Pakistan collapse all but hands Test to South Africa

South Africa have taken the First Castle Lager/MTN Test by the scruff of the neck as the visitors collapsed from 81/1 at tea to 120/8 when bad light brought another early end to proceedings in Durban.

In just 16 overs the hosts tipped the scales completely in their favour, with the pace of Makhaya Ntini and Mornantau Hayward ripping the heart out of the Pakistan top and middle order.

An excellent opening partnership from Taufeeq Umar and Saleem Elahi gave Pakistan a very good start. After seeing off the new ball they gradually upped the tempo, with Umar playing some graceful straight drives.

Up to tea, the South African bowlers tended to bowl too wide and too short. They lacked penetration and did not cause any real problems. The pace of the pitch seemed to favour the batsmen and with the likes of Younis Khan, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Yousuf Youhana to come South Africa's 368 did not look to be a problem.

Hayward had begun fairly ineffectively but the wicket of Umar, caught at slip for 39, injected some new live into the South African attack. The opening partnership of 77 had set the innings up for the batsmen following but they failed miserably.

Khan shuffled in front of one from Shaun Pollock to be trapped leg before for one - 83/2. Elahi, who had batted so well, mistimed a pull from Ntini to be caught for 39 - 83/3.

Inzamam, fending Ntini off the body, was caught for 18 - 107/4. Faisal Iqbal was run out by Pollock for six - 119/5. Youhana, fending Ntini off the body, was caught for 12 - 120/6.

Abdur Razzaq, driving at Hayward, was caught at gully for one - 120/7, and Saqlain Mushtaq was clean bowled by Hayward without scoring - 120/8.

The Test had been turned around, and Pakistan's immediate target to avoid the follow-on is 169. With the South African bowlers looking forward to an overnight rest, there is no doubt that if Pakistan fall short, Shaun Pollock will ask them to bat again.

The day had started well for Pakistan, dismissing Jacques Kallis for 105, only adding one to his overnight score when he shouldered arms and was bowled by a Mohammad Sami reverse swinger.

Pollock looked comfortable enough in scoring 21 but it was Mark Boucher who played a gem of an innings to reach his twelfth Test fifty, and in so doing became the eighth wicket-keeper to reach the milestone of 200 dismissals and 2,000 Test runs. After the loss of Kallis, Boucher was mainly responsible for seeing South Africa to lunch and a final total of 386.

Waqar used the four bowlers at his disposal well, with Saqlain taking 4-119 off 37 overs, Sami 3-92 off 26 overs and the captain himself 3-91 off 25. The only bowler not to get a wicket was Abdur Razzaq.

For Pakistan the day ended with a nightmare that they will want to forget. Unless they sort out their technique against the short ball, they can kiss this Test and the series goodbye. To come back from this position will require a brilliant performance from one if not all of their batsmen.