CENTURION, South Africa: South Africa won the first test against Pakistan on Friday as Hashim Amla held together a shaky run-chase to see his team to a six-wicket victory in a game settled on the third day but turned on its head in one session a day earlier.
Amla made 63 not out to take South Africa to 151-4 and past the target of 149.
Opener Dean Elgar contributed 50 and shared a match-clinching partnership of 119 with Amla for the second wicket before Elgar’s departure a ball after getting to 50 sparked a flurry of wickets near the end.
South Africa steadied themselves to take an early lead in the three-match series. It was all over well before tea on Day 3 after a green-tinged pitch at SuperSport Park provided lots of help to both teams’ fast bowlers and the batters duly struggled against the pace, bounce and movement.
Pakistan were bowled out for 181 in its first innings after taking the risky option of batting first — a decision that ultimately backfired. South Africa replied with not much more, 223 all out, in their first innings.
At 100-1 at tea on Day 2, Pakistan had forced their way in front. The tourists looked set to build a significant lead and put themselves in a position of strength only to lose nine wickets for 89 runs in a sudden, game-changing collapse that left South Africa with a modest score to chase instead.
“I felt that was probably the match-turning moment,” South Africa captain Faf du Plessis said. “Both teams were similar in the first innings, very good (bowling) attacks on a tough batting pitch.
“That period there when we got nine wickets, incredible effort from the bowlers.”
South Africa’s match-winner was Duanne Olivier, the fast bowler who wasn’t meant to be playing in the series-opener but was drafted in after injuries to fellow quicks Vernon Philander and Lungi Ngidi.
He finished with six wickets in the first innings and five in the second, bowling short-pitched, fast and hostile spells to collect 11-96 in the match and the 10th-best figures ever for a South African in a test. His wickets included four of the nine to fall in that crucial post-tea session on Thursday.
“We are definitely disappointed that we had our opportunity to put runs on the board and we didn’t capitalize after tea (on Thursday),” Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed said. “And we lost too many wickets in one session.
“We have quality fast bowling, they bowled really well but we have to score runs. If we don’t score runs, it’s not easy.”
Hashim Amla guides South Africa to 6-wicket win over Pakistan
Hashim Amla guides South Africa to 6-wicket win over Pakistan
Arsenal stay top as City apply the pressure and Liverpool resurgence continues
- City briefly held top spot after a 2-1 win at Nottingham Forest
- Liverpool’s resurgence continued with a 2-1 win of their own against last-placed Wolverhampton
MANCHESTER: Arsenal resisted a late fightback from Brighton on Saturday to keep hold of first place in the Premier League and stay ahead of Manchester City.
City briefly held top spot after a 2-1 win at Nottingham Forest, but when Arsenal beat Brighton by the same score later in the day, they returned to the summit with a two-point advantage over Pep Guardiola’s team.
Liverpool’s resurgence continued with a 2-1 win of their own against last-placed Wolverhampton, who set a new Premier League record for the longest winless run from the start of a season.
Arsenal pushed by Brighton
Another set piece goal and another own goal kept Arsenal at the top of the standings — but they required an outstanding save from David Raya to deny Brighton.
Martin Odegaard gave Mikel Arteta’s team a 14th-minute lead with a low shot from the edge of the area. And when Brighton’s Georginio Rutter headed a wicked Declan Rice corner into his own net seven minutes into the second half, Arsenal were in control.
But nerves began to spread around the Emirates when Diego Gomez pulled a goal back against the run of play in the 64th minute. Yankuba Minteh then hit a shot that was destined for the top corner until Raya stretched an arm to push it away.
“Their goal changed the momentum a little bit and they pressed us toward the end, but we got the three points and that’s all that matters,” Odegaard said. “Lots of positives and still some things we can improve, but overall a good game and another win.”
Arsenal have become set piece specialists and in recent weeks have benefited from a slew of own goals, with Rutter’s the latest to prove decisive.
It was the fourth time in as many games an opponent has scored an own goal against the league leaders.
Cherki delivers for City
Rayan Cherki kept Manchester City’s Premier League title challenge powering on with a late winner at Nottingham Forest.
The France forward’s 83rd minute strike secured victory at the City Ground to make it six league wins in a row for Pep Guardiola’s team. City are on an eight-game winning run in all.
“Today is a big win,” Cherki told TNT Sports. “I’m proud of the team because this game is very complicated to win.”
It was Cherki’s second goal in three games and fifth overall. He also provided an assist with an intricate pass to Tijjani Reijnders to put City ahead three minutes into the second half.
Omari Hutchinson equalized for relegation-fighting Forest, which were holding out for a crucial point until Cherki fired through a crowded box for the winner.
Guardiola, who has won 12 league titles with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and City, looks like a man who believes his team is ready to regain the crown they surrendered to Liverpool last season. He joined in the celebrations with the traveling fans after the final whistle — acting conductor as they celebrated wildly after another win.
“When we won a lot of titles in Barcelona, Bayern Munich, here, you have a lot of games of this type,” he said. “The body language, how we celebrated, the connection with the fans is there.”
Liverpool win again
A fourth straight win for Liverpool and another sign that Florian Wirtz is finding his feet in England’s top flight.
Wirtz scored his first Premier League goal since joining the defending champions from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer and it proved to be decisive against Wolves.
Wirtz doubled Liverpool’s lead before halftime after Ryan Gravenberch had opened the scoring at Anfield, but Wolves halved the deficit through Santiago Bueno after the break.
“I was confident that I will score one day, but of course I wanted to start earlier, scoring and assisting,” Wirtz said. “It was like this and I have to accept it. I just know that it would come and I tried to keep going like that.”
After seeing their title defense unravel between September and November, Liverpool are now on a seven-game unbeaten run.
Wolves are on a very different run. After 18 rounds of the season the Midlands club have set a new low in the Premier League era — overtaking the record they shared with Sheffield United for the longest winless start to a campaign.
Schade leads Brentford rout
Kevin Schade scored a hat trick in Brentford’s 4-1 rout of Bournemouth.
Antoine Semenyo was on target for Bournemouth ahead of the January transfer window when he is reportedly a target for some of the Premier League’s top clubs, including Man City.
West Ham’s relegation fight was dealt a blow as Raul Jimenez scored in the 85th to seal a 1-0 win for Fulham, while second-to-bottom Burnley drew 0-0 with Everton.
