South Africa struggles against Pakistan spinners to reach 216-6 on day two in Lahore

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistan left-arm spinner Noman Ali took 4-85 to peg back South Africa to 216-6 on day two of the first test at Gaddafi Stadium on Monday.

Pakistan was all out for 378 in the morning and by stumps was still ahead by 162 runs.

South Africa was 174-2 in the final session then lost four wickets for 26 runs — two of the wickets to Noman. Tony de Zorzi made it to the end of the day unbeaten on 81 from 140 balls.

From the onset, Pakistan deployed spinners from one end and Noman got catches behind off Proteas captain Aiden Markram, who reached 3,000 runs in test matches, and Wiaan Mulder.

Ryan Rickelton (71) and de Zorzi revived South Africa with a gritty 94-run third wicket stand.

They blunted Noman and Sajid Khan by not only playing deep into their crease, but also using their feet well.

De Zorzi had a nervy start when he edged two boundaries against fast bowler Hasan Ali through the slips cordon, but settled in well against the spinners and displayed his wide range of shots. Khan exhausted all three Pakistan reviews that included two unsuccessful lbw referrals against de Zorzi.

Off-spinner Salman Ali Agha broke the stand and triggered the middle-order collapse when Rickelton tried an expansive shot out of his crease and Babar Azam in the slips plucked a spectacular one-handed catch centimeters off the ground.

Tristan Stubbs (8) and Dewald Brevis' (0) inexperience on spin pitches was exposed, and Noman further dented South Africa's progress when he had Kyle Verreynne out plumb lbw half an hour before stumps.

Earlier, Pakistan resumed from 313-5 overnight on a dry pitch with plenty of variable bounce.

Agha and Mohammad Rizwan (75) extended their partnership to 163 and denied fast bowler Kagiso Rabada (1-56) a breakthrough in his four-over spell while also showing a lot of aggression against the off-spin of Simon Harmer, who finished with 1-101.

Rizwan and Agha bettered Pakistan's previous best sixth-wicket partnership against South Africa — Moin Khan and Inzamam-ul-Haq combined for 144 at Faisalabad in 1997.

Agha, who survived an lbw referral in Rabada's second over, twice lifted Harmer for sixes while Rizwan negated the spinner with sweep shots before Pakistan lost three wickets without scoring for the second time in the innings.

Left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy took three wickets in four deliveries — a triple-wicket maiden over — in a career-best haul of 6-117.

Rizwan edged behind while attempting an off drive, Noman was bowled, and Khan was caught at slip by Markram for Muthusamy to be on a hat trick for the second time in the innings. Agha denied Muthusamy the hat trick.

Agha was the last Pakistan wicket to fall, on 93 going for a big hit against off-spinner Prenelan Subrayen and holing out to Muthusamy at mid-on. Agha hit five fours and three sixes in his 145-ball knock.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

South Africa's Tony dy Zorzi bats during the second day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and South Africa, in Lahore, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Pakistan's Noman Ali, second right, celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of South Africa's Kyle Verreynne, right, during the second day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and South Africa, in Lahore, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

South Africa's Senuran Muthusamy, left, celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Pakistan's Mohammad Rizwan during the second day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and South Africa, in Lahore, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Pakistan's Mohammad Rizwan plays a shot during the second day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and South Africa, in Lahore, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Pakistan's Salman Ali Agha plays a shot during the second day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and South Africa, in Lahore, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

South Africa's Senuran Muthusamy celebrates after taking the wicket of Pakistan's Noman Ali during the second day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and South Africa, in Lahore, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen won the Australian Open for his first major professional title Sunday when his scrambled par on the final hole crushed the hopes of hometown favorite Cam Smith who was chasing his first win in more than two years.

Smith and Neergaard-Peterson came to the 72nd hole tied at 15-under after a thrilling contest over the last nine holes. Neergaard Petersen shanked his drive into difficult rough on the right with a bunker between his ball and the green.

Smith found the green with his second but with a long, sloping putt to the hole. Matter of fact as he has been throughout the week, Neergaard got up and down for par while Smith missed his difficult putt for birdie, then a 1.5 meter return putt to force a playoff.

The 26-year-old Danish player won by a single shot at 15-under 269 after rounds of 67, 66, 66 and 70. Smith started the last round two shots behind the leader, drew level by the turn and led outright after sinking a three meter put for birdie on the 10th hole.

After a birdie at the 11th, Smith bogeyed the 12th and was level with Neergaard-Petersen at 13 under. The pair stayed locked together until the final hole when Smith's missed par putt handled his opponent a career-changing victory.

“It’s hard. I’m really at a loss for words. It’s been a battle all day,” Neergaard said. “Even from the outside, you can look calm but it was a storm inside (for me) all day.

“But I managed to keep battling and to get it up and down to make that putt on the last. I don’t know what to say, to be honest.”.

Smith, the 2022 British Open champion who ended his streak of missing seven consecutive cuts this year on Friday, shot 66 Saturday and was tied for second, two strokes off the lead.

After all his missed cuts, Smith, said that it was “nice being in contention” entering the final round.

“It’s been a while since I’ve had this feeling to be honest,” he said. “I love that it’s the Australian Open. I couldn’t think of a better place to get back into form. It would shut a few people up.”

Smith has won the Australian PGA twice but has yet to win the Stonehaven Cup as the champion of his national open.

His last tournament victory came at the LIV tournament in Bedminster, England in August 2022 and his previous top-10 finish was in July.

Rory McIlroy's 11 bogeys over four days, including an unfortunate enconter with a banana peel on Saturday, kept him out of contention. On Sunday, the Northern Irishman had a final round 69, with five birdies and three bogeys, to finish in a tie for 10th.

McIlroy, the Race to Dubai winner and who completed his career Grand Slam when he won the Masters this year, was naking his first appearance at the Australian Open since 2015. He won it in 2013.

Speaking after his final round Sunday, the world No. 2 called for a more favorable schedule to attract more of the game's top players.

While he thought the sandbelt courses held massive appeal, the s didn’t help the Open attract the top overseas players.

“I obviously would love to have a few more players come down and play, but it’s hard with three tournaments going on in the schedule this week,” said McIlroy referring to the schedule clash with Tiger Woods’ Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas and the DP World Tour’s Nedbank Challenge in South Africa.

"There need to be conversations had with people much more important than me that set the schedules, and hopefully the Australian Open can find a date that accommodates everyone and everyone can at least have the option to come down.”

“People seeing the scenes here on TV…it’ll definitely pique their interest,” he said.

The winner of the Australian Open, which is the second event on the European tour’s new schedule of tournaments for late this year and 2026, receives a Masters exemption next year. And the top three finishers not already exempt will qualify for the British Open in 2026 at Royal Birkdale.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, left, speaks to Matt McCarty of the U.S., right, during the fourth round of the Australian Open golf tournament in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

Australia's Cameron Smith watched his putt on the 14th during the final round of the Australian Open golf tournament in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

Denmark's Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, left, plays from the rough on the 18th green as his caddy Brian Nilsson watches during the final round of the Australian Open golf tournament in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

Denmark's Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen celebrates after sinking his putt on the 18th during the final round of the Australian Open golf tournament in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

Denmark's Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen holds the Stonehaven Cup after winning the Australian Open golf tournament in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)