Keegan Petersen: I don't know how I feel, it hasn't sunk in yet. Happy, emotional but just grateful to have had the opportunity.
Keegan Petersen is the Player of the Match & Player of the series.
Dean Elgar: Pretty elated [after the series win]. Couldn't be prouder of the group. The guys responded brilliantly. After the first loss, we had a lot of hope knowing we can still win this. Asked the players to respond in a better nature, better way and they responded brilliantly. The way our bowling unit delivered throughout the series is brilliant. I threw down the challenge after the first game and the guys responded brilliantly. Unreal to see how a group that doesn't have the repertoire or names can gel together as one. Extremely proud of this group. I've got an old-school mentality with a new-school twist. I laid down challenges to senior players as well, and it is great to see them take it on board and deliver. We played as a unit, if you can do that, if you have guys moving away, it's challenge to pull them in. I think as a unit, we've grown massively over the last two Tests. On Keegan Petersen: "He has dominated domestic cricket, awesome to see him have a great series. There's a lot of improvement from his point of view. World is his oyster. Even though he's someone older, he's willing to learn. He's a proper character within that team environment. Proud of what he has achieved."
Virat Kohli: It's a great spectacle of Tests for everyone to watch; it was a hard-fought series. We had a great first game but South Africa did amazingly well. In both Tests they won, they were clinical with the ball in crunch moments. Lapse of concentration cost us key moments and they seized those; absolutely deserving winners in the end. One of the challenges we've faced while touring abroad is make sure capitalising on momentum, when we've done that we've won Tests away from home as well. When we haven't, they've cost us quite bad. We have also had a few collapses that have cost us Test matches. It's our batting that needs to be looked into, we can't pin-point any other aspect. People talk about pace and bounce, considering their [South African pace bowler] heights, they were able to get much more off the wickets in all three Tests. They applied pressure long enough for us to make mistakes. The batting has to be looked into, no running away from that. Having collapses every now and then not a good thing. I think the way KL Rahul batted as an opener was heartening, Mayank got stuck in on a couple of occasions, the bowling was outstanding, a few crucial knocks from the guys in the middle period, and then Rishabh's hundred in our second innings of this Test was special, Centurion win was special too. Take the positives and move ahead.
It's time for the presentation
South Africa moves up to No. 4 in the WTC points table. India are now fifth.
Beautifully done by Bavuma and vd Dussen. They see their team through with seven wickets to spare. Comprehensive win against the No. 1 Test side. They looked resigned after the first Test when India waltzed to victory. But the comeback wins at Jo'burg and Cape Town have been nothing short of inspirational. Plenty to ponder for Virat Kohli and Rahul Dravid. The places of Pujara and Rahane will be questioned. Indian batting let the team down big time. The bowling was top-notch throughout but they had their backs against the walls in the last two Tests. With not many runs on the board, the bowlers were always under tremendous pressure. Massive props to South Africa, who lost their premier keeper-batter Quinton de Kock after the first Test. To bounce back from that takes guts and they have displayed plenty of it.
- END OF CHASE -
Ashwin to vd Dussen, single off the second ball.... hang on.. that's a 5. Sloppy work, four overthrows. Bavuma hits the winning runs - a boundary to seal the series win! What an effort.
SA 203/3 in 63 Overs: Umesh Yadav to vd Dussen, no run. Three more dots later, vd Dussen drives through extra-cover for three. Less than 10 needed now.
SA 200/3 in 62 Overs: Ashwin to van der Dussen, single taken. FOUR! Bavuma sweeps on the on side for four. Brings up the 200 for SA. Four dots to finish.
SA 195/3 in 61 Overs: Umesh Yadav to Bavuma, no run. Bavuma collects a couple off the third ball. Three dot balls to finish. South Africa need only 17 runs. India well and truly resigned to their fate now.
SA 193/3 in 60 Overs: Ashwin to van der Dussen, no run. It's been called a no-ball. Two dot balls follow, before vd Dussen takes a single and gets off strike. Single to Bavuma off the last ball.
