Cape Town: Australia has taken the lead in the third and decisive match of the ongoing Test series against South Africa at Newlands. After bundling out the South African side for 329 runs, Australia reached 330/4 in their first innings by the close of play on the second day.
South Africa had previously won the three-match ODI series 2-1. Australia then secured a 214-run victory in the first Test, but South Africa responded by winning the second match by an innings and 31 runs, setting the stage for an exciting conclusion to the series.
Sent in to bat after losing the toss in Cape Town, South Africa got off to a strong start thanks to Aiden Markram and MJ Ackerman. The opening pair put together a 158-run partnership for the first wicket. Ackerman was dismissed for 95—an innings featuring 12 fours and 2 sixes—after which Markram added 45 runs for the second wicket alongside David Bedingham.
Markram returned to the pavilion after scoring 78 runs, including 11 boundaries, but a collapse followed; the team found themselves six wickets down for 232 runs. From there, Ryan Rickelton and Marco Jansen stitched together a 95-run partnership for the seventh wicket, taking the team past the 300-run mark. However, following the fall of the seventh wicket at 327, the innings concluded at 329.
For Australia, Mitchell Starc claimed 6 wickets for 72 runs in 16.3 overs, while Nathan Lyon took 2 wickets. Additionally, Josh Hazlewood and Cooper Connolly claimed one wicket each. The Australian side was bowled out by the end of the first day’s play.
On the second day of the match, the opening pair of Travis Head and Matt Renshaw provided a steady start for the Australian side. The duo shared a 58-run partnership for the first wicket, but in the 18th over, both Travis Head (41) and Marnus Labuschagne (0) headed back to the pavilion.
From there, Matt Renshaw stabilized the innings alongside Cameron Green, putting together a 126-run partnership for the third wicket. Renshaw was dismissed with the score at 184, having played an innings of 74 runs that included 10 boundaries. Just one run later, Cameron Green (65) also departed.
At this point, Josh Inglis (85*) took charge. He forged a 145-run partnership with Alex Carey (51*), steering the team toward a massive total. By the close of play on the second day, Australia held a slender 1-run lead. For the visiting side, Marco Jansen and Simon Harmer have taken two wickets each.
