Faf du Plessis fell two runs short of a century and Quinton de Kock notched up a patient 81 as South Africa slowly built up a first-innings lead of 78 against Zimbabwe at tea on the third day of the one-off Test at Harare Sports Club yesterday.
South Africa continued their slow accumulation of runs to reach 334-7 at the interval.
There were just 56 runs scored in 30.4 overs in the second session as the Proteas were contained by Zimbabwe’s attack on a difficult pitch, but the visitors also showed little ambition to press home their advantage with the match having passed the halfway mark.
Photo: AFP
J.P. Duminy (28 from 95 balls) and Dale Steyn (yet to take strike) were to continue in the evening session after the usually aggressive Vernon Philander (17 from 87 balls) was bowled by left-arm spinner Sean Williams with the last delivery before tea.
Philander and Duminy had put on 42 for the seventh wicket in 166 balls and it was at times painful to watch as Zimbabwe bowled wide of off-stump and packed the off-side field, daring the South Africa batsmen to try and score through the ring of fielders. They dared not.
The only other wicket to fall after lunch was that of wicketkeeper De Kock, who reached his highest career score of 81 before he became the first Test victim for Williams as he steered the ball to Vusi Sibanda at short midwicket.
If De Kock was disappointed at missing out on a century, Du Plessis will be seething as he fell two runs short when he was out just before lunch.
Du Plessis battled for 264 balls for his 98, but turned a ball from off-spinner John Nyumbu straight into the hands of backward short-leg Regis Chakabva.
His dismissal brought an end to a fifth-wicket stand of 119 with De Kock that lifted the Proteas out of a hole after they slipped to 157-4 on the second day in response to Zimbabwe’s 256.
A number of deliveries have already kept low on the abrasive wicket that has made batting difficult, but not perhaps to the degree which the South Africa batsmen have made it look.
After stumps on Sunday, South Africa opener Dean Elgar, who made a patient 61, said a lead of 100 would be a bonus with conditions set to deteriorate rapidly.
“It’s getting very interesting out there, it feels like we are back in Sri Lanka,” Elgar told reporters, alluding to South Africa’s recent series victory on the sub-continent. “It is clear that first-innings runs are key and if we can get a lead of 100, that is a lot of runs for them to easily get in these conditions. It’s the nature of this Test, there are not many scoring opportunities, you have to be patient out there and wait for opportunities to score.”
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