South Africa v Australia: first men’s cricket Test, day three – as it happened

That’s it from us today, Geoff Lemon’s report has landed which is my cue to get out of here. Join us tomorrow and bring your sun lamps. Australia will come back tomorrow with a lead of 139 runs and with ten second innings wickets in hand. They hold all the cards in this Test match but they can’t control when the sun sets.

We’re off five minutes later than yesterday but it is indeed STUMPS now on day three in Durban. “Hello James, sorry if you have answered my question many times before. I live in Maputo, Mozambique, about 450 km north of Durban. I reckon that light would be good enough for cricket until about 5pm here.

Not long past the equinox, I would expect daylight to be moving in Durban’s favour. Please elucidate.” I can neither elucidate or illuminate Gary Moors. Here in the UK the light lasts longer the further north you go, something to do with the axial tilt? (Hark at me) What I know for certain is that we have now lost over 60 overs of this Test match to bad light.

5.4 overs: Australia 33-0 (Maddinson 17, Head 10) Maddinson flicks off his pads for… SIX! Didn’t get all of it but it flew away over Rickelton’s head on the deep square sponge, the fielder gesturing that he didn’t see the ball at all. Sure enough the sun dips behind a blanket of dark cloud and the umpires decide it is too dark to continue.

That could well be it, another light curtailed day in Durban. Madness. 5th over: Australia 27-0 (Maddinson 11, Head 10) The Aussies doing well to take any sting out of this tricksy period, South Africa haven’t been accurate enough with the new ball and all of a sudden 27 runs have been added without much of a sniff.

Four leg byes are followed by a Head bunt through cover for four. 4th over: Australia 18-0 (Maddinson 10, Head 6) Slightly spawny four from Head as he gets a leading edge off Mulder that beats the infield and trickles away through midwicket for four. 3rd over: Australia 14-0 (Maddinson 10, Head 2) Maddinson moves into double figures with a flick to the leg side.

Head then rides the bounce well to drop at his feet and take a single. 2nd over: Australia 12-0 (Maddinson 9, Head 1) Wiaan Mulder to share the new nut. Oooof! Head nearly drags one onto his stumps! That was very close, Head has perished in that fashion a lot recently too.

Mulder flashes him a smile before returning to his mark. Head gets up and running with a clip for one off his pads and Maddinson will keep strike to Jansen after collecting a leg bye off the final ball. The floodlights are fully beating down now. We won’t have loads of time left here, the Proteas would love to take a couple with them into day four.

1st over: Australia 8-0 (Maddinson 8, Head 0) Marco Jansen with three slips and a gully in position for Maddinson… who pulls his first ball for four! The pair is dealt with and there’s no 33 ball torture period for Maddinson this time either. I think he’s come out with the intention of playing a few strokes.

Jansen hits him in the nethers and Maddinson responds with a wild drive outside off that flies away over the infield for four more! Jansen finishes with a probing ball on off stump but that’s the over and time for some deep breaths all round. A crucial 30-45 minute passage of play coming up.

Penny for the thoughts of Nic Maddison as he walks out to the middle with Travis Head. Australia’s second innings is about to get underway. They are effectively 106-0. Let’s play! Nortje is pouched at slip by that man Steve Smith off the bowling of Beau Webster and that’s the innings complete.

Australia lead by 106 runs and will have to come out and negotiate a tricky period under lights. Simon Harmer is left unbeaten on 35 but it could have been worse with the bat for the Proteas (as it could have been for Australia i their first dig) partnerships of 50 and then 35 for the last two wickets mean that the home side’s position is not terminable and some early strikes get them well back in ther match.

77th over: South Africa 281-9 (Harmer 32, Nortje 16) Nortje pounces on a full ball from Lyon and drives away for four more. If this final pair can reduce the deficit to double figures then that will be a significant result for the home side. 76th over: South Africa 277-9 (Harmer 32, Nortje 12) Starc is getting a hint of reverse but Nortje is up to it, of sorts, a thick edge flies away for four and a quick single is scampered the next ball.

74th over: South Africa 272-9 (Harmer 32, Nortje 7) Simon Harmer decides to give it some humpty! He pulls Beau Webster for SIX over the square leg fence and then charges down to loft four over cover. Webster drags his length back but is too wide, Harmer flays and a meaty edge flies away for four more!

