South Africa need 122 runs to win Test; India need 8 wickets to claim series

JOHANNESBURG, January 5

South Africa captain Dean Elgar scored an unbeaten 46 to give his team a chance of victory over India as they chased a target of 240 to win the second Test at the Wanderers. South Africa need 122 more runs to win, and level the three-match series, after closing on 118/2 at the end of the third day’s play.

Elgar lived up to his reputation as a dogged, street-fighting batsman as he held the Indian bowling attack at bay, scoring his runs patiently off 121 balls. He came in for a torrid time, frequently hit on the body by short balls as the tourists searched for a breakthrough. Elgar featured in a 47-run partnership with Aiden Markram for the first wicket and 46 with Keegan Petersen for the second to put his side in a strong position, with two days’ play left.

Markram was out lbw to Shardul Thakur for 31 while the diminutive Petersen scored 28 before Ravinchandran Ashwin trapped him lbw. Rassie van der Dussen, who has struggled in the series, was 11 not out at stumps.

Fifties for Pujara, Rahane

South Africa had hoped to bowl India out cheaper in their second innings but eventually dismissed them for 266 some 30 minutes before tea. The 240-run target looked a daunting task on a low-scoring wicket, increasingly favouring the seamers.

India’s batsmen had earlier defied the conditions, picking up where they left off overnight with a free scoring display in the first hour as they moved the score from 85/2 to 151/2. In the process, both Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane reached 50 and put together a 111-run partnership for the third wicket as they dominated the home bowling.

But the runs dried up suddenly with three quick wickets for Kagiso Rabada before lunch. Rahane went first for 58 before Pujara was trapped lbw for 53 and Rishabh Punt went for a duck after a wild and injudicious early slog at the ball.

Thakur, who had taken seven wickets in South Africa’s first innings, picked up the Indian run rate again after lunch, scoring 28 runs off 24 balls before being caught in the deep off Marco Jansen.

An unbeaten 40 for Hanuma Vihari, in the side in place of injured skipper Virat Kohli, added to India’s sizeable second innings score, as did 33 extras. — Reuters

Scoreboard

India 1st innings 202

South Africa 1st innings 229

India 2nd innings (overnight 85/2)

C Pujara lbw b Rabada 53

A Rahane c Verreynne b Rabada 58

H Vihari not out 40

R Pant c Verreynne b Rabada 0

R Ashwin c Verreynne b Ngidi 16

S Thakur c Maharaj b Jansen 28

M Shami c Verreynne b Jansen 0

J Bumrah c Jansen b Ngidi 7

M Siraj b Ngidi 0

Extras: (b 16, lb 4, nb 8, w 5) 33

Total: (All out, 60.1 overs) 266

FOW: 1-24, 2-44, 3-155, 4-163, 5-167, 6-184, 7-225, 8-228, 9-245

Bowling O M R W

Kagiso Rabada 20 3 77 3

Duanne Olivier 12 1 51 1

Lungi Ngidi 10.1 2 43 3

Marco Jansen 17 4 67 3

Keshav Maharaj 1 0 8 0

South Africa 2nd innings

A Markram lbw b Thakur 31

D Elgar not out 46

K Petersen lbw b Ashwin 28

R van der Dussen not out 11

Extras: (lb 2) 2

Total: (2 wickets, 40 overs) 118

FOW: 1-47, 2-93

Bowling O M R W

Jasprit Bumrah 10 1 42 0

Mohammed Shami 9 2 22 0

Shardul Thakur 9 1 24 1

Mohammed Siraj 4 0 14 0

Ravichandran Ashwin 8 1 14 1