- BATSMENRBM4s6sSR10.2 chopped on! Maddinson's struggles end. Good length, fifth stump, Maddinson tries to create a cut shot that's not on, too close and not short enough, he gets a thick inside edge and it crashes into off! 24/27.5 an appeal for caught down the leg side given not out. Verreynne is confident. South Africa review. Full, shaping down leg, he tries to glance and there's a spike as it passes the bat! It came off the edge and he's got to go! A bad ball gets a wicket. Head is annoyed. He tried to flick it with power but just got a little tickle. A good review this time. Another miss by the umpire though 17/125.6 THAT IS TOAST! GIVEN!!!! Marnus is despondent, takes the review. It's a faint lift of the bat and a nod. First replay in, could impact have saved him? Fullish length ball, slight wobble seam, beats the inside-edge of the full-faced block. Marnus was well forward and got hit around the knee-roll. OHMY, impact umpire's call but only marginally, would go on to hit off as per Hawk-Eye. Touch unlucky for Marnus but the optics there did him no favours. That'll be lunch with the session arguably shared 84/326.3 edged and taken at gully! That blow on the hand rattled him. Good length, angled in, straightening a touch, pushes at it from the crease, gets a thick edge and it's taken easily at gully 84/4137.2 edged and taken at slip! No double for Renshaw. A wicket for Harmer. The break probably did him. Tossed up wide of off, spinning away, he drives but gets a thick edge and it's easily taken at slip by Markram 390/1041.4 You could hear that was out before you could see that was out! Clink off the edge and taken at second slip. Boy is Nortje pumped! This is a bona-fide Test dismissal. Full ball around off at 143, bit of a change in length as it's been into-the-pitch stuff a lot. Carey stuck on the crease a touch, looks to punch it down the ground. Got an on-drive earlier, tried to go the other side with the full-faced drive. Low catch for Markram, and Australia are five down 120/541.6 Nicked off? Nortje convinced, not given. Only one review left... Bavuma takes it. Beautiful seam-up ball at 146ks, landed just outside off and seamed away a touch. Small stride across from Webster, kept bat relatively close to body. Looked to defend towards cover, ball finished just over knee-roll height. So, he was defending slightly on the up, doesn't do much wrong but gets a feather on it, Ultra-Edge confirms 124/673.5 edged and taken at second slip! Good length, shaping away, Cummins pokes at it with no footwork, gets a thick edge and it floats knee high to Markram who pouches it nicely 210/781.3 bowled him! A cracker! Wobble seam, pitching on leg, nipping across, Starc went to work leg side expecting shape and it nips past the edge and crashes into middle and off. Still plenty in this pitch. 230/8128.4 TOAST. Lyon reviews and starts walking off. Early 'T', probably because there are three reviews left. Was a full ball just in front of the crease. 136ks, from around the wicket. Both of Lyon's feet were in the crease, he tried to flick it with a closed bat-face and got hit in front of middle. Hitting low on middle. Plumb lbw but no Cowan, no Dentury for Lyon. Match-changing partnership though, 134 off 286 364/9Extras30 (lb 20, nb 8, w 2)TOTAL390 all out (137.2 Overs, RR: 2.83)Fall of wickets: 1-17 (Travis Head, 7.5 ov), 2-24 (Nic Maddinson, 10.2 ov), 3-84 (Marnus Labuschagne, 25.6 ov), 4-84 (Steven Smith, 26.3 ov), 5-120 (Alex Carey, 41.4 ov), 6-124 (Beau Webster, 41.6 ov), 7-210 (Pat Cummins, 73.5 ov), 8-230 (Mitchell Starc, 81.3 ov), 9-364 (Nathan Lyon, 128.4 ov), 10-390 (Matt Renshaw, 137.2 ov)
Bowling O M R W Econ WD NB M Jansen 31 9 68 3 2.19 1 3 PWA Mulder 27 6 68 4 2.51 0 4 A Nortje 28 5 88 2 3.14 1 0 KA Maharaj 20 0 75 0 3.75 0 1 SR Harmer 28.2 1 68 1 2.4 0 0 AK Markram 3 0 3 0 1 0 0
Current Run Rate
CRR
5.82
Current Run Rate
CRR
5.82
- BATSMENRBM4s6sSR20.4 The cover drive giveth, the cover drive taketh away! Scrambled seam, back of length at 144ks, from around the wicket. It was just outside off. Actually, from the side-on replay, it looked like a length ball that got extra bounce. Either way, Markram was on the back foot and tried to drive on the top of the bounce through cover. Got big on him and the edge floated to Renshaw above the bread-basket. A kid in the stands hides his face in his hands as the bowler who's looked the most unlikely to strike, strikes 84/21.3 edged and taken by Webster at third! 138kph, full, angled across, he drives hard at it and gets a thick edge, Webster takes it fingers pointing up infront of his eyes. Width was offered, his eyes lit up, but he edges reaching for it 0/130.1 Smith takes another stunner at second slip! Cummins strikes with extra bounce. Back of a length, climbing steeply outside off, Bedingham tries an ill-advised back foot drive with a vertical bat, gets a thick edge, it flies high towards Renshaw at first and Smith flies like Superman infront of him to pluck it with two hands and complete a forward somersault. Stunning 99/427.2 reverse sweep straight to an alert Smith at slip! Great moving by Smith to read it and get across! Tossed up outside off, the pressure built to the point where Bavuma tried to reverse sweep, Smith saw him shape and moved early two paces to his right and was perfectly placed to catch it as it ballooned from high on the bat to him at chest height! Brilliant work from Smith. Great pressure from Lyon 93/348.2 Okay, this might be a brain fade. Just the hooting from the Aussie fielders tells you all you need to hear. Cordon and bowler ran to Hazlewood at fine leg with childlike joy. 134ks short ball around off, Stubbs took it on with a pull. Did try to keep it down but from shoulder-height, that was tough. Circumstances made it only worse. Top edge went low towards deep fine leg, Hazlewood came forward and took it low to the left 162/646.3 Pat Cummins turns Bang Cummins to bounce Mulder out. Banged into the pitch at 143ks. Well outside off, Mulder's instinct was to pull it with power. He then pulled out, was halfway into the leave with the bat sticking out horizontally around his shoulder. Then ball hit bat, rather than the other way around. Hit low too and ballooned for a bit, midwicket (Connolly, subbing for Starc) ran in and took a dolly. Flat pitch, easiest day to bat on, and this gets manufactured, how good! 155/553.5 Smith takes another stunner off a reverse sweep! Insane fielding! A one-hander this time! Tossed up wide of off, he reverse sweeps and strikes it well, Smith moves to cover it with one pace and then sticks out the right hand to pluck it! Outrageous reaction and skill. The best of his three today 197/754.2 spooned to mid-off! Awful dismissal. Back of a length, wide of off, he tries to muscle it over wide mid-on with a flat batted pull and some extra bounce causes a miscue, it floats to Head at mid-off who takes a regulation chance 197/869.3 Two things you can try finding from that: laughter or sympathy. It is so tame it's sad. Full, wide 140ks ball. Again, fingers rolling over the ball but not pace off. Might've lost a lot of pace off the pitch. Maharaj got on one knee for another cover drive with a horizontal bat, probably like he played first ball of the over. Way too early on the shot, spooned to cover 249/977.6 Beau McGrath gets his man. Very English dismissal that. 124ks scrambled seam ball on a length, landed around off and may have straightened. Nortje looked to defend straight. Ball shaves the outside edge and goes to first slip. After being taken down for a few, Webster ends the tailenders' wagging 284/10Extras9 (lb 6, nb 3)TOTAL284 all out (78 Overs, RR: 3.64)Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Ryan Rickelton, 1.3 ov), 2-84 (Aiden Markram, 20.4 ov), 3-93 (Temba Bavuma, 27.2 ov), 4-99 (David Bedingham, 30.1 ov), 5-155 (Wiaan Mulder, 46.3 ov), 6-162 (Tristan Stubbs, 48.2 ov), 7-197 (Kyle Verreynne, 53.5 ov), 8-197 (Marco Jansen, 54.2 ov), 9-249 (Keshav Maharaj, 69.3 ov), 10-284 (Anrich Nortje, 77.6 ov)
Bowling O M R W Econ WD NB MA Starc 17 2 63 2 3.7 0 0 JR Hazlewood 16 2 54 2 3.37 0 1 PJ Cummins 15 2 54 3 3.6 0 1 NM Lyon 22 3 58 2 2.63 0 0 TM Head 3 0 20 0 6.66 0 0 BJ Webster 3 0 23 1 7.66 0 1 M Labuschagne 2 0 6 0 3 0 0
- BATSMENRB4s6sSRExtras6 (lb 6)TOTAL33/0 (5.4 Overs, RR: 5.82)
Bowling O M R W Econ WD NB M Jansen 3 0 15 0 5 0 0 PWA Mulder 2.4 0 12 0 4.5 0 0
Match Details
Series
Toss
Australia , elected to bat first
Match number
Season
Hours of play (local time)
09.30 start, Lunch 11.45-12.25, Tea 14.40-15.00, Close 17.00
Match days
9,10,11,12,13 October 2026 (5-day match)
TV Umpires
Reserve Umpire
Match Referee
Close of Play
- day 1 - Australia 1st innings 187/6 (MT Renshaw 46*, PJ Cummins 33*, 65.2 ov)
- day 2 - South Africa 1st innings 27/1 (AK Markram 15*, DG Bedingham 12*, 8.4 ov)
- day 3 - Australia 2nd innings 33/0 (NJ Maddinson 17*, TM Head 10*, 5.4 ov)
Match Notes
- South Africa: 50 runs in 14.2 overs (86 balls), Extras 0
- 2nd Wicket: 50 runs in 77 balls (AK Markram 28, DG Bedingham 22, Ex 0)
- Drinks: South Africa - 86/2 in 23.0 overs (DG Bedingham 48, T Bavuma 0)
- South Africa: 100 runs in 31.6 overs (192 balls), Extras 5
- Lunch: South Africa - 115/4 in 38.0 overs (T Stubbs 14, PWA Mulder 7)
- South Africa: 150 runs in 45.2 overs (272 balls), Extras 6
- 5th Wicket: 50 runs in 91 balls (T Stubbs 23, PWA Mulder 29, Ex 1)
- Drinks: South Africa - 188/6 in 52.0 overs (K Verreynne 12, M Jansen 18)
- South Africa: 200 runs in 56.3 overs (340 balls), Extras 7
- Over 62.3: Review by Australia (Bowling), Decision Challenged - Wicket, Umpire - CB Gaffaney, Batter - SR Harmer (Struck down)
- Tea: South Africa - 238/8 in 67.0 overs (SR Harmer 17, KA Maharaj 23)
- 9th Wicket: 50 runs in 88 balls (SR Harmer 17, KA Maharaj 32, Ex 1)
- South Africa: 250 runs in 69.6 overs (422 balls), Extras 8
- Innings Break: South Africa - 284/10 in 78.0 overs (SR Harmer 35)
- Bad Light: Australia - 33/0 in 5.4 overs (NJ Maddinson 17, TM Head 10)
- End Of Day: Australia - 33/0 in 5.4 overs (NJ Maddinson 17, TM Head 10)
- MT Renshaw: 50 off 117 balls (4 x 4)
- Australia: 200 runs in 69.3 overs (421 balls), Extras 19
- New ball taken at 80.1 overs
- Drinks: Australia - 230/8 in 81.3 overs (MT Renshaw 69)
