Elgar’s unbeaten 96 seals the Johannesburg Test for South Africa on rain-hit fourth day. The Proteas beating India by 7 wickets. The series moves to Cape Town for the decider, with the contest tied 1-1.
Dean Elgar truly played a captain’s knock, scoring a valiant 96* to guide South Africa to a seven-wicket victory at the Wanderers, a venue which India so proudly called their fortress away from home, with their highest successful run chase at the venue. Elgar found some good assistance from Aiden Markram and Keegan Petersen before scripting back-to-back fifty-plus stands with Rassie van der Dussen and Temba Bavuma. The win implies South Africa have now levelled the series with India having won the Centurion opener by 118 runs. The Cape Town will bow be the series decider.
Despite the Proteas’ win last week, South Africa’s top-order has yet to hit its stride consistently, with collapses still occurring far too often. When questioned whether the Proteas would look to extend their batting tail with newbie all-rounder Marco Jansen at number seven, Elgar insisted that it’s the top six that needed to take ownership.
Meanwhile, India will be pleased with the return of skipper Virat Kohli, who missed the second Test due to back spasms.
Kohli, who is playing in his 99th Test match, will hope to lead his side to their first Test series win in South Africa. Elgar is wary of star batter Kohli’s return and called the Indian Test skipper a ‘dynamic, world-class player’.
India have never won a Test match at Newlands, losing three of five Tests since 1992.
Hollywoodbets has The Proteas winning the Cape Town match at 7/4, a Draw at 33/10 and India winning at 11/10.
It is safe to say every cricket fan will be on the edge of their seats watching the test match unfold in Cape Town. Cricket fans could not ask for a better setting than the picturesque Newlands to watch, what we all hope, to be an absolute cracker of a test match.
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