The South Africa and Pakistan Test series kicked off with a solid South African bowling display spearheaded by pace bowlers Dane Paterson and Corbin Bosch. Together, they bagged nine wickets, leading to the collapse of Pakistan’s batting lineup by the close of play. Their remarkable performance not just gave South Africa an early Day One advantage but also created a firm base during which they looked set to stamp their authority in the crucial Test match.
Early Moves: Paterson Sets the Benchmarks
The day started with South Africa winning the toss and opting to bowl first, a decision which did not take long to seem correct. South African bowlers made the most out of the favourable bouncy and pacey conditions. For the South Africa team, it was Dane Paterson who had shown glimpses of promise in previous games that got them rolling. He got Abid Ali out with a good delivery that turned enough to carry an edge and took out the opening batsman, not allowing him to settle in. After the early wicket, Pakistan were troubled straight away to.
Dane Paterson was very accurate in his line and length and with the consistency he had, South Africa was able to create wedges into the Pakistan batting order.
The accuracy of his throw allowed him to send Imam-ul-Haq and Fawad Alam back to the pavilion as both the batsman edged the ball into their respective stumps which were moving inwards or mistimed the swing. Notably, Dane Paterson finished the game with statistics which also add to his expertise in seam bowling as he was able to contain both the upper and middle order batsmen which is an important quality for a fast bowler playing for South Africa on a fast pitch.
Corbin Bosch: An Upsurge of Potent Radiance
As Dane Paterson did the damage, the young and talented quick bowler Corbin Bosch was able to do great work. Bosch is regarded as one of the future leaders in South African cricket and needless to say, he immediately made an impact in his first test match. He kept the Pakistani batters tucked away for the whole of his session with a combination of speed, line and length which allowed no breathing space to the batsmen.
The middle overs of the match are key stages of a game and Bosch’s impact was greatest during them. What changed the course of the match, was the dismissal of the Pakistani captain Babar Azam who was trying to anchor the innings. With a stronger grip than he wanted to use for a slower ball, Babar pushed the ball up slightly, making it a perfect length for Bosch’s ball and resulted in the wickets being clean bowled. The loss of a player of such stature was a huge blow to Pakistan’s hopes of building crucial partnerships in the future.
Bosch kept picking wickets as he applied pressure dismissing Mohammad Rizwan and in the course of the same over, Shaheen Afridi.
In a series of exciting events, Rizwan, Pakistan’s top run scorer on the day was off, as Bosch, bowler, managed to send a delivery which came in speaking contact with Rizwan’s inside edge with a perfect angle.
Bosch ended the match having amazing stats and also contributed in ensuring that South Africa thoroughly outclassed their opponents. The bowler performed expectantly and was in control throughout the match, which made the fans have high hopes for the player throughout the series.
The predicaments that Pakistan had to deal with on an unforgettable day.
Pakistan’s batting order which was considered the strongest, onset day one with high hopes, was no match. However, fails to send the required 44, his couple of “heroic moments” were not enough to face the South African spinners. South African duo Dane Paterson and Bosch continously sending the batters back to the pavilion for not being able to board the pace which was being offered.
With Babar Azam and Rizwan getting dismissed quite early, Pakistan’s expectedly competitive score was irretrievably damaged.
The lack of meaningful assistance from the other batsmen facilitated South Africa’s grip on the game as they reduced Pakistan to a dismal position of 120 for 9 and with a bit of effort from the tail end they might not be able to add a reasonable amount to the total.
South Africa’s Exercise of Control
After the first day of the match, South Africa is in the driving seat mainly because of Dane Paterson and Bosch. Their combined efforts in the first day had left Pakistan with little to show and the home side will be looking to wrap up the innings quickly on the second. The two fast bowlers’ efforts edged South Africa into the driving seat within the game but at the same time, it provided Pakistan with a message that they have to improve their batting if they want to compete in the remainder of the Test series against South Africa.
The overall performance of the bowlers completely overshadowed a dismal day for the batters from Pakistan. Pakistan’s ability to fight in the remaining parts of the Test will mostly depend on their response to this early loss, especially with regards to the challenges imposed by Dane Paterson and Bosch in scoring.
As for Day 2, South Africa is targeting to remain in control and look out for a victory at the earliest because they were able to showcase impeccable bowling skills.
The pace of bowler’s attack of Pakistan seems to be on point and with the changing conditions further assisting them, the team has to reevaluate its tactics and make changes in order to deal with the opposition better.
Final Commentary
Thanks to the remarkable bowling efforts of Dane Paterson and Corbin Bosch, South Africa have the upper edge in the very first Test. This partnership has consumed nine wickets in total which led to the entire batting line up of Pakistan to get demolished. As Time goes into day two western province looks to wrap that innings and assert their dominance in this key test series. As for Pakistan, the focus is now towards restructuring and looking ahead to ensure recovery from the first round defeat if they want to remain in the fight.
If you are interested for more: Dane Paterson and Corbin Bosch’s collective nine wickets dismantle Pakistan on Day 1, providing South Africa control in the first Test From Beginner to Pro Gamer: Conquering Pakistan in 92 Jeeto