South Africa vs India 1st Test highlights: Hosts need 320 more to win, India seek 8 wickets on Day 5

South Africa need 320 more runs to win on the final day of the 1st Test vs India. Catch all the highlights from the fourth day's play, as they happened. (Live Scorecard | Text Commentary | Match Report)

21:19 (IST) That's stumps and South Africa are 138 for 2 in 45 overs. Alviro Petersen is at the crease on 76. Giving him company is Faf du Plessis on 8. Mohd Shami got that wicket big wicket of Hashim Amla after Graeme Smith was run out.

21:07 (IST) Dhoni brings himself on now and Virat Kohli is donning the keeper's gloves. SA 134/2, chasing 458.

21:02 (IST) Umpires checking the light meter and decide it is fit for only slow bowlers to operate. As a result, Murali Vijay has been brought in to the bowling crease. For those who want to know what he bowls, Vijay bowls friendly off-breaks. Three runs of his over, no harm done.

20:56 (IST) Ishant bowls a bouncer and Petersen goes for a pull and gets a top edge and gets a four. SA 124/2, chasing 458 to win.

20:50 (IST) Interesting, Faf du Plessis is the new man in, in place of Jacques Kallis. The SA team management are looking to give some rest to Kallis, who bowled a lot today and picked up three wickets in India's second innings.

20:47 (IST) WICKET! Hashim Amla is out, bowled. Freak dismissal this as Amla ducks but misjudges the bounce against Mohd Shami and is bowled. The ball almost kissed the grill of his helmet. Amla made four. SA 118/2, chasing 458 to win.

20:40 (IST) Ishant bowls back of the length and the twice at least the ball fails to carry on the full to Dhoni the keeper.

20:34 (IST) Hashim Amla gets off the mark, courtesy a four through mid-wicket off Mohd Shami. SA 118/1, chasing 458.

20:29 (IST) FACTOID: Since December 2006 (in 7 years), out of the 24 Test series, South Africa have won 16, drew 7, lost 1 (to Aus at home in Feb-Mar 2009).

20:20 (IST) WICKET! Run out, brilliant work from Ajinkya Rahane and Graeme Smith is out. Smith, trying to steal a single as the ball goes to Rahane, who sharply throws down the stumps from mid-on and Smith is found wanting. He made 44 and the opening stand is now broken. SA 109/1, chasing 458.

20:16 (IST) Graeme Smith gets the better of Ishant now, first he square drives it away through backward point for four, two balls later he flicks him hard through mid-wicket for another four. SA 107/0, chasing 458.

20:10 (IST) Graeme Smith pierces the gap between the two short covers for four off R Ashwin. Smith is steadily growing in confidence.

20:04 (IST) The openers have kept the Indians at bay. The Indian bowlers have failed to make a serious impact, the surface though is still helpful if you bowl the right lines. SA 92/0.

19:57 (IST) Petersen gets four this time, flicks Ashwin for four past fine-leg. SA 89/0, chasing 458.

19:50 (IST) Smith with his trademark shot again, this time, finds the gap between square-leg and mid-wicket off R Ashwin. Pommie Mbangwa during commentary says that if a shot epitomizes Graeme Smith, it is this flick of the legs. SA 82/0, set 458 to win.

 

19:44 (IST) Graeme Smith threads the needle between short mid-wicket and mid-on off Zaheer. SA 78/0, chasing 458 to win.

19:39 (IST) FACTOID: The previous two times that India scored over 400 or more in an overseas Test: 400 in 110.5 overs at the Sydney Cricket Ground in January 2012 and 459 in 128.1 overs at Centurion in December 2010. Both totals came in the second innings and India lost both the Tests.

19:34 (IST) Another duel between Zaheer and Graeme Smith now. The SA skipper has done well to keep his nemesis at bay since that one tough dropped chance early on.

19:26 (IST) Fifty for Alviro Petersen, his 6th in Tests and second against India. SA 67/0, chasing 458 to win.

19:23 (IST) Petersen playing Shami well, a short one from the 23-year-old is pulled handsomely by the right-hander through square-leg for four.

19:19 (IST) Mohd Shami gets Graeme Smith to edge one, but it goes between third slip and gully for four through vacant third-man for four. SA 58/0, chasing 458 to win.

19:12 (IST) Petersen rocks back and cuts R Ashwin for four through vacant third man. Decent start by him. SA 47/0, chasing 458 to win.

19:04 (IST) Three runs of the first over bowled by R Ashwin.

18:57 (IST) Players are slowly taking their positions for the final session.

18:50 (IST) FACTOID: Since December 2003, India have won 7 Tests overseas, out of the 18 played, while bowling in the 4th innings of a match.

18:41 (IST) That's tea and South Africa are 38 for no loss, needing another 420 to win. Alviro Petersen is batting steadily on 28 and Graeme Smith, who hasn't had much of the strike, is on 9.

