Proteas opening batsman Dean Elgar admits that luck played its part in the Proteas’ six-wicket win against Pakistan in the Centurion Boxing Day Test.
There was admittedly a touch of fortune to the Proteas’ six-wicket win against Pakistan, as Hashim Amla was dropped by Fakhar Zaman at slip with his score on 15, the Proteas star batsman being handed the opportunity to cash in by scoring an unbeaten 63 to take the Proteas over the line to victory.
Elgar also rode his luck, although he benefitted from a controversial moment in the match. After edging a Shaheen Afridi delivery to the slips with his score on four, the soft signal of ‘out’ from the umpire was overturned by the TV umpire Joel Wilson.
Replays showed that the ball touched the ground and, according to the third umpire, there was not enough evidence to show that there were fingers under the ball.
‘Fortune was on our side,’ said Elgar after his 119-run stand with Hashim Amla. ‘We mentioned it yesterday, while we were fielding, that we need so much luck in this game actually. The wicket has obviously had a lot of favour for the bowlers, and as a batting unit, you just needed something to go your way.
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‘You don’t see a lot when you turn around,’ he said about the decision. ‘At first glance, you go on the reaction. The umpires obviously have the final say.
‘Well, the third umpire did. It’s out of my hands. I don’t make any decisions. You’ve got to trust the people in power to make the right calls. And you need a bit of luck to go your way. Thankfully it went our way, and now we’re sitting here at 1-0 going to Cape Town.’
