On an action-packed day in Durban, it was Matthew Renshaw who stole the show with his all-round display to put Australia in command of the Durban Test and push South Africa to the brink of defeat. Matthew Renshaw made 82 with the bat and then picked up a wicket as well, of Temba Bavuma. The others performed as well, like Josh Hazlewood, who has picked up 2 off the four wickets to fall. With the bat, apart from Renshaw, everyone chipped in as well.
For South Africa, Aiden Markram is still there and holds the key. David Bedingham played well for his 46 but has been dismissed. South Africa looking down and out at the moment and has to bat out of their skins to win the contest from here on or even save the game for that matter. Australia are the favourites to go 1-0 up in this 3-match Test series.
Australia drive home the advantage with quick runs despite a flurry of wickets in the morning session.Â
Nic Maddinson and Travis Head came out to resume the proceedings for Australia while Wiaan Mulder had two balls left off the unfinished over from last night. Maddinson was off the blocks straightaway as he pushed at it away from the body and got the outside edge that went left past second slip for a boundary. Marco Jansen had the ball in hand from the other end. Maddinson defended the ball straight without any footwork and got the outside edge that flew past first slip and away to the fence for a boundary.
Jansen provided the first breakthrough for South Africa as he removed Head for 11 off 18 balls with 2 fours to his name as the ball was chipped straight to Bavuma at midwicket, who made no mistake. Marnus Labuschagne came out to bat next. Mulder continued as Maddinson hung back and cut it past diving deep backward point for a boundary. The 50 came up for Australia in 7.5 overs. Jansen continued as Marnus leaned into the drive and got it past gully for a triple. Maddinson threw his hands at that and got a thick outside edge that flew over gully for a deep third man fence for a boundary.
Spin was introduced into the proceedings as Simon Harmer came into the attack next. Maddinson took him on and swung through the line to launch it down the ground over long-on for the maximum. Anrich Nortje came into the attack next. He broke the threatening stand and removed Maddinson for 48 off 38 balls with 6 fours and 2 sixes to his name as he was cleaned up by the bowler. Steve Smith came out to bat next. Harmer continued and bowled a decent over.
Nortje continued and hit Smith flush on the helmet, and a mandatory concussion check was done after which he resumed his innings. Harmer continued and delivered a rare maiden over. Nortje continued as Marnus shuffled across and got inside the line of the ball before pulling it to deep fine leg for a boundary. Marnus then slapped the ball through cover point for another boundary. Harmer continued and bowled a tight over. Nortje continued and bowled a wide.
Smith took him on as he threw his hands while cutting the ball and got the outside edge past the gully fielder and away for a boundary. Smith then reached out and threw at it as the ball flew past deep backward point for a boundary. The lead crossed 200 runs for the Aussies. Nortje bowled another wide before Smith made it three boundaries in the over as he cut the ball past deep backward point for a boundary as 100 came up for Australia in 16.5 overs. Harmer continued and delivered a quiet over.
Keshav Maharaj came into the attack next. Marnus took him on as he clipped the ball past short midwicket for a boundary. Harmer continued and delivered a tight over. Australia reached 111/2 in 20 overs when we paused for Drinks in the morning session of play on Day 4. Maharaj continued after the break and bowled a decent over. Harmer continued as Labuschagne got to the pitch of the ball and drove it through covers for a boundary. Marnus survived a scare as the Proteas burnt a review against him for LBW against Harmer.
Maharaj continued and bowled a decent over. Smith took on Harmer as he danced down the track and whacked it away over Jansen at long-on for the maximum. The 50-run stand came up between the duo. Harmer had the last laugh for South Africa as Smith gave his wicket away by trying to go after the bowling and hit it to Jansen at long-on, who took a tumbling catch. Smith departed for 27 off 41 balls with 3 fours and one six to his name. Matthew Renshaw came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway.
Maharaj continued as Renshaw went for the slog sweep down on one knee and got hit off the back of the bat, and it went past the keeper, Verreynne, for a lucky boundary. Harmer continued and bowled a decent over. Maharaj continued as he gave away 4 byes as a gift to the batting side by beating everyone. The lead crossed 250 for Australia. Harmer continued and bowled a tight over. Maharaj continued as Renshaw reverse swept it between the keeper and first slip and away for a boundary. The 150 came up for Australia in 28.2 overs. Renshaw was in the zone as he reverse swept it through the deep point region for a boundary.
Maharaj gave something to cheer about for South Africa as he removed Marnus for 37 off 58 balls with 4 fours to his name as the batter drove it straight to Bavuma at short cover. Keeper batter Alex Carey came out to bat next. Harmer continued and bowled a rare miserly over. Maharaj bowled a decent over as well. Harmer bowled a quiet over as well. Anrich Nortje came back into the attack for another spell. He bowled a decent over as well. Harmer continued and bowled a decent over.
Nortje continued and bowled a tight over as well. Harmer came to bowl the last over before Lunch as Renshaw reverse swept the ball in front of square for a boundary towards the covers. There was a stumping appeal at the end of the first session against Carey, but he had his foot behind the line and the TV umpire made an easy decision to make as NOT OUT flashed on the screen. Australia were 174/4 in 36 overs with Renshaw unbeaten on 32 off 47 balls alongside Carey unbeaten on 5 off 14 balls as the players walked off the field for Lunch on Day 4 with Australia leading by 280 runs with 6 wickets in hand.
