De Villiers’ patience is paying off

they created the circumstances to grab a firm hold of this match, but through inexperience and exhaustion among their bowlers in the final session of play, they saw South Africa gain the upper hand.

When South Africa had the initiative in the opening two Tests, they’ve asserted their dominance and there’s no reason to believe that pattern won’t be repeated here.

The home team lost their openers inside the first 10 overs – Alviro Petersen to one that swung back into him from Rahat Ali, while Graeme Smith got a lovely delivery from 19 year old debutant Ehsan Adil, which he edged and with Younis Khan taking an athletic catch from second slip.

At 38/2 Pakistan had their first opportunity to assert themselves. However it was snuffed out by a 69-run partnership between Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis, who both played with plenty of style in the hour leading up to lunch.

Afterwards they both tried to dominate, but Du Plessis was dismissed playing a stroke that was neither dominant nor defensive. Rather, having come down the pitch at Adil he then prodded at the ball edging to wicket keeper Sarfraz Ahmed.

Du Plessis had been elevated to four in the order following Jacques Kallis’ injuryenforced withdrawal with a calf strain. Kallis’ absence gave the Dolphins’ Kyle Abbott the chance to make his debut.

Amla continued on his merry elegant way, looking well set for another Test hundred. He and AB de Villiers shared an effervescent stand of 79 for the fourth wicket that came in just 18 overs.

His dismissal came about in surprising fashion, mainly because the stroke was so loose, a wild swing outside the offstump that gifted Rahat the second of three wickets. With Dean Elgar following shortly after Amla, Pakistan had created a second opportunity to grab the momentum, but South Africa quickly took it away.

De Villiers shared partnerships of 52 for the sixth wicket with Robin Peterson and then 86 for the seventh with Vernon Philander as South Africa assumed control.

South Africa’s wicketkeeper/batsman was in superb touch once again. This was an innings in which he required toughness and patience, while still showing off his silky shotmaking skills.

Although the opportunity was there in the last over to provide a dramatic conclusion by bringing up his hundred, De Villiers opted for caution and will resume today on 98.

Pakistan’s inexperienced seam attack bowled well in patches. Rahat bowled at least one good ball in each over, while Adil was impressive.