Proteas captain Faf suspended for Johannesburg Test: South Africa outplay Pakistan to clinch series

CAPE TOWN: South Africa completed the formality as they outplayed Pakistan by nine wickets on the fourth day of the second Test at Newlands on Sunday.

Pakistan claimed a wicket and forced Hashim Amla to retire hurt before South Africa passed their meagre target after less than an hour’s play at Newlands. Set 41 to win, South Africa reached 43 for the loss of one wicket from 9.5 overs.

The result ensured a seventh successive home series win for South Africa, who won the first Test in Centurion by six wickets. The third and final Test starts in Johannesburg on Friday. Regular South African opening batsman Aiden Markram did not bat after suffering a severely bruised right thigh when he fell heavily on the boundary rope while fielding on Saturday. Theunis de Bruyn, opening in place of Markram, clipped Mohammad Abbas to the midwicket boundary but did not add to his score before being caught off his glove by wicketkeeper and captain Sarfraz Ahmed while attempting to pull a bouncer from Abbas.

Meanwhile South Africa will be without regular captain Faf du Plessis in the third and final Test against Pakistan in Johannesburg - starting January 11 - as he has been handed a one-match suspension and a 20 percent match-fee fine.

The rest of his team-mates who featured in the series-clinching second Test have been handed a 10 percent match fee fine. The sanctions were imposed by Match Referee David Boon after South Africa were found to be one over short in their Cape Town victory after time allowances were taken into consideration.

The punishment for Du Plessis is a result of a second minor over-rate offence within a period of 12 months. Du Plessis had been found guilty of a similar offence during the Centurion Test against India that took place in January 2018.

Pakistan first innings: 177

South Africa first innings: 431

Pakistan second innings: 294

South Africa second innings:

D. Elgar not out 24

T. de Bruyn c Sarfraz b Abbas 4

H. Amla retired hurt 2

F. du Plessis not out 3

Extras: (b4, nb1, w5) 10

Total: (1 wkt, 9.5 overs) 43

Fall: 1-4 (De Bruyn)

Bowling: Mohammad Amir 5-2-17-0 (1nb, 1w), Mohammad Abbas 4-0-14-1, Azhar Ali 0.5-0-8-0

Result: South Africa won by nine wickets

Series: South Africa lead the three-match series 2-0

Toss: South Africa

Umpires: Bruce Oxenford (AUS), Joel Wilson (WIN)

TV umpire: Sundaram Ravi (IND)

Match referee: David Boon (AUS).