Elgar brushes off helmet blow to close in on ton
CAPETOWN: South African opener Dean Elgar recovered from a nasty blow to the helmet to power towards a century and take his side to tea on 185 for two on the opening day of the third test against Australia at Newlands on Thursday.
Elgar was on 57 when a delivery from Australian quick Josh Hazlewood (2-23) reared up and struck him flush on the helmet, ballooning into the air. Although he looked a little dazed, he was able to continue batting after receiving attention from the team doctor. The left-hander has since progressed to 91 not out as he closes in on an 11th test ton, adding 93 for the third wicket with a fluent AB de Villiers, who will resume after the interval on 46.
The home team has progressed well on a slow wicket that made scoring difficult in the first hour of play, but has offered little in the way of assistance to the bowlers aside from some healthy bounce.
South Africa will be pleased with their work in the first two sessions as they seek to seize the initiative in the four-game series that is level at 1-1.
The South Africans won the toss and elected to bat, losing opener Aiden Markram early for a duck as he edged Hazlewood to a diving Steve Smith at second slip with the score on six.
Elgar and Hashim Amla (31) added a patient 86 for the second wicket before the latter attempted a hook off Hazlewood, but top-edged to Pat Cummins at fine leg. Australia used the short ball more after that, with the lively Hazlewood tempting Elgar into an ill-advised attempt that rattled into his head gear.
South Africa made two changes from the side that won the second test by six wickets, restoring middle-order batsman Temba Bavuma to the lineup after his recovery from a finger injury, while seamer Morne Morkel came in for Lungi Ngidi, who is struggling with a toe problem.
Morkel has announced he will retire from all forms of international cricket at the end of this series and is currently on 297 test wickets. Australia are unchanged from the first two tests, with seamer Mitchell Starc and all-rounder Mitchell Marsh having shrugged off niggles.
Brief scores: South Africa 185/2 (Dean Elgar 91*, Hashim Amla 31) vs Australia at tea on Day 1.