By Greg Stutchbury
WELLINGTON, March 25 (Reuters) – South Africa will continue
to attack New Zealand when the fourth day of the final test
begins on Monday rather than sit back and play for a draw
despite holding a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, batsman
Alviro Petersen said on Sunday.
New Zealand reached 65 without loss at the close of the
third day in response to South Africa’s 474 for nine declared,
and while fine weather is expected for the final two days the
hosts’ chances of forcing a result in the match appear slim.
Petersen, who top-scored with 156 in South Africa’s first
innings, said the Proteas were keen to keep pushing for a result
despite only needing a draw after winning the second test at
Seddon Park in Hamilton by nine wickets.
“We would have liked to have picked up some wickets here
tonight,” Petersen said. “We’ve got to find a way tomorrow. Come
here fully focused with the attitude of trying to win a test
match.
“We want to win a test match here, that’s the important
thing.”
Petersen had been under pressure entering the match, having
scored just 66 runs at 16.25 in his four previous test innings
on the tour of New Zealand.
However, he produced when his team needed it, taking
advantage of an easy-paced pitch to graft his way to his third
test century.
“I was under pressure coming into this game because of the
standards I set for myself,” Petersen said. “The Proteas are a
high performance team, we set high standards for ourselves and
we want to live up to those standards.
Continued…
