The South African (SA) cricket team is another day closer to recording a historic test series win on Indian soil.
The Proteas declared their second innings closed on 220 for the loss of five wickets just after tea on day four at Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati, setting India a improbable victory target of 549 runs.
The Indians ended the day on 27 for the loss of two wickets, still trailing by 521 runs.
The Proteas resumed their second innings on their overnight total of 29 without loss.
Openers Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton added 30 more runs to their total before spinner Ravindra Jadeja struck to remove Rickelton for 35.
Markram became Jadeja’s second victim in the morning session, bowled for 29.
Captain Temba Bavuma fell to the spin of Washington Sundar for three, soon after, leaving the visitors on 77 for three.
Tristan Stubbs and Tony de Zorzi steadied their innings, with Stubbs recording a half century, to take SA to lunch on 107 for three.
The pair extended their fourth wicket stand to 101 runs, on the other side of the break, before Jadeja again made a breakthrough, trapping De Zorzi leg before for 49.
Adding to India’s woes, Stubbs then picked up the mantle with Wiaan Mulder, and by tea-time, the SA were coasting on 220 for the loss of four wickets, with a mammoth lead of 508 runs.
With no declaration forthcoming during the break, Stubbs and Mulder extended their fifth wicket partnership to 82 runs before Stubbs was dismissed for 94.
Bavuma then declared their second innings closed on 260 for five, setting India a record victory target of 549 runs.
SA’s bowlers reaffirmed the Proteas’ dominance in this match just before the end of the day’s play.
Fast bowler Marco Jansen dismissed opener Yash Jaiswal for 13 and spinner Simon Harmer rattled KL Rahul’s stumps on six as India limped to stumps on 27 for two.
–SABC–
