Pakistan fought back to restrict South Africa to 82 for three wickets at the close of the opening day of the first test after being bowled out for 211 at Centurion on Thursday.

Wickets for Khurram Shahzad and Mohammad Abbas saw Pakistan break through the top of the batting order to leave their hosts trailing by 129 runs at the close.

Khurram dismissed both Tony de Zorzi (2) and Ryan Rickelton (8) cheaply to see South Africa struggling early in their reply while Abbas, on his return to test cricket for the first time in three years, trapped Tristan Stubbs (9) leg before wicket.

But Aiden Markram, who has been under pressure to get runs, will resume on Friday on 47 alongside captain Temba Bavuma who is four not out.

Both teams elected to play all-seam bowling attacks on a bowler-friendly wicket and it was the home side’s change pair of Dane Paterson and Corbin Bosch who did the damage after South Africa won the toss and put the visitors into bat.

Paterson took 5-61 in 16 overs while Bosch had a dream start on debut at his home ground as he became the 25th cricketer to take a wicket with his first ball in test cricket, dismissing Pakistan captain Shan Masood in the 14th over.

Bosch, who finished with 4-63 off 15 overs, had been drafted into the South Africa side after a raft of injuries to their regular fast bowlers, had Masood caught at third slip by Marco Jansen with his opening delivery, before Paterson took five wickets in an innings for a second successive test.

Pakistan batting line-up stutter

The Pakistani batting line up stuttered against the inexperienced bowling pair of Paterson and Bosch.

Pakistan lost quick wickets in the first session of the game, mainly because of loose shots by the players. Skipper Shan Masood was the first to depart on debutant Corbin Bosch’s delivery.

He played the outside off stump delivery, but could not well connect to it as the ball landed in the hands of bowler Marco Jansen at gully.

Saim Ayub was the next to go pavilion. The young cricketer, who impressed critics with his performance in the ODI series, was caught behind off Dane Paterson’s bowling.

Former skipper Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel were the next batters to go pavilion. As commentators said they threw away their wickets by playing cheeky shots.

Bosch, playing on his home ground, had been drafted into the South Africa side after a raft of injuries to their regular fast bowlers and made good use of the opportunity with two wickets in the opening session.

Kamran Ghulam and Mohammad Rizwan gave hope to their side. They made an 81-run partnership.

Ghulam was the top-scorer for his side with a fifty. He hit four boundaries and a maximum. Aamir Jamal, who joined the team after the Australia series, made a cameo of 28 runs. He supported all-rounder Salman Ali Agha to build a partnership.

It was a promising start for the home side, who must win at least one of their two tests against Pakistan if they are to reach next year’s World Test Championship final.

A run of five successive test victories in the last five months has catapulted South Africa to top of the WTC standings and given them a strong chance of a place against either Australia, India or Sri Lanka in the one-off final at Lord’s in June.