Lahore, October 10:

South Africa marched toward setting up a stiff target for Pakistan in the second Test today.

The visitors were 154-2 at stumps on third day — an overall lead of 305 runs with captain Graeme Smith batting on 75 and Jacques Kallis on 37.

Pakistan — already trailing 1-0 in the two-match series — suffered a big blow when its fast bowler Mohammad Asif could bowl only four overs in the second innings before he was sidelined due to elbow injury.

Smith hit 11 fours and Kallis, who has already scored 155, unbeaten 100 and 59 in the previous three Test innings, played some attractive drives in his undefeated knock. Both added 88 runs in an unfinished partnership as the day’s play ended due to fading light seven overs before the scheduled close.

Earlier, Makhaya Ntini (3-42) grabbed all his wickets in one over just before lunch to restrict Pakistan at 206 — 151 runs adrift of South Africa’s respectable total of 357. Left-arm spinner Paul Harris also finished with 3-57.

Ntini spliced through the tail late in the first session by dismissing Misbah-ul-Haq (41) and Umar Gul off successive deliveries. Misbah played a reckless drive and edged behind the wicket while Gul was out plumb lbw. Danish Kaneria survived the hat-trick ball but two balls later he knicked to Mark Boucher — the wicketkeeper’s 400th Test dismissal.

Pakistan had a disastrous start to the third day after it resumed at the overnight 140-4. Inzamam-ul-Haq (14) could last for only six more deliveries in his farewell Test before edging Kallis to Boucher.

The burly 37-year-old needed six more runs to break Javed Miandad’s Pakistan Test record of 8,832 runs.

SCOREBOARD

South Africa — 1st Innings: 357

Pakistan — 1st Innings (Overnight 140-4)

I Haq c Boucher b Kallis 14

M Haq c Boucher b Ntini 41

S Malik c Amla b Steyn 1

A Rehman not out 25

U Gul lbw b Ntini 0

D Kaneria c Boucher b Ntini 0

M Asif c Amla b Harris 4

Extras: 1 (lb1)

Total: 206

FoW: 1-90, 2-93, 3-99, 4-123, 5-149, 6-150,

7-189, 8-189, 9-189

South Africa bowling: Ntini 8-1-42-3,

Steyn 12-3-60-2, Nel 16-3-39-1,

Harris 20-5-57-3, Kallis 7-2-7-1

South Africa — 2nd Innings

G Smith not out 75

H Gibbs c Akmal b Gul 16

H Amla b Rehman 17

J Kallis not out 37

Extras: 9 (b8, nb1)

Total: 154/2

FoW: 1-34, 2-66

Pakistan bowling: Asif 4-1-14-0, Gul 12-2-40-1, Kaneria 21-4-54-0, Rehman 18-3-38-1