Proteas chasing 182 to win series versus Pakistan

(AP Photo/Schalk van Zuydam)

By TRISTAN HOLME

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) South Africa lost openers Alviro Petersen and Graeme Smith but made brisk headway in beginning its chase of 182 for victory against Pakistan on the fourth day of the second test at Newlands.

The Proteas reached tea on 66-2 from 17 overs with Hashim Amla making a breezy 32 not out and Jacques Kallis unbeaten on 3, leaving them 116 runs short of victory.

Petersen was trapped lbw for 1 by Umar Gul, while Smith made 29 before he was lbw to spinner Saeed Ajmal for the second time in the match.

Earlier, South Africa profited from a change of ball midway through the morning session to bowl Pakistan out for 169 to set a target of 182 to win the second test and the series.

Pakistan began the day on 100-3 but, after the umpires agreed to change the ball during the morning drinks break, South Africa went on to claim the final six wickets for just 22 runs.

Vernon Philander followed up his five-wicket haul in the first innings with figures of 4-40 in the second, while Robin Peterson and Dale Steyn took three wickets apiece in the absence of injured fast bowler Morne Morkel.

That left South Africa with a seemingly straightforward target to clinch the three-match series, having won the first test in Johannesburg by 211 runs.

Azhar Ali and Misbah-ul-Haq battled through the evening session on Saturday to leave the game evenly poised, but a rush of blood to the head ensured Misbah departed in the ninth over of Sunday morning.

Left-arm spinner Peterson was bowling into the rough outside the right-hander's leg stump, and after initially being content to pad the ball away, Misbah eventually went on the sweep and top-edged to Graeme Smith at short fine leg.

Asad Shafiq made a bright start alongside Ali but, after the ball had been changed, South Africa's pacemen found lateral movement and used it to good effect.

Firstly, Shafiq failed to keep out a delivery from Steyn that bounced back onto his stumps off the bat, and then three wickets in three deliveries left Pakistan's innings in disarray.

After Peterson bowled Sarfraz Ahmed at the end of the 65th over, Vernon Philander struck twice at the start of the 66th to remove Ali for 65 and then Umar Gul.

Ajmal prevented Philander from claiming a hat trick that would also have sealed a 10-wicket haul for the match, but Peterson and Steyn cleaned up the final two wickets shortly after lunch.

Updated February 17, 2013