TEA: Proteas' Senuran Muthusamy's double blow rocks Pakistan after record partnership

1st Test, Lahore, Tea

Pakistan: 199/4 (Imam 93, Masood 76, Muthusamy 2/47)

Senuran Muthusamy will head into the final session on a hat-trick after striking two vital blows on the eve of tea to turnaround the Proteas’ fortunes in the first Test against Pakistan in Lahore on Sunday.

The hosts were cruising at 199/2 with the afternoon break looming, but the left-arm spinner had Imam-ul-Haq caught at short leg for a superb 93 (153 balls, 7x4, 1x6) before having Saud Shakeel chipped one straight back at Muthusamy to be caught and bowled for a duck.

Tea was immediately called and Muthusamy will come out after the break in a bid to become only the third South African to take a Test hat-trick after Geoff Griffin and Keshav Maharaj.

The latter is not available for selection in this first Test as he continues building up his bowling loads after recovering from a groin injury recently.

It was just reward for the Proteas after they had shown great patience during the record 161-run stand for the second wicket between Imam and captain Shan Masood (76 off 147 balls).

The Proteas spinners bowled with greater accuracy, and speed through the air during the second session, and created a couple of chances which did not go to hand.

De Zorzi, fielding at short-leg, spilled a diving chance when Masood inside edged a Prenelan Subrayen delivery. 

Subrayen should also have Imam earlier when the left-hander tried to hit the off-spinner over the top, but again a diving Wiaan Mulder could not hold to the catch at mid-off.

But Subrayen was eventually rewarded for his efforts when he trapped the Pakistan skipper Masood LBW with a rapid skiddy delivery, which upon review showed would be hitting the timber.

The visitors were almost in a state of delirium when new batter and local hero Baba Azam was adjudged to have nicked behind to Muthasamy, but a review later revealed the ball to have missed the outside edge.

Muthasamy, of course, earned his success later in the session to put the first day firmly in the balance.