South Africa reaches 82-3 after Pakistan folds for 211 against pacers Paterson and Bosch in 1st test

CENTURION, South Africa (AP) — Dane Paterson bagged his second successive five-wicket haul and Corbin Bosch made a dream test debut with a wicket off his first ball as 13 batters fell to pace bowlers on an eventful start to the Boxing Day test match between South Africa and Pakistan on Thursday.

Paterson followed a 5-71 against Sri Lanka earlier this month with 5-61 and 30-year-old Bosch went on to claim 4-63 in his first test match as Pakistan was bowled out for 211.

Kamran Ghulam’s counterattacking 54 off 71 balls and a stubborn 22-run last wicket partnership between Khurram Shahzad and Mohammad Abbas allowed the tourists to cross the 200-run mark on a seamer-friendly SuperSport Park pitch where batters had been struggling for the last six years.

South Africa, which needs to win one of the two test matches against Pakistan to seal a place in next June’s World Test Championship final at Lord’s, reached 82-3 at stumps.

Aiden Markram made an attractive unbeaten 47 off 67 balls and captain Temba Bavuma was not out on 4 as fit-again Shahzad claimed two wickets and Abbas, playing his first test after more than three years, removed Tristan Stubbs for 9.

Shahzad hit the top of Tony de Zorzi’s (2) middle stump with a delivery that jagged back into the left-hander and wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan took a splendid low catch to dismiss Ryan Rickelton (8) with fast bowlers making full use of conducive conditions throughout the day.

Abbas then baffled Stubbs with a nippy delivery and had him trapped leg before wicket before South Africa ended the day without further damage.

Paterson filled the void perfectly after several South African fast bowlers were sidelined for the two-match series due to injuries, dismissing five of the top seven Pakistan batters.

Paterson’s 5-fer came after Bosch had lured Pakistan captain Shan Masood (17) to play a lose drive and had him caught in the slips an hour after captain Temba Bavuma had won the toss and elected to field.

Bosch joined four other countrymen -- Bert Vogler, Dane Piedt, Hardu Viljoen and Tshepo Moreki -- to achieve the unique feat of getting a wicket with their first ball in test cricket.

Bosch’s breakthrough saw Pakistan’s top-order crumble against the pace with Paterson finding edges of Ayub and Babar Azam (4).

Babar, who was dropped for the last two test matches at home against England, has long been struggling in red-ball cricket. His struggles continued as he hit Bosch for a boundary off the first ball he faced before playing loosely to Paterson and getting caught in the slips after facing just 11 balls.

Left-hander Saud Shakeel (14) struck three fours against Paterson before Bosch had him caught down the leg-side off a sharp short pitch ball after South Africa successfully went for a television review as Pakistan lost four wickets in the space of 20 runs and limped to 4-56.

Ghulam and Mohammad Rizwan rebuilt the innings with an attractive 81-run partnership before Paterson removed both batters after lunch in successive overs. Ghulam top-edged a pull to Rabada at fine leg and Rizwan poked at a delivery to the slips.

Aamer Jamal (28 off 27 balls) was twice dropped by Stubbs in the slips before Pakistan lost three wickets without a run and crumbled to 189-9. Bosch was on a hat trick when Jamal played the fast bowler back onto his stumps and Naseem Shah offered a tame catch at mid-on. Abbas survived the hat trick ball before Pakistan was bowled out early in the last session.

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South Africa's Temba Bavuma chases the ball during day one of the Test cricket match between South Africa and Pakistan, at the Centurion Park in Centurion, South Africa, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

South Africa's Kagiso Rabada fields off his own bowling during day one of the Test cricket match between South Africa and Pakistan, at the Centurion Park in Centurion, South Africa, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

Pakistan's Khurram Shahzad misplay a delivery during day one of the Test cricket match between South Africa and Pakistan, at the Centurion Park in Centurion, South Africa, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

Pakistan's Kamran Ghulam makes a run during day one of the Test cricket match between South Africa and Pakistan, at the Centurion Park in Centurion, South Africa, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

South Africa's Dane Paterson, right, celebrates with his teammates after dismissing Pakistan's Salman Agha during day one of the Test cricket match between South Africa and Pakistan, at the Centurion Park in Centurion, South Africa, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

Pakistan's Saud Shakeel, centre, leaves the field after being dismissed during day one of the Test cricket match between South Africa and Pakistan, at the Centurion Park in Centurion, South Africa, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

Pakistan's Saud Shakeel plays a shot during day one of the Test cricket match between South Africa and Pakistan, at the Centurion Park in Centurion, South Africa, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

South Africa's Corbin Bosch, centre, celebrates with teammates after taking a wicket of Pakistan's Shan Masood for 17 runs during day one of the Test cricket match between South Africa and Pakistan, at the Centurion Park in Centurion, South Africa, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

