SEVENTH HEAVEN

PROTEAS spinner Keshav Maharaj took seven wickets before the visitors ground their way to 185/4 to leave the second Test against Pakistan in the balance on Tuesday.

Left-armer Maharaj took 7/102 in Rawalpindi for his 12th five-wicket Test haul to help bowl Pakistan out for 333 on a spin-friendly pitch.

Veteran Pakistan debutant spinner Asif Afridi then grabbed the crucial wickets of Tony de Zorzi (55) and Dewald Brevis for a duck to restrict South Africa in their reply.

At close on day two, Tristan Stubbs was batting on 68, having added an invaluable 113 runs for the third wicket with De Zorzi, who scored a solid half-century to lift the visitors from 54/2.

When it looked like the pair would stabilise the innings, 38-year-old spinner Asif trapped De Zorzi  (55) leg-before and earned his eerste wicket on review.

In his next over, he had Brevis caught in the slips without scoring.

Kyle Verreynne was the other unbeaten batter at the close of play, on 10, with the Proteas trailing by 148 runs.

Asif has figures of 2/24 while Sajid Khan and Shaheen Shah Afridi took a wicket apiece. De Zorzi and Brevis , meanwhile, joined SA openers Ryan Rickelton  – caught behind for 14 – and visiting captain Aiden Markram (32) back in the hut.

Earlier, Pakistan resumed on 259/5 and reached 316 untroubled when the Maharaj show began.

He broke through the defence of Salman Agha, trapping him leg-before for 45.

Agha hit five fours and added 70 for the sixth wicket with Saud Shakeel.

Shakeel looked steady and reached his 10th half-century with a couple off Maharaj.

But the spinner had him caught in the slips for 66 and it triggered a collapse.

Maharaj bowled Shaheen for a duck, completing his first five-wicket haul against Pakistan.

Maharaj wrapped up the innings with the wickets of Sajid (five) and Asif (four) as Pakistan lost their last five wickets for 17 runs.

Play resumes at 7am on Wednesday.