Having taken 3 Indian wickets for just 35 in the last innings of the Test match, South Africa are pretty much on the verge of a historic Test series win against the world No. 1 Test side. However, Proteas coach Ottis Gibson feels the hosts will have to keep their game faces on day 5 to seal the deal.
Having been bowled out for 258 in their second innings, South Africa set 287 runs target for the visitors in the fourth innings. Akin to the first Test, India’s top-order have been found out once again in front of the fiery South Africa attack as Vijay (9), Rahul (4) and Kohli (5) didn’t able to cross the double-digit mark.
“We are in a good position in the game, it’s been four days of grinding test cricket, so to be a little bit in the ascendancy is a good place to be,” Gibson was quoted by SuperSport as saying.
“It’s not finished yet, we have to make sure that when we wake up tomorrow morning we have still got our game faces on,” he further added.
After the end of third day’s play, South Africa’s premier pacer Morne Morkel had expressed his displeasure by comparing the Centurion pitch with the typical subcontinent wickets. But, Gibson reckons that being a top bowler one will have to adjust.
“You want a certain type of wicket when you play at home and when you don’t get it you still have to perform. The guys have worked hard, they have toiled a little bit when they have had to,” Gibson opined.
“Once you get over the disappointment of seeing a very brown pitch, it looks more Indian than Centurion, you have to work out what lines and lengths you want to be bowling.
“The first innings I thought we were perhaps a little bit wide but today we made the adjustment and brought the stumps into play and it has worked out for us,” he further elaborated.
Talking about the debutant seamer Lungi Ngidi, who grabbed the prize scalp of India skipper Virat Kohli, Gibson said everyone in South Africa’s cricketing fraternity rates the 21-year-old speedster very highly.
“He is very exciting, like I said before the test match I had heard a lot of good things about him. Mark Boucher and a lot of other good cricket brains speak very highly of him. He has come in and settled very well," concluded Gibson.
