{"id":74777,"date":"2022-01-07T18:44:45","date_gmt":"2022-01-07T18:44:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/en.bornomalanews.com\/?p=74777"},"modified":"2022-01-07T18:44:45","modified_gmt":"2022-01-07T18:44:45","slug":"elgar-takes-the-blows-to-inspire-south-african-win-over-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/en.bornomalanews.com\/?p=74777","title":{"rendered":"Elgar takes the blows to inspire South African win over India"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Sports Desk:<\/strong> South African captain Dean Elgar said there was a double significance to the bruises inflicted by India's fast bowlers during his match-winning 96 not out on the fourth day of the second Test at the Wanderers Stadium.<\/p>\n

South Africa won by seven wickets to set up a series decider in the third Test starting at Newlands in Cape Town on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

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“I'd like to think those blows that I take make me extra motivated to perform,” said Elgar after South Africa chased down a target of 240 on a pitch of unpredictable bounce.<\/p>\n

He also believes he sets an example to a group of relatively young and inexperienced teammates.<\/p>\n

“I want to show the guys that it's okay to take a few blows because when you perform like that over four days it's so worth it.”<\/p>\n

Elgar, in his fourth match as full-time captain, also revealed that he is capable of taking a tough line with his players, telling SuperSport television that a key three-wicket burst by senior fast bowler Kagiso Rabada in India's second innings on Wednesday followed “a rocket” behind closed doors.<\/p>\n

Asked to elaborate at his post-match press conference, Elgar downgraded the exchange to “a tough conversation”.<\/p>\n

“I went up to KG and said, ‘You are an immensely respected cricketer within our group. At the moment I don't think you are conducting yourself extremely well when it comes to performance'.”<\/p>\n

He said the conversation had the desired effect.<\/p>\n

“I know what KG is capable of. His performance on the field and in the change room is huge.”<\/p>\n

– ‘Resilience and determination' –<\/p>\n

What had been expected to be a tense battle turned into a relatively comfortable win for South Africa, who resumed on 118 for two, still 122 short of victory.<\/p>\n

Elgar and Rassie van der Dussen added 57 in the first hour before Van der Dussen was caught at first slip off Mohammed Shami for 40, ending a third-wicket partnership of 82.<\/p>\n

Temba Bavuma escaped on nought when Shardul Thakur could not hold a return chance. He then batted solidly to score 23 not out as he and Elgar took their side home with an unbeaten stand of 68.<\/p>\n

Elgar missed out on his century but batted doggedly for 188 deliveries and won the match with his 10th boundary.<\/p>\n

“You've got to give him credit,” said Indian coach Rahul Dravid.<\/p>\n

“He really stuck it out there. He's fought through some difficult times. We've beaten the bat quite a few times. He showed a lot of resilience and determination.”<\/p>\n

Dravid said the Indian bowlers had been hampered by a wet outfield after play got under way under floodlights after rain delayed the start on Thursday by almost six hours.<\/p>\n

“It was always going to be a challenge,” he said.<\/p>\n

“We knew we had to do something special to get those eight wickets. We knew the outfield was wet and the ball was going to get wet.”<\/p>\n

India's bowlers were not as threating as expected and did not help their cause when Jasprit Bumrah, Shami and Mohammed Siraj all bowled short-pitched deliveries which flew over the heads of the batsmen and wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant for wides which went to the boundary, costing five runs each time.<\/p>\n

Siraj, who suffered a hamstring injury on the first day, was again unable to operate at full effectiveness, conceding 23 runs in two overs as South Africa hurried to victory.<\/p>\n

“We rely a lot on swing bowling and the ball probably did not swing as much because the ball got a bit wet and the seam got softer,” said Dravid.<\/p>\n

“But credit to the South African batsmen. They played really well.”<\/p>\n

Dravid said he expected captain Virat Kohli to be fit for the decider after missing the second Test because of a back spasm.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sports Desk: South African captain Dean Elgar said there was a double significance to the bruises inflicted by India’s fast bowlers during his match-winning 96 not out on the fourth day of the second Test at the Wanderers Stadium. South Africa won by seven wickets to set up a series decider in the third Test […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":74778,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[8],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\t\n