18:30 (IST) FACTOID: The longest South Africa has batted in the fourth innings of a Test match was when they scored 423/7 in 141 overs at the Oval on 20-8-1947. The match was drawn.

18:24 (IST) FACTOID: Graeme Smith is one of few batsmen to have scored four hundreds in 4th innings of a Test. Sunil Gavaskar, Ricky Ponting, Younus Khan and R Sarwan are the other players to post 4 tons in 4th innings.

18:19 (IST) Alviro Petersen does well against Ishant, who just misses his line a bit. First the right-hander punches the tall seamer through straight mid-on for four, four balls later he neatly tucks it past fine-leg for four. SA 28/0, chasing 458 to win.

18:11 (IST) Attacking field set by Dhoni.  Three slips and a gully in place for both batsmen. For Smith, Zaheer has employed a short mid-wicket and a leg gully. South Africa 16/0, chasing 458 to win.

18:04 (IST) Dropped! But that was a sharp chance, put down by Virat Kohli. First ball that Zaheer bowled to Graeme Smith and he flicks it uppishly backward of square on the leg side. Kohli fielding at that catching leg gully position spills it after reaching it with two hands. SA 8/0 (2.1 overs), chasing 458.

17:56 (IST) First runs for South Africa as Alviro Petersen flicks Zaheer Khan for four through square leg. SA 6/0, chasing 458 to win.

17:50 (IST) FACTOID: Dale Steyn has been wicket-less in only two innings in his career. First - 22.4-2-81-0 vs Sri Lanka at Colombo PSS on August 2006 and today - 30-5-104-0.

17:43 (IST) WICKET! Mohd Shami is out, bowled to Imran Tahir and India are all out for 421 in the second innings, with an overall lead of 457 runs. South Africa need 458 to win.

17:38 (IST) Crucial runs here for India as Zaheer Khan gives it a thwack, picks out a Dale Steyn slower one and hammers it over long-off. second six for him. Two balls later Mohd Shami flicks his first ball for four off Steyn. India 416/9, lead by 452.

17:35 (IST) WICKET! Ishant Sharma is gone, LBW to Imran Tahir's googly. Ishant made 4. India 405/9, lead by 441.

17:31 (IST) Zaheer continues to frustrate the South Africans as Steyn's fuller ball takes Zaheer's inside edge and it runs to fine-leg fence for four. India 405/8, lea by 441.

17:25 (IST) Zaheer Khan hits the first six of the match, a lofted drive over straight extra cover fence off Imran Tahir. India 396/8, lead by 432.

17:21 (IST) Zaheer Khan gives it the full kitchen sink! And gets four for it, over the keeper's head. India 390/8, lead by 426.

17:13 (IST) WICKET! Dhoni is gone, caught at sweeper cover by substitute Dean Elgar off Vernon Philander. Dhoni made 29 from 44 balls. India 384/8, lead by 420 runs.

17:06 (IST) Dhoni and Zaheer biding their time in the middle, in an out field has been set by Graeme Smith. Dhoni not afraid to give strike to Zaheer against the spinner. India 379/7, lead by 415.

16:59 (IST) Zaheer Khan has walked out in the middle, looking to be very aggressive. Zaheer gets his first four, a cute nudge past fine-leg for four.

16:52 (IST) WICKET! R Ashwin is gone, caught by Faf du Plessis in the covers off Vernon Philander. India 369/7, lead by 405 runs.

16:45 (IST) R Ashwin plays a lovely square cut, off JP Duminy, and gets four runs for it. Lead goes over 400 now.

16:40 (IST) Players make their way out in the middle, JP Duminy will resume his unfinished over. R Ashwin the man on strike.

16:15 (IST) Virat Kohli, had he got a hundred today, would have achieved many a milestones. However, even without reaching that elusive second hundred in the game, he has made a mark in the record books. (Read full story here)

 

The first session belonged purely to the hosts, who got four wickets, including the all important ones of the overnight batsmen Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli. Indians might have just scored 74 runs in the morning session but they have a huge 394-run lead to play with. Jacques Kallis and JP Duminy were the wreckers for South Africa, picking up two wickets each today.

15:59 (IST) WICKET! Ajinkya Rahane is out for 15, at the stroke of lunch, caught at first slip by Graeme Smith off JP Duminy, who has two wickets now. India go into lunch at 358/6, with a 394-run lead. Dhoni still there at 16.

15:56 (IST) Dhoni in two minds whether to attack Duminy or not with just a couple of overs to go for lunch time. He plays him out with ease, taking the occasional single on offer. India 353/5, lead by 389.

 

15:50 (IST) Gorgeous shot this from Rahane, just lent on it, presented the full face of the bat and drilled Dale Steyn straight down the ground for four.

15:43 (IST) Duminy continues but gets punished this time, from both Dhoni and Rahane. First Dhoni goes on one knee and sweeps him fine for four, three balls later, Rahane goes back in his crease and places it fine through third man for four. India 344/5, lead by 380 runs.

