South Africa eased to a 10-wicket victory over Pakistan in the second Test on Monday in Cape Town to secure a 2-0 series win despite second-innings resistance from the tourists.Forced to follow on 421 runs behind on the first innings, Pakistan battled to 478 all out but South Africa, who qualified for the World Test Championship final last week, easily knocked off a target of 58 late on the fourth day.David Bedingham hit 44 not out off 30 balls as South Africa sealed victory in just 7.1 overs.Bedingham was opening in place of Ryan Rickelton, who suffered a hamstring strain in the field after scoring 259 in South Africa’s first innings of 615.Captain Shan Masood led Pakistan’s fightback, scoring 145.Masood fell to the second new ball, trapped leg before wicket by 18-year-old debutant Kwena Maphaka.Masood’s dismissal came three balls after Kagiso Rabada had Saud Shakeel caught at second slip for 23, ending a 51-run fourth-wicket stand.Pakistan, a batter short after Saim Ayub suffered a broken ankle while fielding on the first morning, were still 92 runs in arrears after the double blow.But Mohammad Rizwan (41) and Salman Agha (48) put on 88 for the sixth wicket and Aamer Jamal hit a quick 34 before the innings was ended.South Africa’s bowlers received virtually no assistance from a placid pitch, but coach Shukri Conrad said he was glad his team had to work hard.”This is the best thing that has happened to us this summer,” said Conrad, citing the relative ease with which South Africa have bowled out opponents in a seven-match winning streak on the way to qualifying for the final against Australia at Lord’s in June. “Yes, we’ve been really good but we haven’t had to really toil and see what putting in the hard graft is all about.”It’s great for the character of the side and great for what potentially lies ahead when we go to Lord’s.”- Selection headache for Test final -Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj, who had been expected to be a major factor on a fourth day pitch, achieved minimal spin and toiled for 45 overs to take three for 137.Conrad said he hoped South Africa would be able to arrange a Test ahead of the Lord’s final, possibly against Ireland or Afghanistan. Failing that, they would need to get to England early in order to prepare well in English conditions.He also said selection was likely to be “a real issue” with eight batsmen having scored centuries and several bowlers having performed well while leading fast bowlers were unavailable.Conrad hinted that Anrich Nortje, South Africa’s fastest bowler, would be available despite turning down a Cricket South Africa contract. “If he hadn’t broken his toe he would have played (in the first Test) at Centurion. It was great that he wanted to play.”South African captain Temba Bavuma said he believed “something special was brewing about this team.””The guys on the field back and fight for each other. There’s a strong sense of belief that someone is going to do it for the team on the day.”But Bavuma added: “We’re not a well-oiled machine. We are still on our journey as a team but we somehow find a way.”His counterpart Masood said there were many positives as well for Pakistan, both at Centurion and Newlands. “We did really well in Centurion but didn’t close it out in the crunch moments. At Newlands we didn’t start well, conceding too many runs and then we folded with the bat on a really good surface. But then we fought back with a lot of individuals stepping up.”But we need to learn to step up in the really crucial moments and not leave it too late.”
