Amla soldiers on but South Africa lose two wickets

NAGPUR, India (Reuters) – South Africa’s chances of saving the third test against India look even more remote on Friday after the visitors, chasing a 310-run victory target, lost two more wickets in the morning session to reach 105-4 at lunch on day three.

Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin continued to make the most of the turning track at the VCA Stadium, dismissing Dean Elgar (18) and AB de Villiers (nine) to boost India’s hopes of taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match series.

After 32 wickets tumbled on the first two days, Hashim Amla dug in to negate the spin of the turning track, using his feet well and playing with soft hands so edges did not carry to slip.

The South African captain was unbeaten on 28 at the break with Faf du Plessis (23) at the other end, having added 47 runs for the fifth wicket partnership.

Ashwin, the leading wicket-taker in the series, struck in the fourth over of the day when Cheteshwar Pujara took a bat-pad catch at silly mid on to send back Elgar.

The off-spinner struck a bigger blow when he foxed de Villiers with a carrom ball to trap the batsman plumb in front of the stumps.

(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; editing by Peter Rutherford)