Dubai: South Africa was penalised five runs for ball tampering as Pakistan fought grimly to avoid a heavy loss to the Proteas on an eventful third day of the second cricket test on Friday. Pakistan was reeling at 132-4 in its second innings at stumps with captain Misbah-ul-Haq unbeaten on 42 and Asad Shafiq not out on 28. Pakistan still needs 286 runs to avoid an innings defeat, at least. Earlier, South Africa was bowled out for 517 for a monumental lead of 418 runs after Pakistan was bowled out for only 99. The top-ranked Proteas, humbled inside four days in the first test, look set to avenge that and force a drawn series.

But Faf du Plessis stained the dominant South Africans when he was caught on television rubbing the ball over a zip on his thigh. The umpires called over captain Graeme Smith, changed the ball, and the rare five-run penalty was given to Pakistan as extras. Pakistan began its second bat calamitously, as fast bowlers Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander had Pakistan at 2-2 in two pacey overs before lunch, removing Shan Masood and Khurram Manzoor for ducks. It was Manzoor's first pair in a test. The opener has struggled since scoring 142 in Pakistan's seven-wicket win in the first test at Abu Dhabi last week.

But Pakistan hung in for the rest of the day, losing just two more wickets in the next two sessions. Azhar Ali was trapped leg before wicket for 19 by JP Duminy in his first over before tea. Duminy could have dismissed Younis Khan in the last over before tea, but Jacques Kallis dropped a low catch in the slips. But Khan (36) couldn't hold his patience as he needlessly danced down the wicket, missed the line of legspinner Imran Tahir's delivery and was clean bowled at 70-4. Misbah and Shafiq then endured with their gritty unbeaten 56-run stand. The captain survived a television referral late in the afternoon off Tahir.