SA 190/3 in 59 Overs: Umesh Yadav to Bavuma, no run. It's been called a no-ball by the TV umpire. Bavuma defends the next ball solidly. FOUR! Bavuma punches one off the backfoot through covers for four. India's hopes diminishing fast. Three dot balls follow, before Bavuma takes a brace off the last ball.
SA 183/3 in 58 Overs: Ashwin coming round the wicket to vd Dussen. A single off the first ball, good running between the wickets. Bavuma works it to long-on for one more single. Dussen nudges the next ball past Kohli at midwicket for a single. A single to Bavuma now. vd Dussen plays out two dot balls.
SA 179/3 in 57 Overs: Umesh Yadav from the other end. Bavuma on strike. After four dot balls, Bavuma gets a single off the fifth ball. vd Dussen collects a single off the last ball and retains strike.
SA 177/3 in 56 Overs: Ashwin with the ball in hand. vd Dussen on strike. Short leg, slip and leg slip in place. vd Dussen collects a couple with a sweep off the fifth ball. FOUR! Brings an end to the over with another sweep shot for four.
We are in readiness.
Meanwhile, SuperSport, the host broadcaster, has issued a statement to AFP: "Supersport notes comments made by certain members of the Indian team. Hawk-Eye is an independent service provider, approved by the ICC and their technology has been accepted for many years as an integral part of DRS. SuperSport does not have any control over the Hawk-Eye technology."
Welcome back. Barring a miracle, South Africa will cruise home and seal the three-match series 2-1. What a turnaround this has been, after going 1-0 down. That said, South Africa still have 41 runs to get and Bavuma, vd Dussen will know that a couple of quick wickets early in the second session could raise India's hopes again. They will look to carry the side through.
LUNCH - DAY 4 - SOUTH AFRICA 171/3, NEEDS 41 RUNS TO WIN
SESSION RECAP: Rassie van der Dussen and Temba Bavuma seem to have hit their strides after they went into a shell following the big wicket of Keegan Petersen. They have put on 16 runs in 8.4 overs to take their side 41 runs away from victory at Lunch. Petersen scored his second fifty of the match early in the day before chopping on to Thakur for 82. Bumrah and Shami troubled the batters in the first half of the session, beating the outside edges on numerous occasions. Pujara dropped a dolly in the slips when Petersen was on 59. Vd Dussen looked solid for the most part before surviving a close LBW decision at the stroke of Lunch. South Africa is well on course for a victory and nothing short of a miracle would do if India is to win this one.
SA 171/3 in 55 overs: Loud LBW appeal, turned down and Kohli reviews. Thakur nipped it in to vd Dussen from a fullish length. Ball-tracking confirms it was just clipping top of leg stump and umpire's call stands. Unlucky for India. Flicked off the pads by vd Dussen for a single at fine leg. Lunch!
SA 170/3 in 54 overs: Ashwin returns to the attack. Bavuma turns one away behind square for a single after three dots. Full and vd Dussen sweeps behind square for one more and keeps strike.
SA 168/3 in 53 overs: Thakur jags it a bit into vd Dussen, who gets a thick inside edge onto his pads and it trickles in front of the stumps. Vd Dussen steals a quick one with a nudge to midwicket. Bavuma returns strike with a single again at midwicket.
SA 166/3 in 52 overs: Bumrah replaces Shami. Length outside off to vd Dussen to start with. Direct hit at the striker's end next ball and the umpire review. Bat is easily grounded and vd Dussen gets one off the overthrow. FOUR! Short and wide and Bavuma punches through point, feet in the air, and South Africa finally cuts loose. Better line this time and it spits up from a length to get Bavuma high on the bat on the defence. FOUR! Bavuma drives it through extra cover and this will surely settle the nerves that would have taken over the South African camp after Petersen's dismissal.
SA 157/3 in 51 overs: Thakur continues. Maiden over. Thakur probes on and around off, mixes his lengths but Bavuma doesn't concede an inch.
