By RIZWAN ALI
AP Sports Writer

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) _ South Africa celebrated its 100th test victory since readmission to international cricket in 1991, beating Pakistan by an innings and 92 runs in the second test on Saturday.

The two-test series ended tied at 1-1, preserving South Africa‘s seven-year record of not losing a test series away from home.

Asad Shafiq made 130 for Pakistan with 15 fours and a six while captain Misbah-ul-Haq scored 88 before part-time spinner Dean Elgar broke through.

Pakistan was eventually bowled out for 326 late on the fourth day.

Faf du Plessis was fined 50 percent of his match fee Saturday for ball tampering during Friday’s play. He was seen on television rubbing the ball on the zipper of his trouser pocket. The onfield umpires called over South Africa captain Graeme Smith, changed the ball and, in an extremely rare punishment, awarded Pakistan 5 penalty runs.

South Africa never looked back from its first innings lead of 418, after compiling 517 in reply to Pakistan’s paltry 99.

“Bowling out Pakistan for 99 really gave us the opportunity to win this test match,” Smith said.

Shafiq and Misbah shared a 197-run stand for the fifth wicket and thwarted South Africa for nearly the entire two sessions before the Pakistan captain played a rare loose drive and was caught in the slips just before tea. Misbah faced 218 balls and hit six fours and a six in his marathon effort.

Pakistan’s tailenders then fell to the spin of JP Duminy (3-67) and Imran Tahir (3-98) with 9.5 overs to go in the day’s play.

Shafiq faced 320 balls during his seven-hour effort before he was the last man to go, stumped by AB de Villiers off Duminy.

No. 11 batsman Zulfiqar Babar couldn’t come out to bat after damaging his right hand while fielding.

“Getting out on a pretty flat pitch for 99 was something from which we couldn’t recover in four days,” Misbah said. He also rued a missed chance for the wicket of AB de Villiers, who was dropped off the first ball in the first innings, and went on to make 164.

“It made a big difference,” Misbah said of the mistake by wicketkeeper Adnan Akmal. “If we had (a lead of) something of 150 or 200 runs in the last innings … the kind of spinners we have, it could have been very interesting.”

South Africa lost the first test _ also inside four days _ by seven wickets last week. But Saturday’s win means the top-ranked team has not lost a test series since losing to Sri Lanka in 2006.

“I don’t think many teams … can travel as well as we do and be able to perform in all the conditions, the pressures, the environments that you face on the road,” Smith said. “I certainly don’t think the team gets enough credit for that, it’s an immense record and the one we are proud of.”

Earlier, Misbah and Shafiq frustrated South Africa for nearly four hours after Pakistan resumed at 132-4.

Shafiq cut, pulled and drove with authority and reached his second test century against the Proteas this year when he drove a wide delivery from Duminy to the cover boundary for his 11th four of the innings.

He also hit a century at Cape Town in February during Pakistan’s 3-0 series defeat against South Africa.

South Africa struggled to break through on the dry wicket. Smith took the second new ball just before lunch but both batsmen played out the four overs from fast bowlers Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander without much discomfort.

Pakistan had added only nine to its overnight score when Shafiq was adjudged leg before wicket in the fifth over of the day off Philander’s sharp delivery.

But Shafiq went for review, which showed the ball would have missed the leg stump.

Shafiq lofted legspinner Tahir over long off for a six in a rare show of aggression during the morning session and completed his half century off 121 balls. Misbah also consumed as many deliveries when he glanced seamer Morne Morkel to the third man boundary for his 22nd 50 in test matches.

The teams now face each in five one-day internationals, starting Wednesday.

Related Posts