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  5. India-South Africa series: South Africa 138/2 at stumps, Day 4, 1st Test

India-South Africa series: South Africa 138/2 at stumps, Day 4, 1st Test

Johannesburg: Having been given a daunting task of chasing 458 to win by India on the fourth day of first test here on Saturday, South Africa were 138/2 at the close of day 4 and

India TV Sports Desk Updated on: December 21, 2013 21:32 IST
india south africa series south africa 138/2 at stumps day
india south africa series south africa 138/2 at stumps day 4 1st test

Johannesburg: Having been given a daunting task of chasing 458 to win by India on the fourth day of first test here on Saturday, South Africa were 138/2 at the close of day 4 and still trailing by 320 runs.




Alviro Petersen (76) and Faf du Plessis (10) were their at the crease at the end of the day's play.

In the last session, Graeme Smith who was looking in good touch got himself run out by A Rahane on 44. He jointly scored 108 runs opening partnership with Alviro Peterson.

Then Hashim Amla clean bowled by Shami on 4.

Earlier in the day, Cheteshwar Pujara's 153 and Virat Kohli's 96 helped India reach a mammoth 421 in the second innings and set a target of 458 for South Africa.

Indian pacers kept probing the South African openers but were unlucky. Pace spearhead Zaheer Khan almost had Smith in the third over but Kohli failed to latch on to a half-chance at short-fine leg.

Earlier, India did well to added 137 runs to the overnight score of 284/2 after losing four quick wickets for just 43 runs in the first session.

Though all the four wickets, including that of Kohli and Pujara, fell before lunch but by then India had opened up an overall lead of 394 runs. Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (29) and Zaheer Khan (29 not out) also came up with valuable contributions.

Both Pujara and Kohli were watchful as Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander (3/68) bowled a probing line and length.

But it was double strikes from the veteran all-rounder Jacques Kallis (3/68) that put India on the backfoot early in the day.

For Pujara, it was a lapse in concentration that cost him his wicket. Soon after he got his 150, Pujara went for a cut but edged it to AB de Villiers. Rohit Sharma (6) was castled by a delivery that kept low and darted in sharply.

After the two quick wickets, the focus was on Kohli who was just sniffing distance away from joining the likes of Vijay Hazare, Sunil Gavaskar and Rahul Dravid as the only Indians to make a century in each innings of a Test.

But four short of what would have been his sixth Test century, Kohli threw away his wicket nicking to De Villiers off Jean Paul Duminy (2/87). Kohli stood in shock and disbelief as he missed out on a golden chance of becoming the first Indian No.4 to score a ton in each innings.

Rahane became Duminy's second victim of the day as he reached out for a forward defensive shot but got a thick outside edge and Smith pouched it quite well in the slip as lunch was called.

In the next session, India added 63 runs after some lusty hitting by Zaheer who scored an unbeaten 29 off 31 balls with the help of two sixes and three fours.

On the final day of the first test match, South Africa would look not lose any wicket in the first session while on the other hand Indian bowlers will be looking to take 3-4 wickets before lunch if they want India to win this test match.
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