Captain Pat Cummins led from the front with his 3-wicket haul and marshalled his troops really well out there. It was a shared bowling effort, with Pat Cummins taking 3 wickets and the others chipping in while South Africa got starts, but no one went and converted into a big score. Australia reached 33/0 inside 6 overs before bad light forced an early closure to the proceedings.
South Africa have all to do in this Test match in the last two days. The Aussies are on top after the end of the day.
Australian bowlers rattle South Africa in exciting morning session
Aiden Markram and David Bedingham came out to resume proceedings for South Africa, while captain Pat Cummins had to finish his over from last night and did so successfully. Josh Hazlewood took the new ball from the other end as Markram pushed it with soft hands and got an outside edge past the third slip and away to the fence for a boundary. Cummins continued and bowled a decent over.
Hazlewood continued as Markram showed his class as he flicked it away to deep midwicket for a boundary. Cummins continued as Bedingham got a lucky boundary away as he tried to fend at the ball, as it hit the shoulder of the bat and went away to the fence for a boundary. Bedingham pulled the short ball through deep backward square leg for a boundary. Hazlewood continued as Markram drove him away between point and extra cover for a boundary.
Cummins continued as the 50-run stand came up for South Africa and the partnership. Hazlewood continued as Bedingham hit it straight down the ground past mid-on for a boundary. Mitchell Starc came into the attack for the first time this morning as Bedingham drove the ball past deep point for a boundary.
Spin was introduced next as Nathan Lyon came into the attack next. Markram welcomed him with a boundary by drilling the ball through covers. Starc continued as Bedingham leaned into the drive past deep cover point for a boundary. Bedingham was in the zone as he tucked the ball towards deep midwicket for a boundary. Maddinson did well in the deep, but the foot was touching the ropes.
Bedingham made it a hat-trick of boundaries with a punch behind square for a boundary. Lyon continued and bowled a decent over. Starc continued and roared back to break the threatening stand as he removed Markram for 37 off 67 balls with 7 fours to his name, as the edge found Renshaw in the first slip cordon. Skipper Temba Bavuma came out to bat next.
Lyon continued and bowled a miserly over. Starc continued and bowled a tight over as South Africa reached 86/2 in 23 overs when we paused for Drinks in the morning session. Lyon continued and delivered a maiden over. Cummins came back into the attack. He gifted 4 leg byes as a gift to the batting side. Lyon continued and kept things tight. Cummins continued and kept things under check.
Lyon struck for Australia as he removed Bavuma for 3 off 27 balls as the edge carried to Smith, who made no mistake. Tristan Stubbs came out to bat next and got off the mark as well. Cummins bowled a decent over. Lyon continued and bowled another tight over. Cummins continued and removed Bedingham for 49 off 73 balls with 9 fours to his name as Smith pulled off a stunner at slip.
Wiaan Mulder came out to bat next as Cummins completed a wicket-maiden over. Lyon continued as the 100 came up for South Africa in 32 overs. Cummins continued as Stubbs drove it through the off-side for a boundary. Lyon bowled another probing over. Josh Hazlewood came back into the attack and delivered a maiden. Lyon continued and bowled a tight over.
Hazlewood continued and bowled a tight over. Lyon continued as Mulder survived a scare as the edge did not carry to Marnus Labuschagne at leg slip. Loads of replays were used, and NOT OUT was the final call. South Africa reached 115/4 in 38 overs with Stubbs unbeaten on 14 off 33 balls alongside Mulder unbeaten on 7 off 25 balls as the players walked off the field for Lunch on Day 3.
Pat Cummins-led Australia chipped away at the wickets to keep South Africa on the back foot in the afternoon session
Tristan Stubbs and Wiaan Mulder came out to bat for South Africa after lunch while Mitchell Starc had the ball in hand for Australia. Starc bowled a tight over. Nathan Lyon had the ball in hand from the other end, and he bowled a tight over. Starc continued as Mulder drove away from the body and got the outside edge through backward point for a boundary.
Lyon continued and bowled a miserly over. Starc continued and bowled a decent over. Lyon continued as Stubbs reverse swept between Smith and the backward point fielder for a boundary. Mulder drove the ball back past the bowler for a boundary. Cummins came back into the attack as Stubbs opened the bat face and guided it past gully for a boundary.
Travis Head came into the attack next as Mulder welcomed him with a maximum with a pull over deep midwicket. The partnership crossed 50 runs between the duo. Mulder rocked back and looked to cut and got the outside edge past slips and away to the fence for a boundary at deep third man. Cummins provided the breakthrough for Australia as he removed Mulder for 30 off 50 balls with 3 fours and one six to his name, as the catch was taken at short midwicket.
Keeper batter Kyle Verreynne came out to bat next and got off the mark with a boundary with an open bat face and guided it between gully and second slip for a boundary. Head continued and bowled a quiet over. Cummins continued and struck again as he removed Stubbs for 32 off 66 balls with 3 fours to his name as the top edge went to Hazlewood, who ran in to take the catch.
Marco Jansen came out to bat next and got off the mark with a boundary with a pull through midwicket for a boundary. Jansen swivelled and slapped it through midwicket for a boundary. Beau Webster came into the attack next. Verreynne played the late cut past gully for a boundary, and the bowler overstepped by a big way.
Cummins continued as Jansen stood tall and flat-bathed it away for a boundary past the bowler. Lyon returned to the attack as Jansen smashed the slog sweep through midwicket for a boundary. South Africa were 188/6 in 52 overs when we paused for Drinks in the afternoon session.
