveries, tempting the left-handers into drives, with both edges gratefully snaffled by David Bedingham at first slip. 

Kamran Ghulam got into a horrible tangle, and was bowled off the inside edge by Jansen, leaving Pakistan on 20/3. 

The pitch remains a good one for batting; both Rizwan and Babar will relish the opportunity to play on a flat surface where movement has been minimal and spin still hasn’t become tricky to face. 

SA’s discipline will have to be sharp, although they will be pleased that the forecast for Sunday is for cooler temperatures than has been the case over the first two days of the Test. 

Ryan Rickelton continues to be the match’s most dominant player after his majestic 259, provided the backbone for SA’s dominance. It was an innings of supreme skill, mental fortitude, patience and also plenty of high quality shotmaking. He spent over 10 hours at the crease, hit 29 fours and three sixes, and shared partnerships of 235 and 148 with Temba Bavuma and Kyle Verreynne respectively.

Despite that Herculean effort, Rickelton was still under the helmet at short leg when Pakistan’s innings started. 

Verreynne fulfilled a lifelong dream with a first Test century at his home ground, 20 minutes from where he went to school at Wynberg Boys High. While there was certainly joy in achieving a personal milestone, Verreynne spoke with great eloquence afterwards about the perspective he had playing a cricket match in the wake of the tragic death of the Proteas batting coach Ashwell Prince’s wife Melissa last week. 

“Ashy P was someone that became a father figure to me (after I lost my father a few years ago), and helped me through my life the last few years. Being as close as some of us are to him, it takes the pressure off the cricket — you realise it’s not that important,” he said. 

Despite the dominant position, Verreynne is aware that on a flat surface such as this one at Newlands, the Proteas will have to remain disciplined on day 3. “For us it's about staying nice and patient. We saw that as soon as you stay in the channel for long periods of time and don’t let them score, a loose shot is around the corner.”