South Africa will have to chase a record score if they were to beat England in the second Test at Newlands.
The Proteas were set a mammoth target of 438 by England after Joe Root declared his side’s second innings on 391-8.
Despite openers Pieter Malan and Dean Elgar making a solid start to the chase, the Proteas remain with their backs against the wall and are staring down defeat at tea time on the fourth day of the second Test at Newlands in Cape Town.
The hosts will head into the final session of day four with the score on 46-0.
Dom Sibley, who reached his maiden Test century before lunch, finished the innings unbeaten on 133.
England made an aggressive start to the day in the first session as Sibley and Ben Stokes took the attack to the Proteas bowlers. Stokes, in particular, looked in no mood to hang around as he sent Maharaj and Dwaine Pretorius over the ropes. He eventually fell after trying to go big against Maharaj again, caught at mid-on by Rassie van der Dussen for a quick-fired 72.
The Proteas will be hoping Malan (23) and Elgar (21) can continue with a strong partnership before the close of play to have any chance of getting something out of the contest.
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South Africa: Pieter Malan, Dean Elgar, Zubayr Hamza, Faf du Plessis (c), Rassie van der Dussen, Quinton de Kock (wk), Dwaine Pretorius, Vernon Philander, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje.
England: Dominic Sibley, Zak Crawley, Joe Denly, Joe Root (c), Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope, Jos Buttler (wk), Sam Curran, Dominic Bess, Stuart Broad, James Anderson.
