Markram laments missed opportunities after crushing defeat

South African captain, Aiden Markram, bemoaned the inability of the top order to make big enough scores on an awkward pitch at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore as the home side bowled the tourists out for 183 in their second innings to win the first test by 93-runs inside four days on Wednesday.

The exception in the first innings was Tony de Zorzi whose 104 helped South Africa to a total of 269 but the first innings deficit of 109 was to prove fatal despite an outstanding performance from left arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy who claimed a match haul of 11-174.

“He was exceptional – if you watch him behind the scenes he works really hard, bowls a lot of balls and takes his practice really seriously so no surprise that he’s reaping the rewards out there in the middle. I’m so pleased for him that he could have this game,” Markram said.

But it was the lack of runs which cost South Africa the chance to begin the defence of their World Test Championship title with a victory and Markram included himself in his criticism.

“Quite a few of us made good starts but we weren’t able to push on and get the big scores which make a difference, apart from Tony in the first innings. When you get in, especially in tricky conditions like these, you’ve got to on and make it count,” Markram said.

As for the eyebrow-raising selection of three specialist spinners compared to the two which Pakistan opted for, the Proteas captain said he was happy with having just two seamers in Kagiso Rabada and Wiann Mulder – although Mulder bowled just two overs in the entire test match.

“I’m not sure what conditions will be like in Rawalpindi but I can’t see it being too different from this,” Markram said with a wry smile. “There was a lot of assistance for the spinners, obviously, so it was a nicely balanced team I felt. But we’ll have to get to ‘Pindi and see what it looks like there,” Markram said.

Pakistan captain, Shan Masood, was understandably delighted with the result and his team’s performance but paid tribute to the tenacity of the South Africans: “As I said before the series started, they are a great measuring stick for us being the world test champions, they kept coming back at us when we had the chance to get away, but that’s what champions do, they never give up,” Masood said.

“But also kept going and managed to build up enough of a margin to win and I’m just pleased that we managed to finish it off.”

Masood had high praise for his two spinners, offspinner Sajid Khan who claimed five wickets and 39-year-old left armer Noman Ali whose match haul of 10-191 was his third 10-wicket haul in the 21 tests of his belated career.

“They were outstanding, Sajid has been unlucky with injuries but he bowled 50 overs here and he was unlucky not to have taken more wickets but Noman, Noman is Noman,” Masood said with a shake of his head.

Apart from De Zorzi South Africa can be grateful for the form of opener Ryan Rickelton who oozed class during innings of 71 and 45 and for the promise of Dewald Brevis who counter-attacked in dazzling style on the final day with a run-a-ball 54 including two straight driven sixes off Noman before receiving an unplayable ball from the left hander which pitched on leg stump and hit the top of off stump.

The second test begins at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Monday.