The deficit down to 118 runs. Starc is being summoned to get this final wicket after 14 runs are flogged off Webster. 74th over: South Africa 258-9 (Harmer 18, Nortje 7) Lyon once more, this time he isn’t allowed to twiddle through a maiden, Nortje steps out and slaps him down the ground for four.

73rd over: South Africa 254-9 (Harmer 18, Nortje 3) Nortje rocks back and scythes Hazlewood past point but its just a single. The game in a holding pattern but the light fading rapidly. 72nd over: South Africa 253-9 (Harmer 18, Nortje 2) Lyon replaces Cummins and twirls through a maiden.

Shadows definitely lengthening in Durban, get declaring Temba! 71st over: South Africa 253-9 (Harmer 18, Nortje 2) Two singles off Hazlewood as the deficit is lowered to 137. The sunlight in Durban is just beginning to get hazy, it might not actually be bad conditions in which to have a dart with the new ball soon.

Silver linings and all that. 70th over: South Africa 250-9 (Harmer 17, Nortje 1) South Africa will definitely rue the number of occasions where their batters have got themselves out rather than being gotten out in this innings. I realise I sound like Parker Posey in the White Lotus saying ‘gotten’ but the point remains.

Nortje gets off the mark with a clip to the leg side and that brings up the 250 for the Proteas. Just as the partnership was building into something significant Maharaj tosses it away with a lame plink to Cummins at mid off. He can’t believe he has got out in such a fashion after grafting for over an hour.

The deficit is 141 and out comes South Africa’s last man – Anrich Nortje. 69th over: South Africa 247-8 (Harmer 17, Maharaj 32) Now then! Maharaj flicks Hazlewood off his hip for SIX! He timed the undercrackers off that one. The bowler stands and stares before giving the merest nod of approval.

A single off the next ball brings up the fifty partnership. Decent scrap this from Maharaj and Harmer. 68th over: South Africa 238-8 (Harmer 17, Maharaj 23) Starc starts with a maiden from around the wicket. There’s a hint of reverse swing as Harmer is beaten on the outside edge.

Josh Hazlewood is back from the other end, the Labuschagne and Head experiments are over for now, If South Africa see them again in this innings then they’ll have done mightily well. Here come the players for the final session. Here comes John Starbuck with a pertinent question: “Given that (probably) for the third day in a row they have to go off early because of bad light, why don ‘t the adminstators start the day’s play much earlier to help make up time?

It happens in other places, so why not Durban?” I suspect it comes down to pre-arranged broadcast times/rights, thankfully is is brighter out there now than it was at this time yesterday and the day before. I spied this stat from Ric Finlay on the socials: The bowling quartet of Cummins, Hazlewood, Lyon and Starc has moved past 600 wickets today, now 602, the most by any quartet in all Tests, in the 38 Tests where all four have played.

Second on the list is Moeen, Anderson, Broad and Stokes, 415 wickets in 31 Tests together.” That’s why they call them the fab four. Toppermost of the poppermost. South Africa make it through to tea with the deficit standing at an imposing 152 runs. Maharaj and Harmer showed some defiance and stopped the clatter of wickets in the final hour but four wickets in the session plays 124 runs.

The Aussies on top. 67th over: South Africa 238-8 (Harmer 17, Maharaj 23) 66th over: South Africa 236-8 (Harmer 16, Maharaj 22) Tea is approaching so Travis Head is thrown the ball as the Aussies try to squeeze a couple more in. Maharaj drives nicely for two through the covers and then cuts confidently for a single.

“That’s a nice ball, Heady” purrs Alex Carey behind the stumps as Head finds some drift. Four off the over, we’ll have another from Labubu before the interval. 65th over: South Africa 232-8 (Harmer 15, Maharaj 19) It is indeed Marnus and he’s going to bowl his lolloping leggies rather than his (I’m being kind) bustling medium pacers.

Every delivery is accompanied by a yelp of excitement but Harmer and Maharaj rotate strike with little fuss to collect four off the over. 64th over: South Africa 228-8 (Harmer 14, Maharaj 16) Wonderful pull shot from Harmer off Cummins. Decent counterpunch by South Africa but they still need plenty more.

The deficit is 162 but this pair have put on 31 in nearly ten overs. The camera pans to Marnus warming up on the boundary, whether he’s been given the nod or is trying to catch Cummins’ eye is as yet unclear… 63rd over: South Africa 221-8 (Harmer 9, Maharaj 15) Harmer clips nicely off his legs to pick up four off Starc.

