“I hadn’t had a lot of time at the crease before that, so I take any positive I can from that innings. Though it was not as fluent as I would have loved it to be, I always try my best to fight for the team,” he said.
“I think it is obvious we need to score hundreds up top. It hasn’t been there for a while and the lower order has saved us a few times but I think it is evident the batsmen need to step up and get a couple of big scores.”
While English conditions have been more favourable for the bowlers for the majority of the series, Petersen said the importance of batting well in the first innings is not something the tourists will take lightly.
“I think both Test matches were lost in the first innings when it comes to batting.
“It is evident conditions are leaning a bit more to the advantage of the bowlers, but I feel the team who can play that first innings better is the team that will come out on top,” he added.
Petersen said the defeat at Manchester hurt the team but he is confident they will put up a better showing in the final encounter.
“I would love to play for five days [in a Test] once. I think that is what the public wants to see.
“This is what we live for as cricketers — series deciders. It is going to be thrilling and there is a lot on the line for both teams, so I think we might see a good game.”
Proteas need ‘hundreds up top’ at The Oval, says Keegan Petersen
Image: Michael Steele/Getty Images
Proteas top order batsman Keegan Petersen believes big runs at the top of the order will be critical as SA prepare for the deciding third Test against England at The Oval starting on Thursday.
The visitors have had more than a week off to recover from their bruising innings and 82-run defeat to England at Old Trafford in Manchester and Petersen is confident SA can put up a fight as they look to secure a series victory over the hosts.
Petersen scored 21 in the first innings and followed that up with a dogged 42 in the second.
It was that second innings performance, where he batted the entire second session alongside an injured Rassie van der Dussen, that Petersen wants to replicate and better.
“I hadn’t had a lot of time at the crease before that, so I take any positive I can from that innings. Though it was not as fluent as I would have loved it to be, I always try my best to fight for the team,” he said.
“I think it is obvious we need to score hundreds up top. It hasn’t been there for a while and the lower order has saved us a few times but I think it is evident the batsmen need to step up and get a couple of big scores.”
While English conditions have been more favourable for the bowlers for the majority of the series, Petersen said the importance of batting well in the first innings is not something the tourists will take lightly.
“I think both Test matches were lost in the first innings when it comes to batting.
“It is evident conditions are leaning a bit more to the advantage of the bowlers, but I feel the team who can play that first innings better is the team that will come out on top,” he added.
Petersen said the defeat at Manchester hurt the team but he is confident they will put up a better showing in the final encounter.
“I would love to play for five days [in a Test] once. I think that is what the public wants to see.
“This is what we live for as cricketers — series deciders. It is going to be thrilling and there is a lot on the line for both teams, so I think we might see a good game.”
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