SA 157/3 in 50 overs: Shami cranks up the pressure. Bowls at a drive-able length on off and Bavuma is too new at the crease to unleash the drives. A couple of length balls that kick off from a length and get Bavuma high on the bat. Just a single for Bavuma from the over.
SA 156/3 in 49 overs: Bavuma finally ends the rut of dot ball with a quick single at mid on. Thakur keeps it tight on a length.
SA 155/3 in 48 overs: Shami to vd Dussen. He does well to defend the first four balls as Shami goes full an and around off. Beaten! Gets one to move and bounce to beat vd Dussen's outside edge as he hangs his bat in the channel.
SA 155/3 in 47 overs: OUT! Thakur cleans up Petersen. Keegan Petersen b Shardul Thakur 82(113b 10x4 0x6). Petersen inside edges onto the stumps as he looks to dab a length ball at gully. Bavuma the new man in. Jagged back in sharply from fifth stump and almost flatted Bavuma's off stump as he shouldered arms. Maiden wicket for Thakur.
SA 155/2 in 46 overs: Shami from the other end. Length around off and vd Dussen jabs and misses. Full on middle and leg and dug out to cover for a dot. South Africa 57 runs away from a win now. India needs a miracle from here on. Shami shapes one away from a fuller length outside off and it does too much and misses vd Dussen's poke.
SA 155/2 in 45 overs: Thakur into the attack. Very wide outside off to vd Dussen first up and he leaves. Some away movement this time but very wide outside off still. Another one with similar line and length and vd Dussen lets it through. Thakur continues on a wide line outside off. The last one is driven by vd Dussen for a quick single.
SA 154/2 in 44 overs: Shami back into the attack after the break. On the money straight up and Petersen defends. FOUR! Thick outside edge through gully and runs away to the third man boundary. Gully brought in now. Length outside off and Petersen tips toes to guide it to deep point for a single. Sloppy in the field as vd Dussen steals a single on an overthrow.
DRINKS - DAY 4 SESSION 1 - SOUTH AFRICA 148/2, NEEDS 64 RUNS TO WIN
SA 148/2 in 43 overs: Umesh will continue. He has been expensive so far with 19 runs in four overs. Umesh keeps the first couple of balls on the stumps but varies his length. Another three for Petersen as he gently dabs through gully.
SA 145/2 in 42 overs: Bumrah continues with a probing line to Petersen on and around off stump. FOUR! Full this time too wide outside off and Petersen with a sublime cover-drive again. Tucked off the pads for a couple at mid wicket. Petersen moves to his career-best of 73. Tapped to a vacant cover for a quick single.
SA 138/2 in 41 overs: Petersen collects a couple at mid wicket as he drags one outside off on the leg side with the inner half of the bat. Desperate appeal for LBW and that one was sliding down leg. Probably going over too. Driven through mid wicket again and three more for KP. FOUR! Full and straight and vd Dussen punishes that through mid wicket with a flourishing drive.
SA 129/2 in 40 overs: Bumrah will continue. Angled into Petersen on the stumps and he defends off the middle of the bat. Next is a yorker that is well-negotiated. Curves the next one away wide outside off and left alone by KP. Dropped! Pujara drops an absolute dolly in the slips as Petersen edges it behind off the shoulder of the bat. Bumrah goes straighter and Petersen flicks it to square leg for three runs.
SA 126/2 in 39 overs: Umesh replaces Shami. Swings it away from Petersen from a length and left alone. FOUR! Length wide outside off and Petersen puts it away through covers off the backfoot. Steers the next one behind point for a single. Vd Dussen leaves the next three balls in the channel.
SA 121/2 in 38 overs: Beauty from Bumrah. Seamed away from Petersen's defensive shot outside off. Whizzes past Petersen's outside edge again as it straightens from a length outside off. Flicked to fine leg for a single and Petersen keeps strike.
