Matthew Breetzke gave his wicket away as South Africa went to lunch on the fourth day of the third and deciding Dafabet test on 202 for five, an overall lead of 102 at YesPlay Newlands in Cape Town on Friday.
Breetzke (43) and Ryan Rickelton (39*), who went past 1000 test runs in the session, resumed the fourth day with the home side perilously placed on 140 for four, a lead of just 40.
The pair battled through the morning session, playing with responsibility and caution as they eked out the runs, adding 41 runs in 90 minutes before a rush of blood and loss of concentration resulted in Breetzke's departure.
Breetzke falls for the trap 😲 Australia's captain claims the first wicket of the day 🇦🇺⚡️ 📺 Stream #SAvAUS on DStv: https://t.co/rM90YyQxaw https://t.co/X9eOMlwUGd
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) October 30, 2026
A short ball from Pat Cummins (14-1-45-1) was pulled by Breetzke, who notched up his highest test score, straight down the throat of Mitchell Starc at fine-leg with Breetzke smashing the air with his bat in frustration, ending the 50-run stand for the fifth wicket.
Rickelton and Wiaan Mulder (5*) then carried their side to the luncheon interval with a few heart-in-mouth moments as the hosts look to push the deciding test into the final day.
The Proteas did exceptionally well on day three, taking six wickets for 59 runs to dismiss Australia for 429 in their first innings, a lead of 100 on the Proteas first effort of 329 all out. Australia had begun the third day in a commanding position, 330 for four.
Josh Inglis (102) and Alex Carey (80) had already notched up 145 runs for the fifth wicket by the close on day two but managed to add a further 46 runs before Simon Harmer (37-6-104-4) struck, removing both Inglis and Carey.
Kagiso Rabada (23-1-98-1), who had suffered with stomach cramps on day two, had Cummins trapped in front before Gerald Coetzee (19-4-70-1) had Starc (11) edging behind to Rickelton.
Mulder (21-5-63-1) did well to have Nathan Lyon (1) edging to Harmer at first slip before Marco Jansen (22.1-7-60-3, the world's No 1 test allrounder, ended the innings when he took a catch off his own bowling to see the end of Cooper Connolly (29).
In response, the Proteas lost the early wickets of Aiden Markram (1) and David Bedingham (11) before Marques Ackerman (62) and Temba Bavuma (35) added 64 runs for the third wicket before a snorter from Starc (14-2-34-2) had Ackerman gloving to Cameron Green at first slip.
Then heartbreak for the home side as Bavuma was castled by Lyon (27-7-57-1) going for a big shot over mid-wicket to leave the hosts 140-4 at the close.
Cummins had won the toss on the first morning and asked South Africa to bat first, and the decision looked to backfire as South Africa posted an opening stand of 158 between Markram (78) and Ackerman (95).
Despite Bedingham (50) and Jansen (52) notching up half centuries and a 41 from Rickelton, Starc(16.3-2-72-6) blew the South African lower order away with the new ball under cloudy skies. Starc's spell of 6-12 in six and a half overs had South Africa losing six wickets for 93 runs.
Lyon (2-72), Connolly (1-41) and Hazlewood (1-59) all contributed to South Africa's downfall.
Having begun the second day with an opening stand of 58 between Travis Head (41) and Matt Renshaw (74), Harmer struck twice before lunch, removing Head and Marnus Labuschagne (0) to leave the visitors on 90 for two at lunch.
South Africa again only tasted success twice in the middle session, as Jansen (18-5-55-2) had Renshaw caught behind and then Green (65) caught in the slips by Harmer.
The evening session belonged solely to Australia as Inglis and Carey added 145 unbeaten runs for the fifth wicket to put their side one run in the lead by the close. Carey had struck four boundaries in his 126 deliveries to head off unbeaten on 51 while Inglis was more aggressive, striking nine fours and two sixes from 111 balls to end the day on 85.
SOUTH AFRICA: Aiden Markram, Marques Ackerman, David Bedingham, Temba Bavuma (capt), Matthew Breetzke, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Simon Harmer, Gerald Coetzee, Kagiso Rabada.
AUSTRALIA: Travis Head, Matthew Renshaw, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Josh Inglis, Alex Carey (wk), Cooper Connolly, Pat Cummins (capt), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.
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