CAPE TOWN: Dom Sibley scored a maiden century to put England on top but South Africa have launched a rear-guard to keep the tourists’ victory charge at bay after going to the close of the fourth day of the second Test on 126 for two on Monday.

South Africa have been set 438 for victory at Newlands and will have to score a further 312 runs in 90 overs on the final day to achieve the highest run chase in Test cricket history.

It is much more likely, however, they will have to bat out the final three sessions on Tuesday to save the Test.

Debutant opener Pieter Malan is unbeaten on 63 and is at the crease with nightwatchman Keshav Maharaj (2 not out) on a wicket that has flattened considerably for the seamers, but is offering turn to the slow bowlers.

Dean Elgar (34) and Zubayr Hamza (18) are the two batsmen gone, the latter in the penultimate over of the day when he edged James Anderson low to wicket-keeper Jos Buttler.

South Africa famously scored 438 to beat Australia in a One-day International at the Wanderers in 2006 in which current head coach Mark Boucher hit the winning runs.

But this would represent an even bigger achievement for a side that has lost many of its batting greats to retirement in recent years.

The current highest success run chase in Tests was 418 by West Indies against Australia at St John’s in 2003.

England set the stiff target after declaring their second innings on 391 for eight just after lunch, with opener Sibley unbeaten on a patient 133 to go with an explosive 72 from Ben Stokes.

Sibley’s hundred was met by an almighty roar from the sizeable travelling English support, even if it took him 269 balls to get there.

Stokes was providing plenty of entertainment at the other end as he took on the task of providing the quick runs England wanted to build a big enough lead and still have enough time to bowl South Africa out a second time.

He smashed seven fours and three sixes in a 47-ball innings of 72, before being caught at mid-on by Rassie van der Dussen off spinner Maharaj.

His blitz propelled England to 157 runs in 27 overs in the morning session and crucially sped up the game in their pursuit of victory.

South Africa won the first Test of the four-match series by 107 runs at the SuperSport Park in Centurion last week.

Scoreboard

ENGLAND (1st Innings) 269 (O.J. Pope 61 not out, B.A. Stokes 47; K. Rabada 3-68). SOUTH AFRICA (1st Innings) 223 (D. Elgar 88, H.E. van der Dussen 68; J.M. Anderson 5-40).

ENGLAND (2nd Innings, overnight 218-4):

Z. Crawley c de Kock b Rabada 25 D.P. Sibley not out 133 J.L. Denly c Pretorius b Nortje 31 J.E. Root c du Plessis b Pretorius 61 D.M. Bess c de Kock b Nortje 0 B.A. Stokes c van der Dussen b Maharaj 72 O.J. Pope b Rabada 3 J.C. Buttler c de Kock b Nortje 23 S.M. Curran c Hamza b Maharaj 13 S.C.J. Broad not out 8 EXTRAS (B-18, LB-3, W-1) 22 TOTAL (for eight wkts decl, 111 overs) 391 FALL OF WKTS: 1-28, 2-101, 3-217, 4-218, 5-310, 6-315, 7-356, 8-375. BOWLING: Rabada 20-3-69-2; Philander 14-7-24-0; Nortje 18-2-61-3 (1w); Pretorius 16-4-56-1; Maharaj 43-9-160-2.

SOUTH AFRICA (2nd Innings):

P.J. Malan not out 63 D. Elgar c Buttler b Denly 34 Zubayr Hamza c Buttler b Anderson 18 K.A. Maharaj not out 2 EXTRAS (B-4, LB-1, W-1, NB-3) 9 TOTAL (for two wkts, 56 overs) 126 FALL OF WKTS: 1-71, 2-123. BOWLING (to-date): Anderson 9-4-18-1; Broad 9-2-20-0; Bess 12-3-29-0; Curran 8-2-13-0 (1nb, 1w); Denly 8-0-26-1; Root 3-0-7-0; Stokes 7-3-8-0 (2nb).

Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2020