SA 120/2 in 37 overs : Vd Dussen jammed his bat into the ground but Kohli thought he edged it and reviews. DRS confirms it was bat hitting ground and India loses a review. Shami wasn't interested and had already walked back to his marker when Kohli went up. Shami keeps it on and around off and vd Dussen is more than happy to leave. Maiden over.
SA 120/2 in 36 overs: Petersen gets a thick outside edge on the drive and straight to point for a dot ball. On the stumps from Bumrah and Petersen gets in line and defends it back. Bouncer from outside off and Petersen ducks under it. Full on the pads and Petersen flicks it to mid on; dot ball. Coming in with the angle from outside off and Petersen shoulders arms. Length wider on off and Petersen lets it through again. Maiden over.
SA 120/2 in 35 overs: FOUR! Wide outside off and vd Dussen drives uppish though covers and to the boundary. Corrects his line, closer to off stump and vd Dussen shoulders arms. Similar line next ball, slightly shorter, and left alone. Sliding down leg, vd Dussen misses the flick and Pant tumbles to collect it. A couple of singles to end the over.
SA 114/2 in 34 overs: Wayward Bumrah goes wide outside leg. Away swing outside off and vd Dussen lets it through. Straighter on off and vd Dussen fends it back to the bowler. Beaten! Moves away a tad bit from a full length and beats vd Dussen outside edge. Length sliding down leg and one leg-bye at fine leg. Springy bouncer and Pant leaps up to hold on to it.
SA 113/2 in 33 overs: Shami continues. Goes straight and Petersen flicks to mid on for a quick single. Too full on the pads and driven by vd Dussen through mid wicket for three more. Loose ball sliding down leg and Petersen flicks it to fine leg for a single. South Africa now 100 runs from victory. On vd Dussen's pads again and one leg-bye to end the over.
SA 107/2 in 32 overs: Stifled LBW appeal from Bumrah and Co. It nipped in from wide outside off to beat vd Dussen's drive and thud onto his pads. Was missing leg stump with the angle going away. Three runs for vd Dussen as he opens the face of the bat from a full one on off and squeezes it behind gully and point. Petersen beaten again! Angled in and straightens outside off to beat the outside edge. Another single follows as Petersen opens face to point. Searing yorker to vd Dussen to end the over.
SA 103/2 in 31 overs: Beaten! Shami shapes it away from Petersen from a drive-able length and beats his outside edge comprehensively. And squares him up again. This time it is closer to off stump and Petersen is beaten for the away movement again. Drives this time on a full length and a thick edge runs between the slips and point for a couple. Fifty up for Petersen off 65 balls. Close! Shoulders arms outside off but it comes into him to miss off stump by a whisker. That sure was a misjudgement by the batter.
SA 101/2 in 30 overs: History on the line for India. Bumrah over the wicket to vd Dussen. First ball. Movement away outside off first up and vd Dussen pulls away from the drive at the last moment. Nipped in and vd Dussen left it to see it thud onto his thigh pad.
Vd Dussen will face Bumrah, who will complete his over from last night with a couple of balls. Petersen at the non-striker's end.
Another scorching day at Newlands as we head into the final day of a thrilling Test series.
DAY 3 SUMMARY
Controlling Rishabh Pant is akin to reining in a wild horse. He can streak to the finish line but also so easily race off the track.
At the Newlands, in Cape Town, on Thursday, Pant was able to balance his aggression with the need to stay at the wicket after the Proteas dented India early on day three.
The left-hander’s unbeaten 100 on Thursday was a classic. The pacemen were swatted away with the sort of arrogance that only comes to the gifted.
ALSO READ: SA vs IND, 3rd Test: Kohli, Ashwin, Rahul slam broadcaster SuperSport
And after India, dismissed for 198, set South Africa a target of 212, the host lost Aiden Markram, edging an away-going delivery from Mohammed Shami.
And skipper Dean Elgar, who worked the ball around craftily, departed in the closing moments, caught brilliantly down the leg-side by ‘keeper Pant off Jasprit Bumrah for 30. - FULL REPORT
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