The Aussies then burn their final review by sending a suspected caught behind upstairs but there was no bat in it. The sun is beating down in Durban at the moment, no sign of the clouds rolling in yet thankfully. 62nd over: South Africa 216-8 (Harmer 4, Maharaj 15) Cummins slams down an over of short stuff to Maharaj.

This is better from South Africa, at least they are showing some resistance and putting more mileage into the Aussie legs. A maiden. Oh, and the venerable Max Williams has been on: “I can’t pretend to remember those Pakistan vs West Indies series as I wasn’t born (he says smugly).

But here’s another thought -- imagine if drawn series produced a winner takes all decider. Obviously the logistics would be tricky but it’s theoretically possible -- albeit in a Jurassic Park “just cos you could doesn’t mean you should” kinda way. Am I still hoping for the 2023 Ashes?

Absolutely. Although I’d rather see a hypothetical sixth Test of the 2025 England vs India series as there’s literally no outcome that doesn’t seem possible. Also, how on earth was 2001 India vs Australia only three Tests? That one surely has a case to be the highest quality series of the 21st century -pretty much every player a great of the game.” A certain H Singh remembers that series fondly… the luckiest hat-trick in Test history?

61st over: South Africa 216-8 (Harmer 4, Maharaj 15) Starc’s radar has been awry in this spell, he keeps spearing the ball waaaay down the leg side and Carey is doing his best Gordon Banks impression to stop the byes. Cummins is coming back on and will replace Lyon, the captain wants this innings over and done with.

If you want a job doing… 60th over: South Africa 214-8 (Harmer 3, Maharaj 14) Maharaj takes a step out to Lyon and lofts him over the top for four. Lyon gives it plenty of flight, daring his opposite number to do the same again. Maharaj refuses to take the bait this time, two more singles reduce the deficit to 176.

The more South Africa chip away the more Australia have to get and the longer they potentially have to bat, the draw could then come back into the equation at some point, especially with the truncated days. 59th over: South Africa 208-8 (Harmer 2, Maharaj 9) Starc beats the edge of Maharaj’s blade and then smashes one into his gloves.

Ouch. That popped off a length and actually hit Maharaj on the elbow where he doesn’t have any protection. Get some arnica on that later, Keshav. “On the topic of Great Tours The World Has Never Seen” writes Chris Paraskevas, “as a young-er man-child, back when I had time to watch cricket pretty much all day*, I somehow ended up watching the entirety of the 2009-10 England tour of South Africa.

Graham Onions seemed to be bowling England out of ridiculous circumstances every day at stumps. Actually, it just felt like something box office was going to happen every day at stumps. Every session? One of the best tours I’ve ever watched (strictly as a neutral).” No danger of that happening in this game, Chris - it’s pitch black by the time they get to stumps!

58th over: South Africa 206-8 (Harmer 1, Maharaj 8) Maharaj bunts Lyon into the off side for a couple but the spinner on spinner tussle is won by Lyon who beats his counterpart with a doozy that grips and spits at the end of the over. Starc is indeed coming on, is that a mop in his hand?

57th over: South Africa 204-8 (Harmer 1, Maharaj 6) Maharaj hooks a short ball from Hazlewood for four, he didn’t look comfortable mind. Mitchell Starc is warming up too, just what you want to see as a tailender… 56th over: South Africa 199-8 (Harmer 1, Maharaj 1) Lyon has men around the bat, short leg, slip and leg slip.

Harmer and Maharaj pick up a couple of singles into the off side to each get off the mark. Even with the curtailed days they are having due to the fading Durban afternoon light there is still plenty of time in the march for Australia to force a win. South Africa just haven’t been able to soak up the deliveries or the pressure from the Aussies.

55th over: South Africa 197-8 (Harmer 0, Maharaj 0) Temba Bavuma did not look a happy man after Jansen’s rather tame dismissal. The wickets have fallen far too regularly since Markram and Bedingham’s decent second wicket partnership was broken – the Proteas slipping from 84-2 t0 197-8.

Two wicket maidens in a row, Maharaj joins Harmer in the middle, the pressure cooker hissing like an peeved cobra. Jansen plinks a pull to Head at mid off and Australia are rampant! 54th over: South Africa 197-7 (Jansen 26, Harmer 0) Simon Harmer joins Jansen with the home side staring down the barrel of a hefty first innings deficit.