- Australia: 250 runs in 86.6 overs (529 balls), Extras 25
- MT Renshaw: 100 off 204 balls (10 x 4)
- Lunch: Australia - 277/8 in 96.0 overs (MT Renshaw 102, NM Lyon 7)
- 9th Wicket: 50 runs in 101 balls (MT Renshaw 38, NM Lyon 7, Ex 7)
- Australia: 300 runs in 104.4 overs (636 balls), Extras 30
- Drinks: Australia - 319/8 in 114.0 overs (MT Renshaw 138, NM Lyon 13)
- 9th Wicket: 100 runs in 213 balls (MT Renshaw 76, NM Lyon 17, Ex 7)
- MT Renshaw: 150 off 311 balls (16 x 4)
- Australia: 350 runs in 120.5 overs (733 balls), Extras 30
- Over 128.4: Review by Australia (Batting), Decision Challenged - Wicket, Umpire - CB Gaffaney, Batter - NM Lyon (Struck down)
- Tea: Australia - 390/9 in 137.0 overs (MT Renshaw 190, JR Hazlewood 5)
- Innings Break: Australia - 390/10 in 137.2 overs (JR Hazlewood 5)
- Over 2.1: Review by Australia (Bowling), Decision Challenged - Wicket, Umpire - CB Gaffaney, Batter - AK Markram (Struck down)
- Bad Light: South Africa - 27/1 in 8.4 overs (AK Markram 15, DG Bedingham 12)
- End Of Day: South Africa - 27/1 in 8.4 overs (AK Markram 15, DG Bedingham 12)
- Over 7.5: Review by South Africa (Bowling), Decision Challenged - Wicket, Umpire - RA Kettleborough, Batter - TM Head (Upheld)
- Over 8.4: Review by South Africa (Bowling), Decision Challenged - Wicket, Umpire - CB Gaffaney, Batter - M Labuschagne (Struck down)
- Drinks: Australia - 28/2 in 12.0 overs (M Labuschagne 6, SPD Smith 1)
- Australia: 50 runs in 18.3 overs (114 balls), Extras 12
- 3rd Wicket: 50 runs in 72 balls (M Labuschagne 27, SPD Smith 20, Ex 3)
- Lunch: Australia - 84/3 in 26.0 overs (SPD Smith 25)
- Over 25.6: Review by Australia (Batting), Decision Challenged - Wicket, Umpire - RA Kettleborough, Batter - M Labuschagne (Struck down - Umpires Call)
- Over 32.1: Review by South Africa (Bowling), Decision Challenged - Wicket, Umpire - CB Gaffaney, Batter - MT Renshaw (Struck down)
- Australia: 100 runs in 34.2 overs (210 balls), Extras 18
- Drinks: Australia - 115/4 in 38.0 overs (MT Renshaw 13, AT Carey 13)
- Over 41.6: Review by South Africa (Bowling), Decision Challenged - Wicket, Umpire - RA Kettleborough, Batter - BJ Webster (Upheld)
- Tea: Australia - 149/6 in 53.0 overs (MT Renshaw 32, PJ Cummins 9)
- Australia: 150 runs in 54.1 overs (329 balls), Extras 19
- 7th Wicket: 50 runs in 120 balls (MT Renshaw 27, PJ Cummins 23, Ex 0)
- Bad Light: Australia - 187/6 in 65.2 overs (MT Renshaw 46, PJ Cummins 33)
- End Of Day: Australia - 187/6 in 65.2 overs (MT Renshaw 46, PJ Cummins 33)
Match Coverage
All Match NewsAustralia in command after bowlers hunt as a pack to eke out 106-run lead
Steven Smith backed up the bowlers by claiming four catches, two of them stunning efforts, that lifted him past Joe Root for the most Test catches by a non-wicketkeeper
How bad light could shape the South Africa vs Australia Test
Around 45 overs have been lost across three days' play, which needs to be factored into teams' calculations
'Oh my god, Smudge' - Smith seizes the ball and the day for Australia
His four catches, including two stunning efforts at leg slip, helped the visitors take a 106-run lead in Durban
South Africa feel the sting instead of taking it out
They played too many shots, got bowled out for 284 and gave up a 106-run lead to Australia
Renshaw's versatility gives Australia options, and a dilemma
His century at No. 5 in Durban has given Australia a boost, but it also gives them another selection puzzle



