Rickelton’s 259 powers South Africa to 615, Pakistan struggles at 64/3 on Day 2

Ryan Rickelton played a historic knock of 259, posting the joint seventh-highest score by a South African in Test cricket, as his team amassed a formidable 615 runs before reducing Pakistan to 64 for four at the close of play on Day 2 of the second and final Test at Newlands on Saturday.

Pakistan, still trailing by 551 runs, have already lost three wickets. In addition, they are one batter short due to the injury of opener Saim Ayub, who suffered an ankle fracture while fielding on Day 1 and has been ruled out.

Babar Azam was 31 not out at the end of the day, with Mohammad Rizwan at the other end on nine. They will resume on Day 3, attempting to reduce their massive deficit.

Seamer Kagiso Rabada (2-9) played a key role in the collapse, claiming the wickets of Shan Masood (2) and Saud Shakeel (0), both caught at first slip by David Bedingham.

Marco Jansen also contributed by dismissing Kamran Ghulam (12), who chopped the ball onto his stumps.

However, the day belonged to Rickelton, who was in superb form. After being elevated to open the innings due to Tony de Zorzi’s injury, Rickelton enjoyed a marathon 10-hour stay at the crease, facing 343 balls, during which he struck 29 fours and three sixes.

Kyle Verreynne got to his fourth Test hundred. Photo: AFP

He put together a monumental 235-run partnership with captain Temba Bavuma, who scored 106, and another 148-run partnership with Kyle Verreynne, who scored 100.

The South African batters took full advantage of the sweltering conditions in Cape Town, piling up runs.

Rickelton’s stellar knock finally came to an end when he attempted a tired swipe at seamer Mir Hamza and was caught by Mohammad Abbas at mid-on.

Pakistan did manage to remove David Bedingham early in the day for five. Bedingham, who had been dismissed for a poor shot outside off-stump, became one of Rizwan’s six victims behind the stumps, this time off Abbas (3-94).

That brought Kyle Verreynne to the wicket, and the wicketkeeper-batter displayed his full array of strokes. Verreynne reached his fourth Test century off 144 balls, hitting five sixes, before he was dismissed, caught by Aamer Jamal on the midwicket boundary off the bowling of spinner Salman Agha (3-148).

Jansen, looking to accelerate the scoring, contributed a breezy 62 from 54 balls. Keshav Maharaj also chipped in with a quickfire 40 off 35 balls, as the home side went all out for quick runs to boost their total.

South Africa, having already secured their spot in the World Test Championship final at Lord’s in June, are now focused on winning the series 2-0.

They claimed a tense victory by two wickets in the first Test in Pretoria, and now look to wrap up the series with another win in Cape Town.