South Africa have avoided an embarrassing whitewash in the third Test match against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Sunday (January 8) after an entreating draw. Asked to follow-on on Day 5, the Proteas showed good resilience in the final session of the day and avoided the whitewash but ultimately lost the series 0-2. The result all but means that Australia are in the final of the World Test Championship (WTC) with India also in the pole position to make the final in June.
South Africa avoid defeat
Tasked to take save the Test match, the Proteas made a bright start to the day before Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood came into action for the home side. South Africa looked all set to avoid follow-on but, they lost wickets in tandem in the second session which allowed the hosts to impose the follow-on. Hazlewood scalped four wickets while skipper Cummins took three wickets which meant that the visitors were bowled out for 255 and tailed by 220.
Asked to follow-on the Proteas did not hesitate in the second innings while the Aussies chased an improbable win and were tasked to take 10 wickets. With Dean Elgar dismissed early there was some glimmer of hope for home side, while Heinrich Klaasen also followed him soon. But Temba Bavuma (17) and Sarel Erwee (42) made sure there were no more issues in closing the day as Pat Cummins decided to call of the improbable task and end the match in a draw.
World Test Championship Scenario
Australia have attended a PCT of 76 and South Africa have attended a PCT of 49 after the latest result in Sydney. In this scenario, both Australia and India are in the top two of the WTC standings with the latter having a PCT of 58. Sri Lanka on the flip side are on a PCT of 53 and will have two matches to play against New Zealand away from home in the current WTC cycle.
What are the permutations for India to qualify for WTC final?
As things stand, the Indian team will need to win at least two matches in the upcoming four-match Test series against Australia, provided Sri Lanka fail to win both their Test matches against New Zealand. However, if Lanka end up winning the series 2-0 against the Kiwis, then India will have to win at least three matches against Australia to make the final of the WTC.