That’s amazing anticipation by Steve Smith! He sees Verreynne getting down to reverse sweep and takes a step or two to his right before the ball has even made contact with the bat. The batter doesn’t nail the stroke and Smith is there to pluck it out of the air.

Smith waddles about with glee with that inimitable toddler trot of his. “Oh my God! Oh my God, Smudge!” screams Marnus Labuschagne in delight. 53rd over: South Africa 197-6 (Verreynne 13, Jansen 26) Marco Jansen is unfurling his lissom limbs in Durban and isn’t going to die wondering by the looks of it!

Hazlewood is nailed through cover for four and then pinged down the ground for the same a couple of balls later. Thanks Rob and hello all. Can South Africa’s lower order and tail do some vigorous wagging like the Aussies yesterday? They trail by 197 runs so are in desperate need.

Drinks And with that, I’ll hand over to Jim Wallace for the rest of the day. Cheers! 52nd over: South Africa 188-6 (Verreynne 12, Jansen 18) Webster is hooked after a single over, with Lyon returning to the attack. Given how he addressed the threat of Cummins, I can’t wait to see how Jansen plays Lyon.

He starts by playing and missing, then mows a slog-sweep over midwicket for four. This is an exciting counter-attack, albeit one that feels doomed to impermanence. He has 18 from 15 balls. 51st over: South Africa 183-6 (Verreynne 11, Jansen 14) Jansen slugs Cummins down the ground for his third boundary.

He’s taking on almost everything back of a length, which is a brave and potentially foolhardy tactic in the circumstances. 50th over: South Africa 176-6 (Verreynne 10, Jansen 8) Beau Webster replaces Travis Head. He starts by bowling medium pace to Verreynne, who slashes deliberately past the slips for four.

“That’s Ian Healy revisited,” says Mark Nicholas on commentary. South Africa trail by 214, and Australia are holding most of the aces. 49th over: South Africa 170-6 (Verreynne 5, Jansen 8) Matthew Renshaw’s 190 gets better with each passing wicket. He’s still the only man to reach fifty in this Test.

Eight batters have been out between 25 and 49. The new batter Marco Jansen gets going with back-to-back pulls for four. Have some of that! The difference with those shots and Stubbs’ dismissal is that the ball arrived at chest height so Jansen could get on top of it.

Tristan Stubbs walks straight into Australia’s trap. Pat Cummins set the field for the short ball, with men out at fine leg and deep square, and Stubbs couldn’t resist the bait. He top-edged a hook towards fine leg and was excellently caught on the run by Hazlewood.

Very good bowling from Cummins – the height of the bouncer made it hard for Stubbs to control the shot – but that’s a really bad way to get out. Stubbs had been almost flawless until then. 48th over: South Africa 162-5 (Stubbs 32, Verreynne 5) Head continues, which is a bit of a surprise – surely you want Nathan Lyon against the new batter.

Three singles from the over. 47th over: South Africa 159-5 (Stubbs 30, Verreynne 4) Kyle Verreynne thick edges/guides his first ball for four. That was Cummins’ 50th Test wicket against South Africa at the Ollie Robinson-esque average of 18.14. Hard to believe it’s 15 years since he wowed us all on debut at Johannesburg.

Pat Cummins has bounced out Wiaan Mulder! It was a sharp short ball from Cummins, bowled wide of off stump rather than at the head. Mulder shaped to hook, realised he wasn’t in control and tried to abort the shot. Too late: the ball looped up gently and was taken by the substitute Cooper Connolly at square leg.

46th over: South Africa 155-4 (Stubbs 30, Mulder 30) Travis Head relieves Nathan Lyon at the offspinner’s end. His first ball is a rancid long hop, utterly vile, that Mulder heaves over midwicket for six. Mulder slashes the next ball past slip at catchable height, with the ball rushing away for four more.

A stroke of luck for Mulder, but those runs bring up an important fifty partnership. 45th over: South Africa 142-4 (Stubbs 28, Mulder 19) Pat Cummins replaces Mitchell Starc, who didn’t hit his straps in a short post-lunch spell. Stubbs, fencing off the back foot, edges wide of gully for four.