15:39 (IST) Dhoni walks down the track to Kallis and drives it past mid-off for four. First four for the Indian captain, who received cheers of 'Dhoni... Dhoni..' by the few spectators at the Wanderers. India 334/5, lead by 370.

 

15:34 (IST) Rahane and Dhoni are taking their time to settle into a partnership. There is a bit of help for the seamers of they hit the right line and length. India 327/5, lead by 363.

15:27 (IST) Big Wicket! Kohli is gone, misses a hundred! Looking to cut JP Duminy, Kohli flashes at it and is taken sharply by keeper De Villiers. Kohli's long vigil comes to an end, misses a hundred by 4 runs. His 193-ball 96 was punched with 9 fours.

15:20 (IST) WICKET! Rohit Sharma out clean bowled. That one stayed low from Kallis after it hit one of the cracks on the pitch. Rohit made 6 from 13 balls. India 325/4, lead by 361.

15:10 (IST) Rohit gets an edge and it goes past the slips for four. First boundary for Rohit, although fortuitous.

15:01 (IST) WICKET! Pujara innings comes to an end, edged and caught behind. Pujara attempted a late cut off Kallis and got an edge and AB de Villiers took a regulation catch behind the stumps. Pujara made 153, his lowest of the four 150-plus scores. His 270-ball knock was laced with 21 hits to the fence. The partnership with Kohli ends at 222. India 315/3, lead by 351.

14:51 (IST) News from the Ashes: Australian opener Chris Rogers feels the pressure despite the series win. Read more

14:44 (IST) Meanwhile, for those interested to find out what happened on Day 3 of the NZ vs WI Test, here is the match report.

14:37 (IST) FACTOID: Virat Kohli now has 200 runs in this Test. He has become the first Indian number four batsman to score 200 runs in a Test against South Africa. India 307/2, lead  by 343 runs.

14:31 (IST) Cheteshwar Pujara takes a single off Steyn and reaches his 150, his 4th score of 150 or more in Test cricket. Here is what former India great Sunil Gavaskar has to say about Pujara: Watch video

14:26 (IST) Pujara shows his class once again! First runs one off the face of the bat through wide gully for four, four balls later, he thumps one past cover point for another boundary. Pujara now one away from his 150. India 304/2, lead by 340.

14:20 (IST) Here is Morne Morkel tweeting a pic of his sore ankle. South Africa will miss his bowling badly.

Thanks for the messages.. Luckily I strap my ankles before we go out... pic.twitter.com/f5Y4dXivnc

- morne morkel (@mornemorkel65) December 21, 2013

14:13 (IST) Two overs bowled with the second new ball and Indian batters are playing it sensibly, playing out both overs without taking two many risks. Just one ball from Philander jumped awkwardly from the surface but Pujara had kept his bat away. India 293/ (82 overs), lead by 329.

14:08 (IST) The 200-run stand is up between Pujara and Kohli as Duminy gives three runs off the 80th over. The second new-ball is available now and is taken straight away.

14:03 (IST) Six runs off the first over, Cheteshwar Pujara rocked back and late cut Imran Tahir for four through the third-man area. India 290/2, lead by 326 runs.

13:57 (IST) Players making their way out there in the middle. Imran Tahir will bowl the first over on Day 4.

Preview

India certainly have the upper hand but the visitors need to bat a little more and score some quick runs before declaring their innings. Former India opener Sunil Gavaskar reckons that India should declare with a lead close to 500. "A target between 450 and 500 will be good at this Wanderers pitch," Gavaskar said. (Read more)

On third day, India pacers Zaheer Khan and Ishant destroyed the South African lower order to give the visitors an important 36-run lead. Then Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli backed up good bowling performances from Zaheer and Ishant - four wickets apiece - with a confident knocks against South Africa at Johannesburg. Pujara was unbeaten on 135 and Kohli was on 77 at the stumps on Day 3 with India's lead growing to 320 runs. (Read full Day 3 report here)

South Africa were dealt a crucial blow on Friday as premier fast bowler Morne Morkel has been ruled out of the current Test match due to a Grade I ligament tear on his ankle which also makes him doubtful for the 'Boxing Day' Test in Durban starting December 26. (Read full report)

On the opening day, Indian openers failed to deliver and fell cheaply. It was Virat Kohli's classy 119 however that helped the tourists and the young batsman made the day his own. A day later, Vernon Philander went berserk with the ball. His 4/61 - three wickets in the opening session on Day 2 - bundled India out on 280 despite the innings being resumed at 255/5. Skipper Graeme Smith threatened add to India's woes with his 68 but Indian pacers led by Ishant hit back hard in the final session to ensure South Africa end Thursday on 213/6.

TEAMS

South Africa: Graeme Smith (captain), Alviro Petersen, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers (wicketkeeper), Faf du Plessis, Jean-Paul Duminy, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Imran Tahir.

India: Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, MS Dhoni(captain, wicketkeeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Zaheer Khan, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma.