South Africa were still in deep trouble on 155 for two when bad light stopped play early on the third day of the second Castle Lager Test at Newlands on Saturday. They need another 239 runs to avoid the follow-on.
Test debutant Jeetan Patel will have reason to remember the third day of his first Test. In the morning, he and James Franklin shared a ninth-wicket partnership of 58 runs in an hour and three minutes, with Patel scoring 27 runs.
Franklin, meanwhile, reached his maiden Test century, which came up off 255 balls, and took him four hours. On Friday, Franklin was part of a record-breaking eighth-wicket partnership of 256 with his captain, Stephen Fleming, who made 262.
Once Franklin had his century under his belt, he and Patel set about the South African bowling with a will, and took the score to 593 for eight, when Fleming declared the innings closed.
South Africa, faced with the massive task of scoring 394 to avoid the follow-on, started quietly. Fleming brought his spin-bowlers on early, and it was Patel who drew first blood when he caught Graeme Smith off his own bowling for 25. Smith apparently thought it had been a ”bump” ball, and stood his ground. The decision was referred to the third umpire, who gave him out.
Boeta Dippenaar and Hashim Amla — back in Test cricket for the first time in 15 months — put on 72 runs together for the second wicket, before Patel claimed his second wicket when Dippenaar played on, to see his bails flying. He made 47 — just three runs short of what would have been his eight Test 50.
Amla, joined by South Africa’s best batsman, Jacques Kallis, moved past his highest Test score of 25, and went on to record his first Test half-century.
He reached the milestone with a glorious cover drive that rocketed straight to the boundary to bring up his 50. It had taken him two-and-a-half hours, and he had faced 132 deliveries and scored six fours.
Meanwhile, the clouds that had been gathering over Table Mountain got thicker and darker, and about half-an-hour after tea, the umpires offered Amla and Kallis the light, which they accepted. At that stage, Amla was on 50 and Kallis on 25.
”Not a bad day,” smiled Patel, when he spoke to journalists at the end of play. ”It was a bit nerve-wracking, waiting to get on, and I spent most of yesterday [Friday] with my pads on, and then didn’t get on the field. But this morning, when I went out there, things seemed to work quite well.
”It was a dream start to get a wicket with my third ball — and especially to get Graeme Smith’s wicket, because that’s huge. I don’t think any wicket I take after that will compare with the feeling I had then.”
Meanwhile, South Africa’s spin-bowler Nicky Boje had to have five stitches after splitting the webbing between the thumb and forefinger on his right hand while fielding. It should not affect his bowling, as he is a left-hander, but it may affect his batting.
Shaun Pollock, who withdrew from the South African team after waking up with a back strain on Thursday, is still receiving treatment for his injury. He is on anti-inflammatories, and is having physiotherapy twice a day. It is not clear whether he will be fit to play in the third Test at the Wanderers next week.
South Africa may have reason to bless the black south-easter — with two days left to play, and the pitch helpful to New Zealand’s spin-bowlers, they have a long way to go to save the Test, and time spent off the field would help their cause.
Dippenaar told journalists that the pitch did not appear to have become much worse. ”The bowlers will have to work very hard,” he said. He conceded that there was a lot of pressure, with South Africa needing nearly 400 runs to avoid the follow-on, but said if the batsmen worked hard, South Africa should be able to save the match.
”I was surprised that New Zealand batted on so long this morning,” he said. ”If they go on and win the Test, then everyone will praise them, but if they don’t, they might be criticised for being too conservative.” — Sapa