South Africa have good memories of a Jacques batting throughout the final day of a Test to salvage a draw against Australia. Three years ago in Perth it was Jacques Rudolph, in Kingsmead this time, they are up against Jacques Kallis
Brydon Coverdale in Durban09-Mar-2009
If Kallis was to survive through the entire final day and salvage a draw he would need to bat for longer than he ever has in a Test innings © AFP
South Africa have good memories of a Jacques batting throughout thefinal day of a Test to salvage a draw against Australia. In Perththree years ago it was Jacques Rudolph who scored an obdurate centurywhich forced the draw that interrupted what otherwise would have beena world-record 21 consecutive victories for Australia.At Kingsmead, it is Jacques Kallis who looms as the main character inSouth Africa’s dreams of an even more difficult rescue attempt. Kallisclosed the fourth day on 81, an innings that had taken him 224minutes. He is the kind of batsman who sometimes looks like he couldknock deliveries back to the bowler for weeks on end.As it happens, if Kallis was to survive through the entire final dayand salvage a draw he would need to bat for longer than he ever has ina Test innings. Hashim Amla, who made 43 as the stand-in opener in theabsence of the injured Graeme Smith, said South Africa’s remainingspecialist batsmen felt they had the talent to bat through the day.”All the batters in our team have the confidence that each one of themcan bat six hours,” Amla said. “Look at the remaining batters I thinkeveryone has done it over the last two years maybe. Jacques has doneit over the last 12. Everybody has the belief that it is possible.”South Africa were set 546 to win and they closed the fourth day havingwhittled the target down to a more palatable 302 with eight wickets inhand. But with two wickets down – effectively three, unless Smith canmake a Sydney-like heroic comeback – on a fifth-day pitch with a fewcracks emerging, a draw is the most realistic aim for South Africa.”Some are going up, some are keeping a bit low,” Amla said of thepitch. “But by and large it hasn’t reacted too unfavourably. Maybe alittle bit more difficult tomorrow, depending if the cracks open up,but if it doesn’t then hopefully we can get in again and bat the wholeday.”The key period could be the opening hour as a rejuvenated Australianattack take the second new ball, which is due immediately. PeterSiddle, who picked up Australia’s only two wickets on the fourth day,said the side had taken heart from the similar position they were inlast week in Johannesburg, when they wrapped up the game shortly aftertea.”It’s the exact same situation, they were two down needing 300 lasttime and it’s the same situation here,” Siddle said. “It’s going to bea good day’s play. We’ve got the new ball to come straight away if wetake it. That’s a big positive for us. It’s going to push into thefinal session for sure either way, runs or wickets.”
