India throw everything at Proteas but stare down the barrel

Liam Del Carme Sports reporter
Rassie van der Dussen of South Africa bats on day four of the third Test against India at Newlands in Cape Town on January 14 2022.
Rassie van der Dussen of South Africa bats on day four of the third Test against India at Newlands in Cape Town on January 14 2022.
Image: Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images

Keegan Petersen and Rassie van der Dussen rode what India's attack threw at them and batted SA to within touching distance of a series victory by lunch on the fourth day of the third Test at Newlands on Friday.

SA finished the morning session on 171/3, just 41 runs short of their 212 target and a 2-1 series victory.

Petersen was the only casualty of a tense morning session as India sought to bowl themselves back into contention after SA resumed play on 101/2.

Petersen and Van der Dussen survived the early onslaught before the former chopped his 113th delivery onto his stumps but had by then amassed 82, to add to the 72 he scored in the first innings.

His star is undoubtedly on the rise.

When Petersen departed SA needed another 57 to win but Temba Bavuma (12 not out) and Van der Dussen (22) negotiated the remainder of the session.

As you'd expect, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami opened proceedings for India and predictably they posed uncomfortable questions of Petersen and Van der Dussen.

They beat the bat on numerous occasions with probing lines on and just outside off stump.

India however were again frustrated by Decision Review System (DRS) when their review of a potential caught behind came to naught.

Van der Dussen prodded forward to a Shami delivery but just as the ball arrived he also scraped the turf with his bat which of course generated a sound. Ultimately there was insufficient evidence to overrule umpire Marais Erasmus's original not out decision.

Though Petersen again stood tall his innings wasn't without blemish. Cheteshwar Pujara grassed a regulation catch at first slip with the batter on 59 and India had to wait until Shardul Thakur was introduced into the attack before they made a breakthrough.

Petersen cut a dejected figure as he retreated to the pavilion. In the context of what he weathered earlier he succumbed to a soft dismissal.

Just before lunch Van der Dussen survived an appeal for LBW. Erasmus turned down Thakur's appeal.

It of course did little to ease the tension in the India camp who expressed their displeasure at some of the rulings made on the third day.


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