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Cape Town, 4 January 2024: Ryan Rickelton became the eighth South African batter to record a 250-plus score in Test cricket as the hosts posted a mammoth first-innings total of 615 against Pakistan here at the Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town. Pakistan lost three wickets before the close of play to finish day two at 64-3, trailing South Africa by 551 runs in the second Test of the two-match series.
Wicketkeeper-batter Kyle Verreynne and opener Rickelton stitched a 148-run partnership for the sixth wicket to put South Africa in the ascendancy after David Bedingham had perished for five in the fourth over of the day.
Rickelton reached his maiden Test double century off 266 balls while Verreynne got to his fourth Test hundred in 144 deliveries during the partnership. Verreynne’s innings featuring nine fours and five sixes was ended by Salman Ali Agha with the score at 471-6.
Rickelton joined forces with Marco Jansen (62, 54b, 8x4s, 3x6s) to add 86 runs for the seventh wicket. He was finally dismissed by Mir Hamza for a terrific 259 studded with 29 boundaries and three maximums, having spent 10 hours and seven minutes at the crease.
A quick-fire cameo by Keshav Maharaj (40, 35b, 4x4s, 2x6s) took South Africa past the 600-run mark. Debutant Kwena Maphaka was the last batter dismissed as South Africa amassed 615.
Mohammad Abbas, who completed 100 Test wickets with Maphaka’s scalp, registered figures of 3-94 with off-spinner Salman also taking three wickets. Hamza and Khurram Shahzad bagged two each.
Shan Masood was caught in the slips off Kagiso Rabada in the first over of Pakistan’s batting for two. Kamran Ghulam and Saud Shakeel also soon followed him back to the pavilion to leave the visitors 20-3.
Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam, batting as a makeshift opener due to the injury to Saim Ayub, then helped recover Pakistan to take them to 64-3 at stumps.
Scores in brief
2nd Test – Day 2 of 5 – Pakistan vs South Africa at the Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town
South Africa 615, 141.3 overs (Ryan Rickelton 259, Temba Bavuma 106, Kyle Verreynne 100, Marco Jansen 62, Keshav Maharaj 40; Mohammad Abbas 3-94, Salman Ali Agha 3-148, Khurram Shahzad 2-123, Mir Hamza 2-127)
Pakistan 64-3, 21 overs (Babar Azam 31 not out, Kamran Ghulam 12; Kagiso Rabada 2-9)
