South Africa vs England: Dean Elgar dismayed by dismissal as Dom Sibley revels in ‘amazing’ century

‘When I’d simmered down and was watching the footage I could still say that I hadn’t hit it’

A day that started in English celebration ended in South African contention ahead of an enticing final day’s play in the second Test at Newlands, where the former need eight wickets and the latter a less likely 312 runs.

Dom Sibley’s maiden Test hundred formed the backbone of the tourists’ 391 for eight declared which in turn laid down a chase of 438 to the Proteas. But their first wicket lost, that of Dean Elgar, was contested by the batsman on the field and after play.

With the last ball of the 29th over, Joe Denly spun his leg spin past the outside edge of Elgar. An appeal went up and the left-hander was adjudged caught behind by umpire Paul Reiffel. But Elgar called for DRS immediately only to see a disturbance in the UltraEdge line as the ball passed his bat.

Elgar’s walk-off was slow and, speaking to Sky Sports at the end of play, he reiterated his disagreement.

“I wouldn’t waste a referral knowing that I’d nicked it,” said Elgar. “I don’t play cricket like that. I like to see myself as someone who takes their outs if they’re out. I wouldn’t waste a referral like that. It’s a bit of an emotional time when those kind of things happen. When I’d simmered down and was watching the footage I could still say that I hadn’t hit it.”

He stopped short of slandering the technology - “I don’t want to get into trouble with the ICC” – and made it clear he was speaking entirely about his own feeling in the moment. His batting coach Jacques Kallis took a similar tact: "If I tell the truth, I might get into trouble.”

As for Sibley, things were far more straightforward. His score of 133 not out from 311 deliveries featured no such issues and was characterised by a lot of certainty. But having to return on 85 this morning, he admitted to struggles to getting his head down.

“I slept terribly to be honest,” admitted Subley. “I was up at 2am, watching TV and just thinking about the 15 runs.”

They came with the help of three fours, last one taking him to three figures: a sweep of Keshav Maharaj which he nailed out of the rough after the field had been brought in with him on 99*. “It feels amazing that I got over the line.”

Dean Elgar edges behind to Jos Buttler (Reuters)

It was better than I thought I reckon. That moment when I saw that ball go for four was what I have been working towards since I was 13 years old and you dream of that moment.

“Hopefully there are more of them to come over the next few years.”

While Sibley played the primary role in England’s innings, he was a support act for Ben Stokes in a 92-run partnership in which the bombastic allrounder provided 72, from just 47 balls. There were three sixes and seven fours, and the merest hint that he might take Brendon McCullum’s record for the fastest Test hundred (55 deliveries). A mistimed heave off Maharaj to Rassie van der Dussen meant he’d fall 28 runs and eight balls short.

“Ben took the pressure off me and made it easy for me to go at my own tempo. He kept saying, 'don't change what you're doing, just play the way you play.' So when he was whacking it everywhere and I was nurdling it around and playing and missing it was nice that at the other end he was doing the scoring and I could just go about it in my own way.”

The importance of Stokes’ word were evident by Sibley’s admission that he did hear the noise around his technique - front on and ungainly - and found himself slightly overawed by the spotlight. But this innings, especially if it can lead to a win, will reaffirm that doing as he has always done is the best way to thrive at this level.

“You're never quite prepared for the spotlight that you'll be under and people writing about you and depicting your technique. The first two tests I put myself under a lot of pressure to get that first big score and then on this trip even though I haven't got the score until this innings I have spent time at the crease and got in.

“It was a case of taking the pressure off and playing the way I did in the summer for Warwickshire and just going about it the way I do without worrying too much about what others are saying and believing that what I do well is enough to succeed at this level.”