Proteas' win offers much promise

When South Africa's premier fast bowler Kagiso Rabada was interviewed at the start of yesterday's fourth day's play of the first Test against Pakistan in Centurion, with the Proteas needing a further 121 runs for victory with only seven wickets in hand on a tricky pitch, he admitted he didn't want to bat down the order but said he was ready to contribute to the team's cause because it would take all their effort to win.

The Proteas won shortly after lunch in a nail-biting affair in a low-scoring Test – albeit against the odds in the end – and they booked their place in the World Test Championship final at Lord's in June next year after a heroic 50-ball unbeaten ninth wicket partnership of 51 between Rabada and Marco Jansen to set up the two-wicket win. But it was anything but straightforward.