Not sure whether it would have carried but Stubbs played it with relatively soft hands, unlike Markham and Bedingham earlier in the day. South Africa trail by 248 runs. 44th over: South Africa 138-4 (Stubbs 24, Mulder 19) Stubbs reverse sweeps Lyon into the ground and away for four.

That’s an excellent shot, and maybe an infectous one too. Later in the over, Mulder drives confidently for four more. “Now there’s a topic inspired by Chris Paraskevas earlier – what are the great series that we missed out on?” wonders Max Williams. “The most recent Ashes perhaps if England hadn’t decided to sabotage themselves.

But the one that sticks out is the 2012 South Africa tour of England – unforgivably only three Tests. The 2015 England vs New Zealand series would be another contender although those were two really fun sides rather than the best in the world.” I’m obsessed with the Pakistan v West Indies trilogy of 1986-87, 1987-88 and 1990-91 – the greatest cricket most of us have never seen.

All were three-Test series that finished 1-1; imagine if they’d gone to four Tests, never mind five. 43rd over: South Africa 127-4 (Stubbs 18, Mulder 14) Mulder threads Starc through extra cover for a couple. It’s been a low-key start to the afternoon session.

Perhaps batting – or at least survival – is getting easier against the seamers as the ball gets older. It was around this stage of the innings that Matthew Renshaw began his long partnership with Pat Cummins. 42nd over: South Africa 124-4 (Stubbs 17, Mulder 12) Stubbs continues to play low-risk cricket against Lyon, pushing a single off the final delivery to keep the strike.

He has 17 from 45 balls. 41st over: South Africa 123-4 (Stubbs 16, Mulder 12) Mulder thick-edges Starc wide of gully for his first boundary. This is an important series with the bat for Mulder. He has a Test average of 36 – but that includes the famous 367 not out against Zimbabwe, and he has yet to reach fifty against anybody other than Zimbabwe or Bangladesh.

Today would be a good time to change that. 40th over: South Africa 118-4 (Stubbs 15, Mulder 8) Lyon has a slip, short leg and silly point for Stubbs, who takes a single into the off side. Stubbs has started calmly and looks much more comfortable against Lyon than his partner Mulder.

Lyon’s figures are a captain’s dream: 12-1-23-1. Australia have control of the scoreboard and are chipping away at South Africa. 39th over: South Africa 117-4 (Stubbs 14, Mulder 8) Starc’s first ball after the break bounces twice on its way through to Alex Carey.

This pitch is not as pure as it looks. Mulder gets the first run of the afternoon session with a single to square leg. The afternoon session Mitchell Starc is back on after the break. This is a perfect situation for Australia: the seamers can bowl short, aggressive spells while Nathan Lyon ties up the other end.

“I haven’t really developed this idea but David Bedingham could be this generation’s Allan Lamb,” writes Ettiene Terblanche. “Both WP heroes and adopted county legends. Both Wynberg Boys prodigies. Both made Test debuts late. Lamb 28, Bedders 29. Both frustratingly robust players.

I was willing DB off 49 because there’s something unfulfilled about scores like that: like Lamb in NZ or Pakistan. I hope I’m wrong, but this feels like a missed opportunity for Bedingham with Ackerman breathing down his neck.” I haven’t checked but my memory of Lamb is that he had an excellent conversion rate (especially against West Indies) but made a lot of low scores when his hand/eye co-ordination went awry.

“Most fielders who believe they caught the ball cleanly should feel affronted, as the TV versions are not 100% clear,” says John Starbuck. “It’s tantamount to accusing the fielder of being a liar, which anyone ought to resent, but what else can they do?” I’m not qualified to pass judgement, having never taken a low catch in my life, but I think one of the commentators said it’s possible to sincerely believe you’ve taken it cleanly even when it has brushed the ground.

Lunchtime reading 38th over: South Africa 115-4 (Stubbs 14, Mulder 7) It’s so hard to be sure with those low catches, no matter how good the technology. There was no hesitation in Labuschagne’s celebration and he was both surprised at and affronted by the decision.

It’s a frustrating end to an otherwise outstanding morning for Australia. A session of two halves turned on the wicket of Aiden Markram. First 11.2 overs 55 for 0 Last 18 overs 33 for 3 He was snaffled by Matt Renshaw, then Steve Smith took a couple of blinders to get rid of Temba Bavuma and David Bedingham.

