The Proteas will aim to bat out day four as they go about setting the Black Caps a challenging target.
New Zealand have had a decent couple of days and they’ve continued to keep themselves well in this match. But day four is moving day, and whoever comes out firing the most in the morning session will tell a great deal as to where this match is heading.
The Proteas did well to see out the final 18 overs of the day on Friday and only lose one wicket. Hashim Amla (23) and Dean Elgar (12) have done all the hard work to see out the new ball, now they need to build on the five-run lead, and the rest of the batting order will need to come to the party to give themselves enough runs to defend going into the final day.
Elgar will feel confident of hanging around after his epic 140 in the first innings, but Amla is short of form, and has a brilliant opportunity to get back in the runs in what has the potential to be a match-winning knock.
The pitch is playing up and it’s becoming increasingly better for the spinners, as the variable speed and bounce of the Dunedin track helped Keshav Maharaj seal his maiden Test five-wicket haul. Mitchell Santner, and Jeetan Patel in particular, will want to hit their straps from the get go, for they will have a huge role to play in aiming to hand their side a first Test victory over the Proteas since 2004.
READ HERE: Proteas hold all the aces
Photo: Dianne Monson/Gallo Images