Matthew Renshaw’s half-century leads Australia’s charge in the afternoon session before declaring at the Tea Break.Â
Matthew Renshaw and Alex Carey came out to resume proceedings for Australia while Anrich Nortje had the ball in hand for South Africa after Lunch. Carey made his intentions clear as he creamed the ball through extra cover for a boundary. Simon Harmer had the ball in hand from the other end. He bowled a good over after Lunch. Nortje continued as Renshaw pushed at the ball away from the body and got the outside edge between gully and second slip for a boundary.
Harmer continued and bowled a decent over. Nortje continued and bowled a decent over as well. Harmer continued as the lead crossed 300 for Australia. Nortje continued as Carey hung back and punched it past Mulder at mid-off for a boundary, who raced after it and dived to hurt himself a bit on the shoulder. Mulder left the field as the 200 came up for Australia in 42.1 overs. Carey got underneath the short ball and played the upper cut over the slips for a boundary. Nortje provided the breakthrough for South Africa as he removed Carey for 24 off 39 balls with 3 fours to his name as the batter chopped it back onto the stumps.
Beau Webster came out to bat next. Harmer continued and bowled a tight over. Nortje bowled a miserly over as well. Harmer continued as Renshaw premeditated and played the reverse lap over first slip and away for a boundary. He reached his fifty off 75 balls to go with a 190 in the first innings. Nortje continued and delivered a probing maiden over.
Harmer thought he had Renshaw LBW as the onfield umpire gave it OUT. But the batter reviewed straightaway, and on replays it was detected that Renshaw got hit on the gloves before pads, and the decision was overturned to NOT OUT. Marco Jansen came back into the attack and bowled a tidy over. Harmer continued, and he bowled a decent over as well. Australia reached 220/5 in 50 overs when we paused for the Drinks Break in the afternoon session on Day 4.
Marco Jansen continued after the break as Webster looked to defend and got the outside edge between the keeper and first slip for a boundary. Webster shuffled across and crouched before opening the bat face that guided it past deep backward point for a boundary. Harmer continued as Renshaw stepped down the track and whacked it over deep midwicket for the maximum. Jansen continued as Webster flicked it away to deep backward square leg for a boundary as the lead got past 350 for the Aussies.
Harmer continued as the 250 came up for Australia in 53.1 overs. Renshaw then got to the pitch of the ball and creamed it through covers for a boundary. Maharaj came back into the attack as Webster swept it past deep backward square leg for a triple. Renshaw took on Maharaj as he cleared his front leg and smoked it over long-on for the maximum. Maharaj then got the breakthrough as he removed Renshaw for 82 off 99 balls with 7 fours and 2 sixes to his name as Maharaj took a stunner after juggling a bit but held on for the catch.
Captain Pat Cummins came out to bat next. Harmer continued as Cummins took him on as he bent his back knee and launched it in the air over wide long-on for the maximum. Maharaj continued as Bedingham ran back from backward point and put down a tough chance off Cummins as Maharaj was the unlucky bowler. Webster then got to the pitch of the ball and drilled it hard to deep extra cover for a boundary.
Harmer continued as Cummins took him on as he went deep in the crease and smoked it flat and hard over deep midwicket for the maximum. The lead crossed past 400 for Australia. Cummins was in the zone as he shuffled across and whipped it over deep backward square leg for the maximum as Stubbs got around to take it, but the ball burst through for the maximum. The 300 came up for Australia in 57.2 overs.
Cummins took on Harmer as he rocked back and swung through the line to launch it over long-on for the maximum as it was 3 sixes in 4 balls. Webster joined in the fun as he pulled out the reverse sweep and nailed it to the left of backward point for a boundary. 23 runs came off the over. Australia reached 314/6 in 58 overs with a lead of 420 runs when Cummins decided to declare the innings and early Tea was taken.
Webster remained unbeaten on 39 off 43 balls with 5 fours to his name, while Cummins, the captain, remained unbeaten on 32 off 12 balls with 4 sixes to his name. 14 extras were given by the fielding side. It was a tough bowling outing for the Proteas bowlers. Anrich Nortje was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 2/56 in 12 overs. Keshav Maharaj finished with 2/56 in 9 overs. Marco Jansen finished with 1/45 in 8 overs. Simon Harmer finished with 1/121 in 25 overs. Wiaan Mulder bowled 4 overs and gave away 24 runs for 0 wickets.
The target for South Africa was a record 421 runs to win the contest, and that innings was set to start after the Tea Break.
Australian bowlers, led by Josh Hazlewood, rattled South Africa to inch closer to the win in the final session.Â
Chasing 421 for the win, Ryan Rickelton and Aiden Markram came out to bat for South Africa while Mitchell Starc had the ball in hand for Australia. Markram was off and running as he got forward and drove through the covers for a boundary. Josh Hazlewood shared the new ball from the other end. He started his spell with a maiden over. Starc continued and bowled a tight over. Hazlewood drew the first blood for Australia as he removed Rickelton for 2 off 12 balls as the batter gave his wicket away. David Bedingham came out to bat next as Hazlewood completed a wicket maiden over.