After looking at a number of replays, the third umpire Richard Illingworth decides the ball touched the ground. Labuschagne shakes his head repeatedly; he was certain it was a clean catch. WICKET? Mulder c Labuschagne b Lyon 6 Labuschagne claims a low catch at slip, but it’s been sent upstairs.

37th over: South Africa 113-4 (Stubbs 13, Mulder 6) Mulder takes on the short ball from Hazlewood, pulling crisply through midwicket for a couple. It would have been four but for a expertly judged swoop on the boundary edge by Lyon. 36th over: South Africa 111-4 (Stubbs 13, Mulder 4) Lyon has another LBW appeal turned down when Mulder offers no stroke, this time to a delivery from over the wicket.

It didn’t do enough but Lyon is toying with Mulder. 35th over: South Africa 110-4 (Stubbs 13, Mulder 3) That delivery from Lyon did far too much, so Australia were right not to review. But we’re not even at the halfway point and the ball is already turning sharply off the straight.

Josh Hazlewood replaces Pat Cummins and starts with a maiden to Stubbs. 34th over: South Africa 110-4 (Stubbs 13, Mulder 3) It’s an extended morning session, with lunch at 8.45pm AEDT. Lyon pleads unsuccessfully for LBW when Mulder whips around a delivery that turns sharply from round the wicket.

Might have been too high, might have done too much. Either way, Cummins again decides not review. 33rd over: South Africa 106-4 (Stubbs 11, Mulder 1) Stubbs times Cummins expertly through the covers for four. High-class, low-risk batting. That’s South Africa’s first boundary in 14 overs, a reflection of Australia’s suffocating dominance.

32nd over: South Africa 100-4 (Stubbs 6, Mulder 0) In the commentary box, Vernon Philander makes the point that, as good as Australia have been, Markram and Bedingham both played high-risk back-foot drives. We’ve jusr seen a replay of that Cummins appeal against Mulder.

It was umpire’s call on impact and would have bounced over the top. Another good over from Lyon, who has excellent figures of 8-1-15-1. South Africa are in abundant bother. 31st over: South Africa 99-4 (Stubbs 5, Mulder 0) South Africa have struggled to cope with Australia’s relentless intensity, particularly since the quicks changed their approach and started hammering a length.

Cummins almost gets Mulder with a fuller delivery that nips back to hit the pad. It was very similar to Labuschagne’s dismissal on day one, but maybe just outside the line this time. Cummins decides against a review and has to settle for a single-wicket maiden rather than a double.

Nearly but not quite. Bedingham edges a back-foot drive off Cummins and is spectacularly caught by Steve Smith, leaping to his left at second slip. That’s another stunning grab from Smith, who has overtaken Joe Root as the outfielder with the most Test catches: 221 and counting.

More importantly, Australia are all over South Africa like a cheap cliche. 30th over: South Africa 99-3 (Bedingham 49, Stubbs 5) Lyon is bowling his classical attacking line, wide of off stump. After being stuck on 48 from 15 deliveries, Bedingham drives a single down the ground.

Nearly there. 29th over: South Africa 97-3 (Bedingham 48, Stubbs 4) Australia have turned the screw in the last 10 overs, which have produced 18 runs and two wickets. “Dipping in and out of this series but hard to look away once the incredible scenery grabs your attention,” writes Chris Paraskevas.

“The local cameras frame some incredible landscapes, and the weather always looks perfect. In terms of invitations to visit SA, very tempting. A touring series over there would be a lot of fun. “Matt Renshaw seemed so much more fluid, his footwork more proactive then his first aborted run as a Test batter.

Not sure moving him up the order is a good idea - his size allows him to counterpunch with an old ball, although his tendency to play late makes him well suited to the new ball too. “Haven’t seen much of this vaunted South Africa side, but was really impressed with Mulder and Jansen.

The former in particular is a very easy watch. Bowls interrogating lines. “Crazy to think Sandpapergate was almost 10 years ago? Honestly, I think it ruined what would have been an epic series. Feels like the personalities nowadays are different. Can see some niggle but nothing nasty...yet.” Agree on the epic series that wasn’t.

South Africa v Australia rarely lets us down – those two cut-throat 1-1 draws in 1993-94, the first Test series after South Africa’s return, set the standard. 28th over: South Africa 94-3 (Bedingham 48, Stubbs 1) That was a really scratchy innings from Bavuma, 3 from 27 balls.

