SA v ENG 2020: "We still got to go for the win", Boucher believes record-chase possible in Jo'burg 

The struggling Proteas batting unit needs to chased down the 466-run target to draw the Test series.

South Africa has struggled with the bat throughout this series | GettySouth Africa may be required to pull off Test cricket's highest successful run-chase in order to draw the four-match series against England in Johannesburg but coach Mark Boucher isn't losing hopes on his wards yet.

The Proteas, bundled out for just 183 in response to visitors' mammoth 400 in the first innings, need to reach the 466-run target with only eight wickets left in the shed at lunch on Day 4. 

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Boucher, however, remains optimistic of a positive result. 

"If you look at the amount of time we have in the game, then we've still got to go for the win. If we bat for two days, the run rate is still very gettable," Reuters quoted him as saying. 

"It's quite a few runs to chase down, it's never been done before but we have to hang onto some sort of positivity regarding tomorrow."

"Quite a few of our batters are due (a high score) too. It's going to be tough but we'll give it a go," he added. 

Home team's batting has struggled throughout this series, failing to put England's bowling unit under pressure even once post the Centurion Test. 

"The confidence has been a bit low so we've got to keep talking positive. We've got to get the guys' confidence levels up and that's exactly what we've been trying to do," said Boucher, the former wicketkeeper batsman, who took over as coach just prior to the start of this series. 

"It's been tough on the players but this is what test cricket is all about. It's about stepping up when required."

"The guys are trying. I know it's been a tough and dark period for us over the last couple of weeks but the efforts are still there. I thought in the field today the guys tried really hard and we'll keep doing it," he added.

"We've got the attitude in the change room that we want to try and get back to where we should be. We understand it involves a lot of hard work but that's what we are prepared to do."

(Inputs from Reuters)

 
 

By Kashish Chadha - 27 Jan, 2020

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