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South Africa struggles despite Gibbs 98
Herschelle Gibbs fell two short of a well deserved hundred as South Africa struggled on the first day of the second and final Test.
Opener Herschelle Gibbs fell two short of a well deserved hundred as South Africa struggled on the first day of the second and final Test against Pakistan at Iqbal stadium here on Friday.
Gibbs batted solidly for his 98 to lift his side before Pakistan hit back in the last session by taking five wickets and at close the tourists reached 256-9.
Gibbs, the 29 year-old from Western Province, added a repair-damaging 108 for the fourth wicket with Gary Kirsten who made 54 but the home team took the honours of the day by taking three wickets with the second new ball.
Gibbs was judged leg before in the fifth over after tea following a pugnacious knock lasting 272 minutes -- hitting 13 boundaries and a six off leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed.
Gibbs removal opened the gate for Pakistan, despite missing frontline pacers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami.
Lanky pacer Shabbir Ahmed finished with 4-63.
This was the second time Gibbs was dismissed in nervous nineties in his 52 Tests, the other being 96 against Sri Lanka at Centurion back home last year.
Gibbs added 47 for the fifth wicket with Neil McKenzie after he and Kirsten rescued South Africa after early inroads by Pakistani bowlers.
The Gibbs-Kirsten stand lifted their team from a struggling 40-3 and erased the previous best of 79 for the fourth wicket against Pakistan by Hansie Cronje and Kirsten in Johannesburg nine years ago.
Earlier, South Africa opted to bat and lost captain Graeme Smith in the third over when he slashed at pacer Shabbir Ahmed and was well caught by Inzamam-ul Haq in the first slip for 2.
Shabbir, one of three changes in the Pakistan team from their eight-wicket win in Lahore, struck again in his fourth over when he forced an edge off Boeta Dippenaar which landed in Taufeeq Umers hands in the first slip. Dippenaar made 4.
Gibbs and Kirsten batted steadily to take their team to 108-3 at lunch.
Kirsten, wearing a black armband for the death of a close friend Jonathan Bing back home, reached his 33rd half century with his seventh boundary but four runs later played a rash shot off Abdul Razzaq and was smartly held by Umer in the slip.
Pakistan hit back in the last session taking five wickets for 78 runs.
Shabbir removed McKenzie for 27 before Razzaq struck with the second delivery off the second new ball to send back Mark Boucher, also for 27.
Shaun Pollock was run out for 16.
Earlier, Pakistan brought in Inzamam, pacer Shabbir and Razzaq in place of Shoaib Akhtar, banned for this Test, and injured Yousuf Youhana and Mohammad Sami.
South Africa dropped Andre Nel and brought in left arm spinner Peterson.
Pakistan leads the series 1-0.
Pakistan: Taufiq Umer, Imran Farhat, Yasir Hameed, Inzamam-ul Haq (captain), Shoaib Malik, Moin Khan, Asim Kamal, Abdul Razzaq, Mushtaq Ahmed, Shabbir Ahmed, Danish Kaneria. 12th man: Faisal Iqbal.
South Africa: Graeme Smith (captain), Gary Kirsten, Herschelle Gibbs, Boeta Dippenaar, Neil McKenzie, Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher, Shaun Pollock, Robin Peterson, Makhaya Ntini, Paul Adams. 12th man: Andre Nel.
Umpires: Daryl Harper (AUS) and Simon Taufel (AUS).
TV umpire: Asad Rauf (PAK).
Match referee: Clive Lloyd (WIs).