Starc continued as Markram drove away from the body and got the outside edge through gully and backward point for a boundary. Hazlewood bowled another probing over. Starc too kept things tight. Hazlewood continued as Bedingham broke the shackles with a punch through deep cover point for a boundary. Captain Pat Cummins came into the attack next and was greeted with a boundary by Bedingham, with a shuffle across and clipped it away through midwicket for a boundary. Bedingham was in the zone as he rocked back to stand tall and played with an open bat face through backward point for a boundary.
Spin was introduced into the attack as Nathan Lyon came into the attack, and he bowled a quiet first over. Cummins continued as Markram punched it through the vacant cover region for a boundary. Bedingham then stood tall and swivelled across to pull it past Connolly at deep backward square leg for a boundary. Lyon continued as Markram edged and got it wide of Carey and away to the fence for a boundary. Cummins bowled another tight over. South Africa were 41/1 in 13 overs when we paused for the Drinks Break in the final session.
Lyon continued and bowled a quiet over. Cummins continued as Bedingham shuffled across and pulled it away past backward square leg for a boundary. Lyon bowled another tight over. Cummins continued as the 50 came up for South Africa in 16.1 overs. Cummins overstepped but kept things tight as well. Lyon kept things under check as well. Josh Hazlewood came back into the attack next.
Bedingham flicked him between square leg and wide mid-on for a boundary. Lyon continued and bowled a quiet over. Hazlewood continued and bowled another probing over. Matthew Renshaw came into the attack next. He started with a quiet over. Hazlewood continued as Bedingham drilled it hard down the ground past mid-off and away to the fence for a boundary. Bedingham picked the length early and pulled it away to deep square leg for a boundary.
But Josh had the last laugh as he bowled the nip-backer coming back in; Bedingham played all around it and was trapped right in front. The appeal was given, and Bedingham did not bother to review as he fell for 46 off 68 balls with 8 fours to his name. Captain Temba Bavuma came out to bat next. Mitchell Starc came back into the attack as Markram got forward to drive it handsomely through extra cover for a boundary. Hazlewood continued and delivered a maiden.
Starc continued and bowled a good over. South Africa were 80/2 in 26 overs when we had another drinks break for the final time in the day. Nathan Lyon came back into the attack after the break and bowled a quiet over. Starc continued and bowled a maiden over. Cummins brought himself back into the attack. He too bowled a probing maiden over. Matthew Renshaw returned to the attack as he dismissed Bavuma for 1 off 18 balls as Maddinson took the catch at forward short leg for Renshaw’s maiden Test wicket. Tristan Stubbs came out to bat next.
Cummins continued and overstepped again but bowled a tight over. Renshaw bowled another quiet over. Cummins continued and got another for his side as he removed Stubbs for 1 off 12 balls, as the edge was found through to Carey, who made no mistake. Wiaan Mulder came out to bat next as Cummins completed a wicket maiden over. Renshaw continued and bowled a maiden as well. Cummins followed suit with another maiden as runs had dried up now for the Proteas.
Renshaw continued as Markram broke the shackles a wee bit with a hang back and slapped it through sweeper cover for a boundary. Lyon came back into the attack as Markram hung back and clipped it away past leg slip for a boundary to backward square leg for a boundary. Renshaw continued as Mulder rocked back and cut the short and wide ball past backward point for a boundary. Lyon continued and bowled a maiden over. Renshaw continued as the 100 came up for South Africa in 39.1 overs.
Lyon came to bowl the last over of the day and bowled a probing over as Maddinson could not pull off a stunner at Forward Short Leg as Markram survived a scare. Markram remained unbeaten on 45 off 115 balls with 7 fours to his name while Mulder remained unbeaten on 5 off 23 balls with one four to his name. 2 extras were given by Australia so far as South Africa ended the day at 102/4 in 41 overs, still needing 319 runs to win the game with 6 wickets in hand on the final day.
5 bowlers used by Australia so far. Josh Hazlewood was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 2/20 in 8 overs. Captain Pat Cummins chipped in with 1/27 in 9 overs. Matthew Renshaw finished with 1/16 in 7 overs. Mitchell Starc has figures of 0/19 in 7 overs. Nathan Lyon bowled 10 overs for 20 runs without a wicket taken yet. Australia needs a further 6 wickets to win and take a 1-0 lead in the 3-match Test series.
What Lies Ahead on Day 5.Â
For starters, the Test match has gone into Day 5, which is great for Test cricket and shows an even contest between the bat and the ball. At the moment, Australia are firm favourites to take the remaining 6 wickets to win the game and take a 1-0 lead in the 3-match series. The Aussies have been better this week than South Africa. South Africa has to provide a miracle from here to win from this position. They will have to bat out of their skins and hope for help from the weather to draw the game. The Aussies should win this game.
Let’s see what the final day has in store for us in Durban as South Africa will try to fight hard to defy the Aussies who have enough time to win this match tomorrow.
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