THE Proteas made light work of a klein target of 58 to claim victory against Pakistan by 10 wickets at a gebakte Newlands yesterday, wrapping up the series 2-0 inside four days of the second and final Test.
Pakistan had held up the home team’s victory charge with a second innings score of 478, having been asked to follow on – their effort led by captain Shan Masood’s fine 145.
But seamer Kagiso Rabada (3/115) and spinner Keshav Maharaj (3/137) kept chipping away at the Pakistan wickets, aided by some swak shot selection.
David Bedingham was promoted to open in the second innings after double-centurion from their first, Ryan Rickelton, sustained a hamstring strain.
Bedingham raced to 44 from 30 balls to see his side to victory in 7.1 overs.
Pakistan resumed the fourth day on 213/1, though they were effectively two down after batter Saim Ayub fractured his ankle while fielding on the first day.
Despite the wicket offering niks to the bowlers in terms of seam or turn, the Proteas picked up two wickets in the morning session, as Khurram Shahzad was caught by Maharaj at point off seamer Marco Jansen for 18.
Rabada bowled Kamran Ghulam for 28, a delivery that nipped back off the wicket and crashed into the off-stump.
Shukri Conrad’s side took the new ball shortly after lunch and that brought two more wickets, as they eventually bowled out the visitors for 478 runs.
Pakistan could only score 194 runs all out in their first innings – with Kagiso Rabada claiming 3/55 and Keshav Maharaj 2/14 – in reply to South Africa’s helse 615 all out (Rickelton 259, Temba Bavuma 106, Kyle Verreynne 100 and Marco Jansen 62).
The visitors were then forced to follow on.