UltraEdge technology under the spotlight as Dean Elgar insists he did not hit ball which dismissed him

Elgar was batting fluently and his side were looking comfortable at 71 without loss, chasing a mammoth 438 for victory at Newlands, when Joe Denly beat the batsman with a floated delivery outside off stump

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UltraEdge found itself under scrutiny on day four of the second Test between South Africa and England at Cape Town, after Proteas opener Dean Elgar failed in his attempt to review a caught behind decision against him.

Elgar was batting fluently and his side were looking comfortable at 71 without loss, chasing a mammoth 438 for victory at Newlands, when Joe Denly beat the batsman with a floated delivery outside off stump.

Given out on the field, Elgar immediately reviewed but DRS showed a tiny spike as ball passed bat.

The technology did not give any reason for the decision to be overturned, however, meaning the 32-year-old had to be on his way.

Afterwards, Elgar was asked whether he had made contact.

“No. I wouldn’t waste a referral, knowing I’d nicked it,” the batsman said.

“I don’t play cricket like that. I like to see myself as someone who takes their outs when they’re definitely out. I wouldn’t waste it on that.

“It’s a bit of an emotional time when those kind of things happen, and I had to simmer down and watch the footage, and I can still say right now that I haven’t hit it.”

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Elgar would not be drawn on the value of UltraEdge after the close, however.

“I’m going to reserve my comments because I don’t want to get into trouble via the ICC,” he said. 

“As a player I can say I’m very confident I didn’t hit it.”

There was some suggestion that Elgar’s elbow brushing his front pad may have caused the spike,” he said.

“Our coach also alluded to that but it is what it is and so be it. It’s what creates the theatre of Test cricket, I guess.

“Sometimes you have those things go your way and sometimes you don’t. Unfortunately today, I was feeling a million dollars and it just didn’t work out.”

South Africa closed the day on 126 for 2, needing a further 312 for victory.

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