Proteas’ winning recipe will be patience, says Maharaj

The runs dried up for the South African batsmen in their second innings at the Wanderers on Sunday, but spinner Keshav Maharaj said that will be their method of attack too when they do eventually bowl at Australia in an effort to win the fourth Test and complete a 3-1 series win.

The Proteas meandered to 134 for three in 56 overs before stumps, which is already a sizeable lead of 401.

Dean Elgar has faced 158 balls for 39 not out and captain Faf du Plessis is at the crease on 34 not out, after more than an hour-and-a-half’s batting.

South Africa had eschewed the follow-on despite bowling Australia out for 221 half-an-hour after lunch for a massive first-innings lead of 267.

“It’s been a long season and we wanted to give our fast bowlers a rest, plus we think batting will be a lot harder in the fourth innings because the pitch will hopefully deteriorate more. We also weren’t sure about Morne Morkel [side strain] bowling because he’s a big impact bowler for us and we hope he’ll be ready to bowl tomorrow.

“We’re going to try and dry up the runs because that normally brings wickets and although there will be a lot of focus on spin, it’s about us bowling well collectively as a team, whether the wickets come at my end or the other end, building pressure is what Test cricket is about. We have good plans set up,” Maharaj said, having finished the Australian first innings with three for 92 in 20 overs.

Apart from talking about all the work he has been doing in moving his already impressive game forward, including his batting, Maharaj said he felt he had cost Temba Bavuma a memorable second Test century in the first innings.

Having lashed 45 off 51 balls, Maharaj then chased after a wide delivery from Pat Cummins and was caught behind with Bavuma on 95.

Morkel was out next ball to end the innings on 488 and leave Bavuma stranded.

“I was bitterly disappointed that I could not get Temba to that magical three-figure mark, he played exceptionally well and deserved it. I was disappointed not to get my own 50, but my main goal was to get Temba to his hundred. So I was very upset about that, but I’m sure he will score many more centuries,” Maharaj said.

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