Cape Town: South Africa’s Ryan Rickelton showcased a composed knock on the opening morning of the second Test against Pakistan at Newlands, reaching an unbeaten 50 as the hosts went to lunch at 72-3. However, the Proteas lost three key wickets late in the session, giving Pakistan an early foothold in the game.
Rickelton Anchors South Africa’s Innings
Left-handed opener Rickelton played confidently, hitting seven boundaries in his 73-ball stay at the crease. He provided a solid start alongside Aiden Markram, who scored 17, as the pair added 61 runs for the first wicket. Captain Temba Bavuma, yet to face a delivery, will join Rickelton at the crease after the break.
Early Wickets Dent South Africa’s Progress
The opening partnership came to an end when Markram, attempting an ambitious drive, edged a delivery from Khurram Shahzad to wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan, who took an excellent catch.
Wiaan Mulder, returning to the side after an injury layoff and promoted to bat at number three, could only manage five runs before gifting an easy catch to Rizwan off Mohammad Abbas. The wicketkeeper claimed his third dismissal just before lunch when Tristan Stubbs edged a delivery from spinner Salman Agha without troubling the scorers.
A Balanced Pitch at Newlands
The Newlands wicket, the same strip where South Africa suffered a record-breaking loss to India a year ago in just 107 overs, offered some movement for the seamers but lacked the exaggerated challenges seen in that historic match. Markram and Rickelton looked comfortable during the early exchanges, suggesting that the pitch might favor batsmen as the game progresses.
South Africa Eyes Series Sweep
South Africa, having already secured a spot in the World Test Championship final at Lord’s in June, will look to seal a 2-0 series win after narrowly clinching the first Test in Pretoria by two wickets.
The hosts made three changes to their lineup for this game, including the debut of 18-year-old fast bowler Kwena Maphaka. Maphaka, now the youngest player to represent South Africa in Test cricket, breaks the record previously held by former spinner Paul Adams.
As the match resumes after lunch, Rickelton and Bavuma will aim to rebuild South Africa’s innings and lay a strong foundation for a competitive total.
