The day started with the Indian team looking to put a huge score on the board with only 2 wickets down. Kaliis got Pujara on 153 on the 1st ball of the 16th over of the day. He was struggling a bit in the last over, he went for the cut and top edged it through to the keeper, the ball didn't do anything special, Pujara made a mistake. He could add just 18 runs to his overnight score of 135, taking it to 153. After being hit for a four on the previous delivery, Kallis took his revenge by getting the crucial wicket of out of form Rohit Sharma when he was on an individual score of 6 runs. The ball kept low, jagged back in wildly and demolished Rohit's stumps. The cracks finally had their say and Rohit had a "why, me" look on his face as the fullish ball ducked under Rohit's bat as he looked to defend. Ajinkya Rahane arrived to the crease after that scary little ball with India at 325/4. In the very next over, part time bowler, Duminy got the wicket of Kohli who missed yet another hundread and got out on 96. He was caught behind, four runs short of becoming the first No. 4 batsman from India to get a ton in each innings. It was short, it was wide, but it got a tiny bit more bounce than Kohli thought. His late cut resulted in a fine nick and AB made no mistake. Kohli Slapped his bat against his helmet as he walked off, leaving India at 327/5 and this meant the arrival of the man to watch out for in such situations, MS Dhoni. This also meant that finally a wicket to a spinner after 277 overs at the Wanderers in this test. Just at the stroke of lunch, Duminy got the wicket of Rahane. It was a fullish ball which went along with the arm, Rahane was reaching out with his forward defensive, which resulted in a thick outside edge and Smith pouched it quite well at 1st slip. Rahane could manage just 15 runs. After lunch, the proteas also got the wicket of World's current no. 1 test all rounder, Ashwin who could manage just 7 runs to his name. Ashwin prodded forward and looked to clip the back of a length ball on off through the leg side. But he looked up to see Faf fu Plessis snap up the simplest of catches. Dhoni's 39 minute stay at the crease came to an end by a Vernon Philander delivery. Dhoni slapped the ball hard, but straight to Elgar, the substitute fielder at deep point. It was short. It was wide, It was possibly the poorest ball Philander had bowled in this match but MSD was looking for some quick runs and he absolutely nailed the cut, but the man in the deep judged it well and picked up a good catch. Khan hit some lusty blows to take India's total past 400. I Sharma was out lbw by Tahir, who took his 1st wicket of the match after toiling too hard. Tahir came back in his next over to seal the Indian innings by getting Shami bowled out. Thus, India was all out at 421.
With South Africa needing 458 runs to win this one, Graeme Smith and Alviro Pietersen came to the crease and looked unmoved by the huge target in front of them and scored a fluent century partnership for the 1st wicket before Smith got run out in the 31st over of the innings. Smith pushed the ball towards mid-on and set off, he had taken a couple of paces down the track to play the shot, perhaps that encouraged him to go for the tight run, a direct hit from Ajinkya Rahane, Smith was caught short and that was not the smartest cricket from the vastly experienced Smith. Amla walked in with South Africa at 108/1. But his innings didnt last long as Shami got his wicket with another freak ball. It was the second freak dismissal in the match for Amla. He was leaving the ball again having seen it pitched short, but this one kept so low that it hit top of off stump. Amla was ducking low, pulling his bat, gloves and helmet away from the ball, which allowed a clean path for the ball to crash into the stumps. Amla couldnt believe it as he went off shaking his head. The ball sneaked under his chin as he was ducking.
Faf and Petersen took the proteas to stumps on day 4 without any further hiccups.
South Africa now require another 320 runs with 7(as morkel wont come out to bat as he is injured) wickets remaining on the last day of the test.
With South Africa needing 458 runs to win this one, Graeme Smith and Alviro Pietersen came to the crease and looked unmoved by the huge target in front of them and scored a fluent century partnership for the 1st wicket before Smith got run out in the 31st over of the innings. Smith pushed the ball towards mid-on and set off, he had taken a couple of paces down the track to play the shot, perhaps that encouraged him to go for the tight run, a direct hit from Ajinkya Rahane, Smith was caught short and that was not the smartest cricket from the vastly experienced Smith. Amla walked in with South Africa at 108/1. But his innings didnt last long as Shami got his wicket with another freak ball. It was the second freak dismissal in the match for Amla. He was leaving the ball again having seen it pitched short, but this one kept so low that it hit top of off stump. Amla was ducking low, pulling his bat, gloves and helmet away from the ball, which allowed a clean path for the ball to crash into the stumps. Amla couldnt believe it as he went off shaking his head. The ball sneaked under his chin as he was ducking.
Faf and Petersen took the proteas to stumps on day 4 without any further hiccups.
South Africa now require another 320 runs with 7(as morkel wont come out to bat as he is injured) wickets remaining on the last day of the test.
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