PORT ELIZABETH, March 6: Pakistan fast bowler Waqar Younis claimed his 20th five-wicket haul in Test cricket as South Africa reached 262 for seven on the first day of the third and final Test match at St George's Park on Friday.Waqar struck four times before lunch as South Africa slumped to 81 for four and then claimed the crucial wicket of Hansie Cronje with the second new ball shortly before the close. Waqar finished with five wickets for 64 runs in 19 overs.Cronje, the South African captain, led a fightback by his team, scoring 85 in 255 minutes and sharing successive partnerships of 45 with Andrew Hudson, 78 with Shaun Pollock and 57 with Mark Boucher.South Africa's top-order failed against Waqar after skipper Rashid Latif sent South Africa in on a well-grassed pitch. Waqar dismissed Adam Bacher lbw then bowled Jacques Kallis, HD Ackerman and Gary Kirsten as South Africa endured a dismal pre-lunch session.After the break, Cronje played with fierce concentration in a dogged partnership withHudson before he and Pollock shared the most enterprising batting of the day, putting on 78 in 89 minutes. Hudson was fifth out for 42, caught off bat and pad at silly mid-off by Moin Khan off leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed. Hudson reached 2,000 runs in Tests on 39 but was dropped on 41 when Moin could not hold a diving catch at cover off Shoaib Akhtar.SCOREBOARDSouth Africa (1st innings): Adam Bacher lbw b Younis 3, Gary Kirsten b Younis 38, Jacques Kallis b Younis 10, Hylton Ackerman b Younis 11, Andrew Hudson c Khan b Ahmed 42, Hansie Cronje lbw b Younis 85, Shaun Pollock c Mahmood b Akram 38, Mark Boucher not out 27, De Villiers not out 1; Extras (nb5, lb2): 7.Total (for 7 wkts in 90 overs): 262Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-13, 3-36, 4-81, 5-122, 6-200, 7-257Bowling: Waqar Younis 19-4-64-5, Wasim Akram 21-5-54-1, Azhar Mahmood 21-7-47-0, Shoaib Akhtar 13-4-30-0, Mushtaq Ahmed 16-1-65-1.
