Centurion, January 11:

Three Pakistan batsmen fell in quick succession to hook shots to spoil an otherwise solid performance by the tourists on the first day of the first Test against South Africa on Thursday.

Pakistan were 242-5 at the close, with captain Inzamam-ul-Haq unbeaten on 35. Younis Khan shared a 133-run third wicket stand with Yasir Hameed as the total climbed to 183-2. Then Khan (68) hooked against Shaun Pollock and was caught at fine leg. Hameed played a similar shot and was caught at deep square leg off Andre Nel for 65.

Faisal Iqbal (1) hook was his undoing as well, when he gloved a simple catch to wicketkeeper Mark Boucher off Jacques Kallis. It was Boucher’s 367th catch, a Test record, although he remains 13 behind former record-holder Ian Healy of Australia in total dismissals. Boucher was playing in his 100th Test.

Mohammad Hafeez (19) and Imran Farhat (26) put on 48 for the first wicket but Ntini dismissed both openers shortly before lunch. Pakistan’s mini collapse was halted by Inzamam and wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal (18), who stayed together until the close.