Maharaj urges calm after Proteas rue missed chances on opening day

Keshav Maharaj acknowledged the Proteas were disappointed to have dropped four catches but refused to apportion blame after the tourists had to settle for limiting Pakistan to 259/5 on an attritional opening day of the second Test.

Captain Shan Masood led the way for the hosts in Rawalpindi scoring 87, with opener Abdullah Shafique grinding out 57 and Saud Shakeel still there on 42 along with Salman Agha.

Maharaj and fellow spinner Simon Harmer took two wickets apiece and Kagiso Rabada one late in the day with the second new ball, but it could have been so much better for the tourists had a collection of chances not been put down in the morning and afternoon sessions. 

It started with the luckless Tristan Stubbs putting down a straightforward catch at slip off the fourth ball of the morning, then Maharaj himself failed to cling on to a half-chance off his own bowling before captain Aiden Markram put down the simplest of opportunities at first slip. 

Abdullah Shafique was the fortunate batter on each occasion. 

It did not stop there, unfortunately, for the Proteas with wicket-keeper Kyle Verreynne also missing a sharp stumping chance, while Senuran Muthusamy stumbled and fell at square-leg in his attempt to get under a Shan Masood top edge. 

“If you look at it, I think it was an even day. We managed to control that run rate. I think when that ball gets softer, which happens quite quickly because the wicket is quite hard, we manage to just go to old-fashioned Test cricket,” Maharaj said.

“I think it was an even-steven day. I felt if we got one more wicket at night, we would have probably had a little bit of upper hand.

“I think as a collective we know how important catches are, not just in the subcontinent but in general in Test cricket. But look, no one means to drop catches. 

“It was nice to see the guys bounce back and take the catches that they did. Yeah, it was a bit frustrating but yeah, no one means to drop catches at the end of the day.”

Considering the importance of this Test and their desire to level the series after the defeat in Lahore, the Proteas bowlers should be commended for sticking to their task despite the lack of support from their fielding unit. 

Maharaj was excellent upon his return, holding tightly for 31 overs, while off-spinner Simon Harmer was a threat throughout the day. Both pacers should also have had greater reward for their efforts, particularly Jansen, who was playing his first Test on the subcontinent, with the left-armer finding the outside edge regularly due to some reverse-swing and even hitting the stumps without the bails being dislodged. 

This meant last week’s hero from the Lahore Test Senuran Muthusamy, who claimed 11 wickets, sent down just four overs - the equivalent of captain Markram’s part-time off spin. Maharaj explained Muthusamy’s lack of opportunity was due to the nature of the Rawalpindi surface.

“I think we saw that the wicket didn't play like Lahore and spin as much so we felt like we just wanted to try and restrict the Pakistani batters,” he said.

“So, probably more a tactical thing, I don't think there was an issue. I think Sen came back nicely with the second spell that he bowled. Obviously, Shan got away a little bit in his earlier spells but I think it was a more tactical decision.”

Maharaj feels that with a little bit more luck and some good spells early on Tuesday, the Proteas can restrict Pakistan to a manageable total. 

“(Tuesday) is an important day. The first session is always a moving day, it seems, in this Test series,” he said.

“The main thing for us is to try and build as many dot balls as we can. We saw for a period of time when we did do it that we brought a little bit of reward and created opportunities. 

“It's important that we start really well. Hopefully, we can get Saud and Salman Agha early in the morning and open up and end with the lower-order batters. But yeah, it's about just trying to bowl our best ball for long periods of time.”

Scorers

Second Test, Day 1, Stumps

Pakistan: 259/5 (Masood 87, Shakeel 42*, Maharaj 2/63, Harmer 2/75)

Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat