Australia reached 191 for four at tea on the second day of the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town, trailing the hosts by 138 runs after the Proteas were bowled out for 329 in their first innings. Matt Renshaw top-scored for Australia with 74 runs, while Cameron Green contributed 65 before being dismissed. Travis Head scored 41, while Marnus Labuschagne was dismissed for a duck.
South Africa had dominated much of the opening day with aggressive batting before Mitchell Starc produced a sensational spell to turn the match around. The Australian pacer claimed six wickets for 72 runs as South Africa lost their final six wickets for 113 runs after reaching 158 without loss.
Openers Aiden Markram and Marcus Ackerman gave South Africa a flying start, putting the Australian bowling attack under pressure with confident strokeplay. Ackerman struck Nathan Lyon and Starc for boundaries, including an over that yielded 18 runs off Starc.
South Africa’s first breakthrough came at 158 when Lyon stumped Ackerman for 95. Markram was dismissed soon afterwards by Josh Hazlewood, while Lyon bowled captain Temba Bavuma.
Young Australian bowler Cooper Connolly claimed his maiden Test wicket by trapping Matthew Breetzke leg-before-wicket (LBW). David Bedingham scored a half-century before falling to Hazlewood, while Wiaan Mulder was dismissed by Starc without scoring.
South Africa looked set for a commanding total before Starc struck with the new ball under cloudy conditions.
The left-arm fast bowler dismissed Ryan Rickelton for 42 and bowled Marco Jansen for 52 in the same over. Starc then bowled Gerald Coetzee with the first ball of the following over before trapping Kagiso Rabada LBW off the next delivery.
South Africa consequently lost four wickets in four consecutive balls across the two overs, with just two runs added to the total during the collapse. Jansen had earlier steadied the innings alongside Rickelton, with the pair adding 95 runs for a crucial partnership. Jansen continued his impressive form after scoring 85 in the previous Test.
Despite South Africa’s promising start, Starc’s late burst ensured Australia finished the first innings on top of the bowling figures, restricting the hosts to 329. Australia’s reply remained competitive at 191/4 by tea on day two, with the visitors looking to reduce the deficit and build a strong position in the match.
