Brief Scores: South Africa (329 and 140 for 4) trail Australia (429) by 40 runs as Day 3 concludes in Cape Town.
In Cape Town, Josh Inglis celebrated his return to the Australian side with a remarkable century, while bowlers Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon applied pressure on South Africa on the third day of the decisive Test match.
By the end of the day, South Africa found themselves at 140 for four in their second innings, leading Australia by just 40 runs with six wickets remaining. The dismissal of captain Temba Bavuma in the last moments of play added to Australia’s confidence, especially with Lyon starting to see more spin from the pitch.
Australia Sets a Sturdy First-Innings Total
Australia began the day at 330 for four, advancing their score to 429 and establishing a dominant 100-run first-innings lead. Inglis and Alex Carey had built a solid fifth-wicket partnership, which came to an abrupt halt when Simon Harmer quickly took both batters’ wickets. With the hosts struggling, Australia’s significant lead left South Africa with a tall order ahead.
This series is currently tied at 1-1 after Australia won the first match in Durban, followed by South Africa’s strong comeback in Gqeberha. The outcome in Cape Town will not only determine the series winner but also impact the Test world rankings.
Inglis Shines with a Notable Century
Inglis resumed play on 101, having established a strong partnership with Carey the previous day. The duo continued to perform well, extending their partnership to 185 runs and pushing Australia’s lead beyond 100 runs.
Inglis achieved his second Test century off 132 balls, marking a successful return to the squad. Meanwhile, Carey was also looking solid until he fell for 80. This allowed Harmer to claim two quick wickets and give South Africa a glimmer of hope.
The South African bowlers worked their way through the Australian lower order, with Rabada trapping Pat Cummins lbw and Coetzee dismissing Starc. However, Connolly added valuable runs, helping take Australia to a total of 429 before they were all out. Harmer finished with impressive figures of four wickets for 104 runs.
Starc’s Early Strikes Put South Africa Under Pressure
South Africa aimed for a strong start in their second innings, but Starc quickly got Markram out, caught by Travis Head for just one run. Hazlewood soon followed up with the crucial wicket of Bedingham, caught by Lyon.
Ackerman and Bavuma began to stabilize the innings with a partnership of 64 runs for the third wicket. Ackerman, who had scored 95 runs in the first innings, added a solid 62 off 80 balls, keeping South Africa in the game. Unfortunately for the hosts, Starc returned to break that partnership and take Ackerman’s wicket.
Despite being unhappy with the decision, Ackerman had to leave the field when a top edge was caught. Starc’s efficient bowling took his tally to eight for the match, putting South Africa in a difficult position.
Lyon Strikes Late to Dismiss Bavuma
Bavuma was battling to guide South Africa to the end of the day alongside Breetzke after Ackerman’s exit. He faced 115 balls but, in the penultimate over, Lyon had Bavuma bowled out with a sharply turning delivery that hit the stumps. Bavuma’s wicket left South Africa at 140 for four, just before the close of play.
Breetzke remained unbeaten on 19, and Rickelton was on eight. With South Africa only leading by 40 runs and six wickets still to play, they will need to significantly bolster their score if they hope to make it challenging for Australia.
Looking Ahead
The pitch is starting to turn, and with a new ball available after the first hour of Day 4, Australia’s bowlers will look to capitalize on the conditions. Starc and Hazlewood will aim to take full advantage, while Lyon could play a key role, especially if the spin continues to become more pronounced.
Inglis believes that batting will get harder as the Test progresses and emphasized the importance of limiting South Africa’s lead to around 200 runs, although this will depend on how many runs the hosts can add.
As the match moves into a crucial phase, Australia will be eager to maintain their edge after a strong day where Inglis’s century helped secure their lead while their bowlers contained the South African batting lineup.
