Resuming South Africa’s innings on Day Four will be the hero of the first innings Keegan Petersen on 48 not out, after captain Dean Elgar lost his wicket with the last ball of the day.
SOUTH Africa need 111 more runs with eight wickets in hand to win the match as well as the three-Test series against India at Newlands on Friday.
This after India had set them a fourth-innings winning target of 212, after scoring 223 and 198 in their two innings, with the Proteas getting 210 in their first knock.
Resuming South Africa’s innings on Day Four today will be the hero of the first innings Keegan Petersen on 48* and possibly Rassie van der Dussen who is yet to walk out after captain Dean Elgar (30) lost his wicket with the last ball of the day – playing a Jasprit Bumrah delivery down leg side and straight into the hands of wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.
That wicket, coupled with that of Aiden Markram for 16, would have given India some belief heading into the fourth day – especially after they were left fuming when an LBW decision to give Elgar out on 22 off the bowling of Ravi Ashwin was overturned by the third umpire.
Earlier on Day Three, India took their overnight score from 57/2 to 198 thanks to a superb 100* from Rishabh Pant.
Pant stole the show on the third day with a superb 100 not out. It was the first century by an Indian wicket-keeper on South African soil.
Although South Africa’s bowlers would be pleased they could restrict India to a chaseable total, the afternoon still belonged to Pant.
He was particularly severe on South African left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj, smashing three sixes – two of which came off consecutive deliveries.
The second-highest score in India’s innings belonged to Kohli, who scored 29 runs, as Marco Jansen ended with bowling figures of 4/36.
Lungi Ngidi was on fire too, taking 3/21 to add to the 3/53 taken by Kagiso Rabada.
But today will be all about the South African batsmen and local Paarl yster Petersen, who top-scored in the first innings with 72.
And if Thursday night’s final session was anything to go by, Petersen and the rest of the South African batting line-up can expect some hostile bowling from India on Friday, as they look to bag the last eight wickets and wrap up the series for themselves.
The Proteas, on the other hand, will look to stay calm and chase down the remaining runs to bag a series win over the No.1 Test team in the world.
