Australia scythed through South Africa’s top order, reducing the world champions to 102 for four wickets after setting the hosts a world record 421 to win at the close of the fourth day of the first test at a virtually deserted Kingsmead on Monday.
Markram, keeping his usual positive instincts under wraps, survived to the close (the first time play has extended to its scheduled conclusion at 5.30pm) unbeaten on 45 in 115 balls. He was accompanied by Wiaan Mulder on five. Theoretically, South Africa need a further 319 runs for victory with six wickets in hand tomorrow, but realistically their only ambition, slim as it is, will be to achieve a draw on another day when no rain is forecast.
Earlier, Australia had sprinted to 314 for six in their second innings before declaring, giving themselves 41 overs to make inroads before the close.
The Proteas got off to a poor start when, in the fourth over delivered by the ever-excellent Josh Hazlewood, Ryan Rickelton edged an indeterminate hook to wicketkeeper Alex Carey. It was a good delivery from Hazlewood, rising sharply towards Rickelton’s left ear, but it should have been left alone. The dismissal compounded a disappointing test for Rickelton in which he has twice been dismissed softly.
South African hopes revived as Markram and David Bedingham featured in a second-wicket partnership of 66 in 118 balls with Bedingham the main aggressor, striking eight fours in his 68-ball innings. He had reached 46 when he played across a straight one from Hazlewood, who rarely deviated from an excellent line on or just outside the off-stump. The leg before was so plumb that Bedingham didn’t even think of reviewing.
His dismissal was the first of a dismal sequence in which South Africa lost three wickets for 13 runs. Temba Bavuma was caught bat-pad at short leg off part-time off-spinner Matt Renshaw (who can clearly do no wrong in this match), and then Tristan Stubbs was disappointed by his dismissal, playing a nothing shot wide outside his off-stump to edge behind, giving Pat Cummins his first wicket of the innings.
DISTANT TARGET
Earlier, Australia scored at 5.41 runs an over to crack 314 for six declared in just 58 overs to set South Africa their distant target.
Australia’s intentions were immediately apparent as opener Nick Maddinson, in particular, got stuck into the South African bowlers after the early loss of Travis Head, who got a leading edge to be caught at midwicket by Bavuma off Marco Jansen. The left-hander, who scored a 33-ball duck in the first innings, was a different player this time around, racing to 48 in 38 balls, including six fours and two sixes, until he had his stumps spectacularly spreadeagled by an Anrich Nortje yorker.
Nortje, South Africa’s most impressive bowler, unsettled the pairing of Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne with some fast, sharply-rising deliveries; on one occasion smacking Smith on his helmet (the former Aussie skipper did not field later in the day with his medical team checking for signs of concussion).
The Australians continued to maintain a brisk rate of accumulation with the pair raising their 50 partnership in 77 balls before Smith, who had driven Simon Harmer for one straight six, attempted another and was well caught at long-on after a little juggle by Jansen.
Labuschagne and Matt Renshaw continued to score briskly, adding a further 32 in 31 balls before Labuschagne played early at Maharaj, scooping the ball to Bavuma in the covers, who took a low catch
Renshaw, in sublime form after his first innings 190, added a further 82 in 99 balls before being caught and bowled by Maharaj after the ball finally found its way into the bowler’s hands after a bizarre pinball-like journey.
Pat Cummins then had some fun at the end of the innings, cracking four sixes off Harmer as Australia finished with a flourish, hitting 65 off the final five overs as he and Beau Webster set up the declaration.
SOUTH AFRICA: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, David Bedingham, Temba Bavuma (capt), Tristan Stubbs, Wiaan Mulder, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Marco Jansen, Simon Harmer, Keshav Maharaj, Anrich Nortje.
AUSTRALIA: Travis Head, Nicolas Maddinson, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Matthew Renshaw, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (capt), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.
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