A great cricket test match .....ruined

The Indians batted beautifully in the second innings, albeit against a reduced attack and set the Proteas an impossible task.

But then the openers got off smartly. The first twist was Smith taking a run ....when the only issue was if the fielder dead on, could hit the stumps. Next the Amla near suicidal duck.

But after that things went better and Kallas with a few pluperfect  cover drives looked to be taking charge, only to be incorrectly given out.

That was just the appetizer. We then had a brilliant stand between AB  and Faf.  Enough to ensure the win. But when AB went Duminy showed his lack of nerve. Still we get back to a winning position and then Faf runs himself out! Stunning!

 Was this a great test or what. Well it was for all but the last three overs when both sides played for a draw. How desperately disappointing. Why did Philander not take the fifth ball single and have a go in the lat over. Orders from the changing room? Who knows, but it was a sad cop out.

 Another "if only and we would've won" Hasbeeno? Sounds vaguely familiar?

What a bunch of girls the Proteas are!! 9 down, maybe go for the draw, but they were only 7 down!! The Indians must be laughing their heads off.

What a shame, they could've had a world record but bottled it.......I'd be livid if I was a Proteas' fan!

The Aussies would not have put up the shutters with 16 runs to get in three overs and with 3 wickets in hand. Never....and that's why you still have to bet on them if it gets close. It's not heart surgery, where the price of failure is really bad.....it's a cricket match for heaven sake.

This is the same mentality that makes so many of our rugby tests so close, even when we open a lead ......fear of losing.

It will never make sense to have gone for the draw

All those singles or two's that could and should have been taken when Vernon was tapping into the deep, which Steyn refused.  And you could see Vernon wanted the win, but Steyn resolutely saying NO !!!!

Take the singles through the last 3 overs and bring it down to 6-7-8 off the last over and swing for the fences with 3 balls left to ensure that India needed a hat trick to win the test which would have been very unlikely.

What a shocker !!

I agree the Indians were negative, but that's precisely why we should have attacked.

I understand that Morkel was injured and Tahir is not the best no 11, but when will we ever get the chance to do something as historic as this again.

My only concern here, is that Steyn should never have had the final say, that is ludicrous for many different reasons, firstly if he had gone for it, or not gone for it, it should never have been him to face the public which ever way the result went.

It should have been a team management / joint senior player decision, and they can then deal with the repurcussions afterwards.

Steyn will now be asked this question for the rest of his life, and it will come to the point where he wishes he had just gone for it. 

You cannot expect one player alone to determine the outcome of such an important game, and have to deal with the criticism afterwards.

End of third day and Faf is still to bat.

So that said we should brace ourselves for yet another thrilling draw. 

Any bets!

Cheers Denny on the bigger Island.

I agree with everything except the Philander suggestion.  He clearly wanted to go for it and Steyn, a few times, resolutely screamed NO !!, towards Philander

They showed it multiple times in slow mo as well, and Philander was clearly quite peeved at Steyn's decision to close shop.

AB has also come out and said he backed Steyn's decision to go for the draw