Tristan Stubbs is the new batter. Yet another fabulous catch from Steve Smith! Bavuma jumped into a reverse sweep, at which point Smith started to skip to his right at slip. By the time the ball flew off the bat, Smith was in an excellent position to take a sharp two-handed catch above his right shoulder.

Just brilliant. 27th over: South Africa 93-2 (Bedingham 48, Bavuma 3) 26th over: South Africa 92-2 (Bedingham 48, Bavuma 2) Bavuma is beaten by Lyon, who is starting to enjoy himself on a pitch that is already turning a little. “Morning from a crisp Trafford, Rob,” writes Guy Hornsby.

“I’m with you on the meagre returns for Manchester Super Giants’ Aiden Markram. He’s such a class operator whose numbers in Test cricket really should be better than they are. South Africa in general are an interesting line up. No one in the top six averages 40+, yet they are WTC holders.

It feels like they’re trending up, especially Bavuma’s numbers as captain. They’ll need another long innings from him today if they’re to wrest this Test back.” 25th over: South Africa 91-2 (Bedingham 48, Bavuma 1) Cummins replaces Starc, who bowled an increasingly dangerous spell of 4-0-21-1.

Bavuma gets off the mark from his 15th delivery. Bedingham was a bit slow to react but would have been safe even with a direct hit from backward square leg. The crowd think Bedingham has his fifty when a loose ball from Cummins flies to fine leg for four. Alas, they were leg-byes.

24th over: South Africa 86-2 (Bedingham 48, Bavuma 0) A maiden from Lyon includes a good delivery that skids on to beat Bedingham. Australia are starting to build pressure – the last four overs have produced four runs and the wicket of Markram. 23rd over: South Africa 86-2 (Bedingham 48, Bavuma 0) Starc continues to pound the pitch from round the wicket.

The bounce is awkward rather than nasty, but neither batter looks entirely comfortable. Time for drinks. 22nd over: South Africa 85-2 (Bedingham 47, Bavuma 0) Bavuma lunges at Lyon and loses his balance, with the ball ending up in the hands of short leg. Australia appeal but it was straight off the pad.

Promising signs for Lyon, though – that ball turned a long way. 21st over: South Africa 84-2 (Bedingham 46, Bavuma 0) That was Starc’s 446th Test wicket. He’s never been better: in the last two years he has 88 wickets at 19.65 apiece. Starc has pulled his length back and is getting some awkward bounce from round the wicket.

And now he’s made the breakthrough! Markram edges a back-foot drive and is smartly caught by Renshaw at first slip. That’s a bit of a loose shot from Markram; for a player of his class, he gets far too many nothing scores. 20th over: South Africa 82-1 (Markram 36, Bedingham 45) Bedingham flicks Lyon onto the shin of Renshaw at short leg.

Does that count as a chance? Probably not, but short leg is in the game when Lyon is bowling. 19th over: South Africa 79-1 (Markram 34, Bedingham 44) Bedingham hits Starc for three successive boundaries: an elegant cover drive, a tuck through midwicket and a precise back cut.

Starc moves round the wicket and hits Bedingham on the bottom hand with a lifter. Bedingham receives treatment at the end of the over but looks okay to continue. South Africa have scored 42 in the last seven overs. 18th over: South Africa 65-1 (Markram 33, Bedingham 31) It’s time for Nathan Lyon, who will be a key man if the pitch turns as much as expected.

Markram drives his first ball for four, a nice statement of intent that prompts Lyon to change the angle and bowl from round the wicket. Two more singles in the over. 17th over: South Africa 59-1 (Markram 28, Bedingham 30) Starc replaces Cummins, who bowled a menacing spell of 3.2-0-11-0 this morning.

Bedingham continues his impressive start with a beautifully timed cover drive for four. Over 80% of South Africa’s runs have come in boundaries. 16th over: South Africa 55-1 (Markram 28, Bedingham 26) A rare half-volley from Hazlewood is on-driven sweetly for four by Bedingham.

That’s a high-class shot, the best of his five boundaries. An affronted Hazlewood responds with a seaming lifter that snaps past the edge. Bedingham looks a little quizzically at the pitch. 15th over: South Africa 50-1 (Markram 28, Bedingham 22) Bedingham shovels Cummins for a single to bring up South Africa’s fifty – and the fifty partnership with Markram.