Josh Hazlewood came back into the attack after the break as Jansen drove it uppishly through covers for a boundary. Jansen drilled it down to long-off for a boundary. Lyon continued and got rid of Verreynne for 13 off 20 balls with 2 fours to his name as the edge found Steve Smith, who pulled off a stunner with a one-handed catch to his right. Simon Harmer came out to bat next.
Hazlewood got another as Jansen fell for 26 off 20 balls with 6 fours to his name as Jansen lobbed it to mid-off, where Head took the catch. Keshav Maharaj came out to bat next. Lyon continued and bowled a decent over. Hazlewood continued as Maharaj swivelled to pull it to deep fine leg for a boundary as the 200 came up for South Africa in 56.3 overs.
Lyon continued and bowled a decent over. Mitchell Starc came back into the attack and bowled a decent over. Lyon continued as Maharaj stepped down the track and lofted it over mid-off for a boundary. Starc continued and bowled a decent over. Pat Cummins returned to the attack. He delivered a maiden.
Starc continued as Harmer flicked it away to short square leg for a boundary. Australia and Mitchell Starc burnt a review against Harmer, with the impact being outside the off-stump and were down to 1 review now. Cummins continued as Harmer pulled the ball in front of square for a boundary. Cummins bowled a no-ball.
Marnus Labuschagne came into the attack next. He bowled a decent over. Head continued and bowled a decent over as well. Marnus continued to bowl the last over before Tea, delivering a miserly one. South Africa reached 238/8 in 67 overs, with Maharaj unbeaten on 23 off 36 balls and Harmer on 17 off 42 balls, as the players left the field for Tea on Day 3.
South Africa gets bowled out for 284; Australian openers get off to a flier before bad light truncates the day’s proceedings
Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer came out to resume the proceedings for South Africa while Mitchell Starc had the ball in hand for Australia. Starc started with a maiden over. Josh Hazlewood had the ball in hand from the other end. Maharaj took on Hazlewood and deposited him with a whip over deep midwicket for the maximum.
Starc continued and got rid of Maharaj as he chopped it back onto the stumps for 34 off 44 balls with 2 fours and one six to his name. Anrich Nortje came out to bat next. He got off the mark soon as the 250 came up for South Africa in 70 overs. Hazlewood continued and overstepped but bowled a decent over. Nathan Lyon came back into the attack next and delivered a maiden. Hazlewood, too, kept things under check.
Lyon continued as Nortje gave it a whack and smashed it over the bowler’s head for a boundary. Beau Webster came back into the attack as Harmer took him on with a heave over deep midwicket for the maximum and then lofted it over mid-off for a boundary. Harmer was at it again as he opened the bat face and guided it between first slip and gully for a boundary.
Mitchell Starc continued as Nortje got the outside edge past second slip and gully and away for a boundary at third man. Lyon returned for another spell as Nortje threw everything at that and drilled through the covers for a boundary. Webster then got the last wicket to fall as he dismissed Nortje for 16 off 26 balls with 3 fours to his name as Steve Smith picked his 4th catch of the innings at slip. Harmer remained unbeaten on 35 off 75 balls with 4 fours and one six to his name as South Africa were bowled out for 284 in 78 overs. 9 extras were taken by the fielding side.
It was a team bowling performance from Australia as the wickets were shared around. Captain Pat Cummins was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3/54 in 15 overs. Mitchell Starc finished with 2/63 in 17 overs. Josh Hazlewood finished with 2/54 in 16 overs. Nathan Lyon chipped in with 2/58 in 22 overs. Beau Webster finished with 1/23 in 3 overs. Travis Head finished with 0/20 in 3 overs. Marnus Labuschagne finished with 0/6 in 2 overs. This meant Australia had a first-innings lead of 106 runs.
Australia came out to open in their second innings with Nic Maddinson and Travis Head while Marco Jansen had the ball in hand for South Africa. Maddinson started things off in style as he pulled the short ball to deep square leg for a boundary. Maddinson opened the bat face and carved it away over backward point for a boundary. Wiaan Mulder had the new ball in hand from the other end. He bowled a decent first over.
Jansen bowled a tight over as well. Head then took on Mulder and flicked the ball over midwicket for a boundary. Jansen continued and gifted 4 leg byes to the deep fine leg fence. Head then hopped in the crease and punched through extra cover for a boundary. Mulder continued as Maddinson took him on with a flick over deep square leg for the maximum.
Australia reached 33/0 in 5.4 overs when bad light came into the picture and ended proceedings on Day 3. Maddinson was unbeaten on 17 off 19 balls with 2 fours and one six to his name while Head was unbeaten on 10 off 15 balls. 6 extras were given by the fielding side so far, as Australia’s lead was 139 runs with 10 wickets in hand and 2 days left to play.
Two bowlers used by South Africa so far. Marco Jansen has given away 15 runs in 3 overs. Wiaan Mulder finished with 0/12 in 2.4 overs. Australia is on top at the end of Day 3.
What Lies Ahead on Day 4
Australia will aim to drive home the advantage, accelerate as the day wears on and set a huge score of 350+. South Africa will want wickets and wickets in clusters to come back into the game. They will try and skittle Australia out for a low score and chase a big target down. At the moment, it is an advantage for Australia for sure.
Also Read: SA vs AUS: Matthew Renshaw’s Test Ton Flattens South Africa