Petersen: Kallis playing it perfectly
Proteas opener Alviro Petersen believes Jacques Kallis' pedestrian knock in Durban on Saturday was the 'perfect innings for the team'.
Proteas opener Alviro Petersen believes Jacques Kallis' pedestrian knock in Durban on Saturday was the "perfect innings for the team".
The retiring Proteas stalwart reached 78 by the time play was called off for the day at Kingsmead, but needed all of 224 balls to reach the score.
However, Petersen, who made 67 earlier in the day, believes the fact that Kallis will be at the crease when play resumes on Sunday will prove a key factor in the home side's efforts to claim a series victory in the 38-year-old's final Test match.
"Jacques played the perfect innings for the situation we were in. He hadn't faced a ball yet, when AB de Villiers walked in. To soak that pressure and to stay tall, in your last match, is phenomenal. He didn't look like he is playing his last Test. He looked in his prime," said Petersen.
Ravindra Jadeja was the standout bowler for India and ended the third day's play with figures of four for 87, and Petersen admitted that the left-arm spinner has proven to be a tricky customer.
"It was difficult to play him. He didn't give many scoring areas with the line and lengths he bowled. When the pitch is turning, you cannot play certain shots, and so we played well enough to be in this position. We would have liked to lose fewer wickets to Jadeja and make them bowl their seamers more, but we put pressure on their bowlers nicely," he added.
"We need to bat past them first and see how far we can bat past them to try and put them under pressure. Time is a problem because we won't get a full day's play in Durban. With the wicket turning, we don't want to bat last on it, so we need to bat as long as possible tomorrow, while keeping the time in mind.
"We are keeping an eye on the weather. But sometimes when you try and push a game you get into trouble. So we need to get to that stage of putting pressure on them first."
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