Talking of Markram, he averages 64 in Tests against Australia and 32 against everyone else. Not many players have a statistical dichotomy like that. 14th over: South Africa 49-1 (Markram 28, Bedingham 21) Markram clumps a fullish delivery from Hazlewood to the cover boundary.

South Africa are trying to strike the right balance between seeing off the new ball and putting pressure back on the Australian bowlers. Their rotation of strike hasn’t been great but they’ve hit five boundaries – three deliberate, two streaky – in as many overs.

13th over: South Africa 45-1 (Markram 24, Bedingham 21) Bedingham is fortunate to edge a snorter from Cummins over the slips for four. He tried to ride the bounce and work the ball to leg, but it got too big for him to control the shot. Cummins ends the over with another bumper.

This one doesn’t bounce as sharply and Bedingham is able to pull smoothly behind square for four. 12th over: South Africa 37-1 (Markram 24, Bedingham 13) Beautiful batting from Markram. Hazlewood was fractionally too straight, no more than that, and Markram put him away through midwicket with an understated flick of the wrists.

How can Aiden Markram have a Test average of 36? The guy is so good. 11th over: South Africa 33-1 (Markram 20, Bedingham 13) Cummins has a big LBW shout turned down when Markram plays around an excellent nipbacker. It was fractionally too high and Cummins is right to eschew the review.

Lovely bowling nonetheless. Australia have started with terrific discipline, making the batters play at almost every delivery. 10th over: South Africa 31-1 (Markram 19, Bedingham 12) Josh Hazlewood’s first ball is edged just short of the slips by Markram. The ball bounces through the cordon and away for four.

Markram did well to soften his hands and ensure the edge didn’t carry. Markram defends the rest of the over with authority. 9th over: South Africa 27-1 (Markram 15, Bedingham 12) Bedingham drives the first ball of the day crisply to mid-off. No runs but a promising start.

Time for the action. Pat Cummins has a couple of balls remaining in his first over; David Bedingham is on strike. Matt Renshaw speaks to Mark Howard It’s been a long time coming and I probably didn’t think I’d be in this situation. It’s pretty special to be able to help the team out in an important Test match.

I had an opportunity in 2023 and didn’t take that. After that I had a look and went, ‘Yeah I wanna play muy cricket this way’ and not stress about whether I was gonna play for Australia again. I wasn’t really thinking about that, never mind making a Test hundred.

When you open the batting so much, you get used to leaving the ball. With the situation we were in, it was about surviving for as long as I could. I got called boring by Josh Inglis this morning! [On attacking the spinners] They’ve got two world-class spinners and I tried to put them off their length as much as I could, and trying to get a few boundaries with some safe risks.

“These may be famous last words, but you’d want to bat out here,” says Mark Nicholas on the South African TV coverage. “It looks a superb surface.” The Durban pitch is expected to turn more and more as the match progresses, so South Africa’s batters will be desperate to cash in today.

If they are batting at stumps – well, when bad light forces an early close – all results will be on the table. Day two report If the choice to ask Nic Maddinson to open in Durban was a bust, the upside for Australia was that it pushed Matthew Renshaw down to number five.

From there, the Queenslander returned from 10 years on the periphery to the centre of the spotlight in the first Test against South Africa, with an innings of 190 that saved Australia from peril, settled them into stability, then lifted them to dominance. Staunch support from the lower order was the other part of the equation, as Renshaw batted through two extended sessions until he was last man out, just after tea, with Australia’s 390 followed by South Africa’s 27 for one before stumps.

Imagine the likelihood, with the score at 124 for six on the first day, that Renshaw might go on, not just to score his second Test century, but to exceed that career high of 184? His secret was that there was no secret, just the most common formula known to the game: patience, concentration and pacing.

Continuing in the style of his unbeaten 46 from day one, Renshaw defended calmly, kept the score moving with singles and picked off the odd poor ball. We were promised a slow turner in Durban. So far, as is often the case on such pitches, we’ve had a slow burner.

Only 11 wickets fell on the first two days, with the momentum crawling back towards Australia during Matthew Renshaw’s extraordinary innings. Renshaw’s Test-best, probably career-defining 190 helped Australia recover from 124 for 6 to 390 all out, with South Africa reaching 27 for 1 before bad light intervened.

It means we have a big day ahead at Kingsmead – one that should shape the match, and could shape the entire series.