During Day 3 of the deciding 3rd Test match between South Africa and Australia at Newlands in Cape Town, Australia took control of the match.
Resuming their first innings, Australia managed to post 429 all out, establishing a 100-run lead over South Africa’s first innings score of 329. Late in the day, South Africa fought back in their second innings to reach 140/4 at stumps, holding a narrow 40-run overall lead.
The third Test between South Africa and Australia at Newlands is poised at South Africa leading by 40 runs with 6 wickets remaining in their second innings (SA 329 & 140/4; AUS 429).
The crowd shockert of the day was the dismissal of SA Captain for 0 – bowled by Lyons after 3 balls.
Permutations for a South Africa Win
- Set a Defendable Target: South Africa must bat deep into the remaining time to extend their lead beyond 200–250+ runs. Given the worn fourth-innings pitch at Newlands, a target above 200–225 becomes increasingly difficult to chase.
- Bowl Australia Out: Once a sufficient target is set or declared, South Africa’s bowling attack (led by Rabada, Jansen, Coetzee, and spinner Simon Harmer) must take all 10 Australian wickets in the final innings before Australia reaches the target.
Permutations for an Australia Win
- Restrict the Second Innings: Australia’s pacers (Starc, Hazlewood, Cummins) and spinner Nathan Lyon need to dismiss South Africa’s remaining 6 wickets quickly to keep the second-innings target as low as possible (ideally under 150–180 runs).
- Chase Down the Target: Australia must successfully score the required target in the fourth innings before running out of wickets or time.
Alternative Result: A Draw
If South Africa bat for a prolonged period without scoring quickly enough to set a target, or if Australia survive all remaining overs in the fourth innings without reaching the targeted runs, the match ends in a draw—resulting in a 1-1 series tie.
Figures:
Below are the key batting and bowling figures for the completed first innings of both teams:
| South Africa – 1st Innings (329 All Out) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batter | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s |
| Aiden Markram | c Starc b Hazlewood | 78 | 141 | 10 | 1 |
| Marques Ackerman | st Carey b Lyon | 95 | 94 | 12 | 2 |
| David Bedingham | c Hazlewood b Starc | 50 | 80 | 7 | 0 |
| Temba Bavuma (c) | b Lyon | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Matthew Breetzke | lbw b Connolly | 2 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Ryan Rickelton | lbw b Starc | 42 | 83 | 5 | 0 |
| Wiaan Mulder | c Carey b Starc | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Marco Jansen | b Starc | 52 | 71 | 7 | 0 |
| Simon Harmer | not out | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Gerald Coetzee | b Starc | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Kagiso Rabada | lbw b Starc | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Australia Bowling – 1st Innings | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | E/R | |
| Mitchell Starc | 16.3 | 2 | 72 | 6 | 4.37 | |
| Josh Hazlewood | 15.0 | 3 | 59 | 1 | 3.94 | |
| Pat Cummins | 18.0 | 2 | 73 | 0 | 4.06 | |
| Nathan Lyon | 23.0 | 1 | 71 | 2 | 3.09 | |
| Cooper Connolly | 9.0 | 0 | 41 | 1 | 4.56 | |
| Matt Renshaw | 1.0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5.00 | |
