ENG vs SA: Keegan Petersen wants top-order batters to play big innings

Dean Elgar and Sarel Erwee (PC: Twitter)

South Africa batter Keegan Petersen thinks the team's top-order batters need to convert their starts to big innings in the third Test of the ongoing Test series against England. 

In the second fixture, Proteas fell prey to English pacers to be dismissed on 151 in the first innings, followed by 179 in the second one. The poor show of the batters resulted in England winning the game by an innings & 85 runs and levelling the series 1-1. 

After contributing in a hefty manner in the first red-ball game, the likes of Dean Elgar, Sarel Erwee could not provide notable contributions in their latest outings. 

Although Petersen returned with knocks of 21 and 42 in the second Test, he reckons the visitors need to be solid at the top-order, as the lower-order have saved enough matches for them. 

Furthermore, the 29-year-old added that both teams lost their respective matches due to lacklustre batting performances in the first innings. 

“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.”