Proteas edge in on series victory in Cape Town

South Africa moved inexorably closer to clinching the Test series against Pakistan here on Saturday morning.

At lunch on the third day of the second Test Pakistan were on 37/2 still facing a deficit of 217 before South Africa‚ who lead the series 1-0‚ can bat again.

Before they went out on a deteriorating surface the visitors shuffled their batting order with Shan Masood opening the innings with Imam ul Haq. The latter was first to go when Dale Steyn found his outside edge presenting Dean Elgar a catch at third slip for six.

Much of the post-second day chat here revolved around the inconsistent bounce from the Newlands surface and when Azhar Ali copped one on his chest from Steyn the umpires moved in.

Azhar was treated before play was waved on and the Pakistan batsman didn’t last much longer. He was trapped LBW by Kagiso Rabada to leave the visitors on 27/2.

Earlier South Africa were dismissed for 431 in their first innings with Mohammad Amir instrumental in mopping up the tail.

The hosts would have been hopeful that not out overnight batsmen Quinton de Kock and Vernon Philander would provide impetus in the morning session but when the former fell for 59 those targets would have been revised.

Philander inside-edged onto his leg stump‚ which broke in two off Amir‚ before a few swashbuckling blows by Steyn and Duanne Olivier provided the last convulsions of the South African first innings.