South Africa v Pakistan: Ryan Rickelton scores 259 as hosts post 615 in second Test
2025-01-04
Category: sports

Second Test, day two, Cape TownSouth Africa 615: Rickelton 259, Bavuma 109, Verreynne 100; Abbas 3-94Pakistan 64-3: Azam (31*); Rabada 2-9South Africa lead by 551 runsScorecard
Ryan Rickelton scored 259 as South Africa seized control on day two of the second Test against Pakistan at Newlands. Batting first, South Africa were bowled out for 615 in the evening session, their second-highest Test total against Pakistan and their highest against any team since the Boxing Day Test against Sri Lanka in 2020.Rickelton, who started the day 176 not out with the hosts 316-4, posted another 83 runs before being caught off the bowling of Mir Hamza before tea.It was the 28-year-old's first time opening in Test cricket and his 259 moves him joint-seventh for the highest Test score by a South African alongside Graeme Smith against England in 2003.Captain Temba Bavuma (106) and wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne (100) recorded their fourth Test centuries, while bowlers Marco Jansen (62) and Keshav Maharaj (40) scored quickly lower down the order.Bowlers Mohammad Abbas and Salman Ali Agha took three wickets each, while Hamza and Khuram Shahzad claimed a pair apiece.Responding to 615 after tea, Pakistan were quickly reduced to 20-3 by the bowling of Kagiso Rabada and Jansen.Rabada removed Pakistan captain Shan Masood and Saud Shakeel for two and nought respectively, with Kamran Ghulam only managing 12 before being bowled by Jansen.Pakistan ended the second day 64-3, with former captain Babar Azam unbeaten on 31. South Africa currently lead 1-0 in the two-match Test series.