South Africa's Corbin Bosch, left, celebrates after bowling out Pakistan's Aamer Jamal during day one of the Test cricket match between South Africa and Pakistan, at the Centurion Park in Centurion, South Africa, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

South Africa's Dane Paterson, centre, celebrates with teammates after dismissing Pakistan's Salman Agha during day one of the Test cricket match between South Africa and Pakistan, at Centurion Park, in Centurion, South Africa, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

South Africa's Corbin Bosch, centre, celebrates with teammates after taking a wicket of Pakistan's Shan Masood for 17 runs during third International cricket match between South Africa and Pakistan, at the Wanderers stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

Pakistan's Saud Shakeel plays a shot during third International cricket match between South Africa and Pakistan, at the Wanderers stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

Pakistan's Saud Shakeel plays a shot during third International cricket match between South Africa and Pakistan, at the Wanderers stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

South Africa's Corbin Bosch, centre, celebrates with teammates after taking a wicket of Pakistan's Shan Masood for 17 runs during third International cricket match between South Africa and Pakistan, at the Wanderers stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

South Africa's players celebrate after teammate Corbin Bosch took a wicket during third International cricket match between South Africa and Pakistan, at the Wanderers stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

Dry conditions, wind and trees downed by Hurricane Helene fueled wildfires in North Carolina and South Carolina, where evacuation orders were in effect Tuesday.

About 80 miles (129 kilometers) west of Charlotte, North Carolina, officials ordered mandatory evacuations for roughly 165 properties in rural Polk County. Three fires there have burned at least 9 square miles (23 square kilometers). The North Carolina Forest Service says two of the fires are uncontained as of Monday night.

The Black Cove Fire is one of the larger blazes. Officials said a downed power line sparked that fire, but the causes of the other two fires are under investigation.

Neighboring Henderson County issued voluntary evacuation orders and opened an emergency shelter. Volunteer fire departments were on standby, Henderson County spokesperson Mike Morgan told WLOS-TV.

“Especially near some of the homes where if the fire did jump, we can be there to help protect those homes,” Morgan said. “We’re here to monitor the situation very closely.”

Two fires were burning in the mountains of South Carolina. The fires in Table Rock State Park and nearby Persimmon Ridge have burned a combined 2.3 square miles (5.9 square kilometers), the South Carolina Forestry Commission said. Officials said both fires were ignited by human activity and neither were contained as of Monday night.

No injuries were reported, and no structures were imminently threatened as of Monday night, but voluntary evacuations were issued for about 100 homes over the weekend. On Tuesday morning, the forestry commission updated an earlier announcement to say no evacuations were planned near the Persimmon Ridge Fire, but residents were urged to be prepared to leave their homes if an evacuation is suggested in the future.

“The weather over the next few days remains concerning, as relative humidities are expected to remain very low, and the forecasted wind speeds will still be conducive to spreading the fire,” the forestry commission said.

Dry weather and millions of trees knocked down by Hurricane Helene last year are creating a long and active fire season in the Carolinas, according to North Carolina State University forestry and environmental resources professor Robert Scheller. Scheller predicted this busy fire season if the region saw dry weather after the hurricane.

“Helene just dropped tons of fuel on the ground,” Scheller said. “Then these flash droughts allow that fuel to dry out very fast.”

Despite recent rain, most of the Carolinas are abnormally dry or experiencing a moderate drought, according to federal monitors.

This story has been corrected to show that officials were not recommending evacuations near the Persimmon Ridge Fire, but residents should be prepared to leave their homes if one is suggested.

Firefighters prepare to fight the wildfires in Polk County, N.C., on Saturday, March 22, 2025. (WLOS-TV via AP)

Smoke from the wildfires fill the sky in Polk County, N.C., on Saturday, March 22, 2025. (WLOS-TV via AP)

Firefighters prepare to fight the wildfires in Polk County, N.C., on Saturday, March 22, 2025. (WLOS-TV via AP)

In this March 23, 2025, photo released by the U.S. National Guard shows a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter from the 1-111th General Support Aviation Battalion, 59th Aviation Troop Command, McEntire Joint National Guard Base in Eastover executing its fire suppression mission in support of the South Carolina Forestry Commission at Persimmon Ridge Fire near Greenville, S.C. (Sgt. 1st Class Roberto Di Giovine/U.S. Army National Guard via AP)

In this March 23, 2025, photo released by the U.S. National Guard shows a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter from the 1-111th General Support Aviation Battalion, 59th Aviation Troop Command, McEntire Joint National Guard Base in Eastover executing its fire suppression mission in support of the South Carolina Forestry Commission at Persimmon Ridge Fire near Greenville, S.C. (Sgt. 1st Class Roberto Di Giovine/U.S. Army National Guard via AP)