ABU DHABI — South Africa was in a serious pinch after Pakistan routed the top order and left the Proteas reeling at 72-4, still trailing by 121 runs in the second innings on day three of an absorbing first Test Wednesday. Alviro Petersen was out for 17, fellow opener and captain Graeme Smith for 32, Jacques Kallis for a duck on his 38th birthday, and Hashim Amla, the most prized wicket, was taken by left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar in the last over of the day for a mere 10. AB de Villiers was 11 not out, and joined by nightwatchman Dale Steyn, who fended off the last five balls of the day surrounded by five fielders. Pakistan smelled blood and a great chance at a fourth test win over South Africa. Captain Misbahul Haq's first test century in over two years helped the home team reach 442 and a formidable 193-run, first-innings lead. South Africa was bowled out for 249 in its first innings. Misbah took advantage of the Proteas bowlers struggling to hit the right lines on a pitch devoid of grass for his 100 off 187 balls with eight fours. His first hundred since an unbeaten 102 against West Indies in May 2011 in St. Kitts, built on the brilliant platform set by openers Shan Masood (75) and Khurram Manzoor, who added 15 runs to his overnight score of 131, and extended by Asad Shafiq (54). Manzoor's brilliant 146 off 266 balls with 15 fours was Pakistan's highest individual test knock against the Proteas, and spanned almost 6 1/2 hours. Azhar Mahmood held Pakistan's previous record with 136 in Johannesburg in 1998. Misbah featured in two fruitful partnerships, adding 112 runs with Manzoor and 82 with Shafiq, dashing South Africa's hopes of keeping Pakistan's lead to less than 120 runs. So enduring was the South Africa's frustration that top-ranked test bowler Dale Steyn (3-88) took more than 23 overs for his first wicket when he had Misbah finally trapped leg before wicket. But the breakthrough came just two balls after the Pakistan captain reached three figures and for the fourth time and raised his arms in joy to acknowledge the cheers of around 5,000 expat Pakistani supporters at Sheikh Zayed Stadium. Misbah showed immense control, especially against spinners, as he did not hesitate to play reverse sweep before Steyn had him caught at the crease off a ball that came into him. Shafiq also showed lots of composure in dominating their fifth-wicket stand as he elegantly cut, pulled and drove through the covers in his 105-ball knock with six fours. Shafiq perished soon after reaching his half century when he was smartly caught at short midwicket by Petersen off JP Duminy's offspin. South Africa also got two more successes in the afternoon session when Vernon Philander (3-84) had Saeed Ajmal caught behind for 13 and Steyn's direct throw saw Babar well short of his crease at the non-striker's end on 2. Steyn uprooted Adnan Akmal's stumps for 32 to end Pakistan's huge reply. — AP Scorecard
South Africa (1st innings) 249 Pakistan (1st innings) K. Manzoor c Kallis b Philander 146 S. Masood lbw b Duminy 75 A. Ali c de Villiers b Philander 11 Younis Khan c Petersen b Morkel 01 Misbah lbw b Steyn 100 A. Shafiq c Peterson b Duminy 54 A. Akmal b Steyn 32 S. Ajmal c de Villiers b Philander 13 Z. Babar run out 02 J. Khan c Morkel b Steyn 03 M. Irfan not out 00 Extras: (lb4, nb1) 5 Total: (all out: 138.4 overs) 442 Falls: 1-135 (Masood), 2-173 (Ali), 3-178 (Younis), 4-290 (Manzoor), 5-372 (Shafiq), 6-394 (Misbah), 7-423 (Ajmal), 8-429 (Babar), 9-437 (Khan). Bowling: Steyn 28.4-5-88-3 (nb1), Philander 26-5-84-3, Morkel 23-5-35-1, Kallis 13-2-44-0, Peterson 27-2-111-0, Duminy 19-1-68-2, du Plessis 2-0-8-0. South Africa (2nd innings) G. Smith st Akmal b Ajmal 32 A. Petersen c Akmal b Irfan 17 Hashim Amla c Akmal b Babar 10 J. Kallis lbw b Khan 00 AB de Villiers not out 11 D. Steyn not out 00 Extras: (nb2) 02 Total: (4 wickets) 72 Falls: 1-38 (Petersen), 2-57 (Smith), 3-58 (Kallis), 4-72 (Amla) Bowling: Irfan 8-0-29-1 (nb2), Khan 6-0-22-1, Ajmal 11-4-21-1, Babar 1-1-0-1.
