Pakistan batsmen bullied by South African pacers

Ajit Vijaykumar 23:48 03/01/2019
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  • South African quicks targeted Pakistan batsmen's body.

    Pakistan‘s performance in South Africa is getting painful to watch. Sarfraz Ahmed’s diffident bunch – fresh from a home Test series defeat against the Kiwis – have travelled to a country where struggle is a constant companion of visiting teams, which means setbacks were inevitable. However, this is getting a bit too much.

    Pakistan were in a strong position in the Boxing Day Test before an hour of reckless batting against Duanne Olivier resulted in a defeat in three days.

    Only a miracle could have saved Pakistan in the New Year’s Test at Newlands but that never arrived. On a wicket with enough grass but not as much quick bounce, Pakistan were flattened. In fairness, their batsmen were bullied.

    The visitors were bowled out for 177 on the opening day of the second Test, which is definitely not how they wanted to start. The manner in which their batsmen were sent back to the pavilion was absolutely disheartening.

    Olivier, Kagiso Rabada and Dale Steyn targeted the head, torso and fingers of each and every Pakistan batsman over after over. There was simply no relief. Fakhar Zaman, Azhar Ali, Babar Azam and tailender Shaheen Afridi were all bounced out.

    And when they were not getting bounced out, Pakistan’s batsmen were getting roughed up. Olivier in particular, did not give anything to drive.

    The number of hits pacer Mohammad Amir took to his hands and head was testament to the devastating quality of South Africa’s attack.

    South Africa’s pacers could afford to target Pakistan’s batsmen and even look to hurt them because they knew that apart from young quick Shaheen Afridi, Pakistan couldn’t really put up a sustained short-ball assault that could put fear in their batsmen’s mind.

    Mohammad Abbas is a supremely talented seamer but he can’t scare the batsmen with pace. Amir does not have that extra zip in his bowling even though he is more than capable of cranking it up. Compare that to South Africa, who entered the New Year’s Test with a reliable seamer in Vernon Philander at one end and speed demons like Steyn, Rabada and Olivier – all three getting close to the 150kph mark – at the other. There was no mercy.

    As incredible as it sounds when talking of Pakistan’s fast bowling, they have been easily out-paced by South Africa. The visitors might still take 20 cheap wickets in this Test and the third but it is unlikely the South African batsmen will be worried about their safety the same way Pakistan’s batsmen currently are while facing the Protea pace fire.

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