Let's just finish Jo' burg Test: ex-referee Procter

Johannesburg [South Africa], Jan 27 (ANI): A day after dodgy pitch conditions forced officials to call off the third day of Johannesburg Test between India and South Africa, former match referee Mike Procter on Saturday admitted that it was a great call and hope that such situation doesn’t happen again.

South Africa opener Dean Elgar was tested by some vicious short balls from Bhuvaneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah on a difficult Wanderers pitch, offering dangerous bounce.

The first short ball bowled by Bhuvaneshwar went on to hit him in the thumb, while Bumrah's struck him on the grill of his helmet in the ninth over of the host's second innings.

This prompted umpires Ian Gould and Aleem Dar and referee Andy Pycroft to have a discussion on whether it is safe to continue to play. Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis headed to the referee's room for some serious discussion over the playing conditions.

The play could have resumed if both the captains would have come to a conclusion.

With ten minutes of day's play remaining, it started to drizzle, forcing the groundsmen to put the covers on and call it a day.

Reflecting on the same, Procter said that Indian batsmen played with great determination on a dangerous Wanderers pitch and they seemed to be of not afraid to take blows on their bodies.

“It is always going to be a tough call to make. Because you can’t say on this particular pitch, at what stage it was dangerous to play.  When the Indian batsman batted, it was still dangerous. It might have got a little bit worst or too much in the second innings of both teams. And the Indian had played really very well. They showed a lot of character, a lot of determination and guts on this pitch,” Procter told ANI.

The former match referee added,  It would've been hard on them (Indians) if the game had been called off. But I think the great call has been made. Let’s just finish this Test match and ensure that such situation doesn’t happen again.”

Chasing a target of 241 runs to won, the hosts ended the day three at 17 for one in 8.3 overs. South Africa lost opener Aiden Markram for four, with Mohammed Shami taking him by surprise with a short ball.

South Africa have an unassailable 2-0 lead over India in the three-match Test series. (ANI)