What we learnt from Proteas defeat to Pakistan in first Test
The Proteas’ 93-run defeat to Pakistan in the first Test highlighted the challenges of a slow-turning pitch favouring spinners, with Senuran Muthusamy and Simon Harmer excelling, while the South African batsmen struggled against the hosts’ spin attack. Seen here: Proteas batsman Ryan Rickelton. Picture: Aamir Qureshi/AFP
Image: Aamir Qureshi/AFP
Although the Proteas crashed to a 93-run defeat to Pakistan in the first Test in Lahore on Wednesday, there were a number of useful lessons for the defending World Test Championship (WTC) winners.
Firstly, the seamers in the Proteas attack were rendered almost irrelevant on the slow-turning pitch, which was prepared heavily in favour of the hosts. With Kagiso Rabada the only frontline pacer selected, along with all-rounder Wiaan Mulder, who picked up two wickets over both innings.
In fact, both those wickets went to Rabada with his figures of 1/56 and 1/33 for the match, while Mulder went wicketless.
In the first innings, Rabada bowled 17 overs and Mulder just two. In the second dig, Rabada sent down 10 overs while Mulder didn’t bowl at all.
Senuran Muthusamy and Simon Harmer Shine as South Africa Faces Their Own Challenges Against Pakistan Spinners
Meanwhile, the spinners shone in the conducive conditions. Senuran Muthusamy was the standout with figures of 6/117 and 5/57. Simon Harmer was also good with 1/101 and 4/57.
While their fielding was not up to standard in the first innings as Pakistan made 378, there were only three scores made of over 20 across both innings. That, of course, was Tony de Zorzi’s fine 104 in the first innings, with Ryan Rickelton’s 45 and the quick-fire 54 from Dewald Brevis.
Outside those three scores, it made for some sorry reading of the scorecard from a South African perspective.
It will leave little time for the South African batsmen to find a way to compete against the Pakistan spinners in the second Test, which begins on Monday.