Keegan Petersen hit a brilliant 82 and South Africa needed another 41 runs at lunch on day 4 to clinch a famous series win against India.
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It seems that India’s Mission World Domination might have to be put on hold for another couple of years. Keegan Petersen’s brilliant 82 and his partnerships have ensured South Africa is just 41 runs away from winning the Cape Town Test and sealing the series. At lunch on day 4, Temba Bavuma and Rassie van der Dussen had taken South Africa to 171/3 and this has put a big hole in India’s prospects for the series win.
India was already on the back foot on day 3 when Dean Elgar and Petersen shared a partnership of 78 for the second wicket. Although Elgar was dismissed in the last over the stand ensured South Africa was under considerably less pressure. India needed quick wickets and looked up to Japsrit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami. But, the two pacers tried way too hard to take quick wickets. They ended up spraying the ball to all parts.
Read – Virat Kohli and Indian cricket team DRS drama is not good viewing
Petersen notched up his second fifty of the match with a couple off Shami in the very first over of day 4. Van der Dussen showed tremendous application and gave Petersen good company. There was more drama as Virat Kohli appealed for a catch off Rassie van der Dussen. The umpire did not give it out. Replays showed that the bat’s toe-end hit the ground and there was no sound when the ball passed the edge. Kohli had a go at Rassie van der Dussen even after that as tempers continued to flare over the DRS drama on day 3.
But, the game had definitely gone South Africa’s way when Petersen was dropped on 59 by Cheteshwar Pujara off Bumrah. It was a straight catch at first slip but Pujara ended up dropping it. It was very similar to the way how he dropped Ross Taylor in Southampton off Bumrah in the ICC World Test Championship final.
Petersen then found the boundary on a regular basis as India created fewer chances. However, out of nowhere, Shardul Thakur struck. Petersen defended with an angled bat and dragged the ball back onto the stumps to fall for 82. The Indian bowlers picked up the discipline and maintained tighter lines.
For 21 balls, South Africa struggled to score the runs. But, Bavuma eased the pressure with a couple of boundaries off Jasprit Bumrah. The target came down to under 50. Van der Dussen survived an LBW shout as the umpire did not give it out. The ball was clipping leg stump but since the original decision was not out, the review was retained. With South Africa inching closer, India will need a miracle in the second session to pull off a special win.
