Stumps South Africa 284 & 102 for 4 (Bedingham 46, Markram 45*, Hazlewood 2-20) trail Australia 390 and 314 for 6 dec (Renshaw 82, Maddinson 48, Maharaj 2-56, Nortje 2-56) by 319 runs

Matt Renshaw's torment of a beleaguered South Africa continued after dismissing skipper Temba Bavuma late on day four to claim his maiden Test wicket as Australia moved closer to a decisive series-opening victory in Durban.

Set a record 421-run target, South Africa were in big trouble at 102 for 4 in their second innings as a first Test match defeat under Bavuma's reign looks almost certain.

Australia have produced an almighty performance ever since Renshaw came to the rescue on day one. Renshaw backed up his remarkable 190 in the first innings with a brisk 82 off 99 balls as Australia declared their second innings at 314 for 6 by tea.

Renshaw wasn't nearly done. Having been wicketless from 30 deliveries in his Test career, Renshaw - a part-time offspinner with 20 first-class wickets - was surprisingly handed the ball by skipper Pat Cummins late in the day's play.

But everything he touches right now turns to gold as Bavuma can attest to after he inside-edged onto his pads that bobbed up to short-leg. Renshaw finished with 1 for 16 from 7 overs.

South Africa's slim chances of avoiding defeat likely rests with Aiden Markram, who finished 45 not out from 115 balls in a determined effort. He averages over 60 against Australia compared to his career mark of 35.5.

It was a disappointment for South Africa, who hoped for a much more gutsy effort on a surface that had started to play tricks. After South Africa's batters wasted relatively benign conditions on day three, variable bounce and significant turn has been evident although the surface is not a minefield.

Opener Ryan Rickelton avoided a pair with a tight single off the first ball of the innings, but he didn't offer much resistance after edging a superb high bouncer from Josh Hazlewood.

Markram and Bedingham had produced South Africa's best partnership of the first innings, worth 84 runs, and they again combined well to at least momentarily defy Australia's push.

Bedingham, who top-scored with 49 in the first innings, has enjoyed his elevation to No.3 - a position he had never previously fulfilled in his Test cricket - and stroked a gorgeous boundary through midwicket off Cummins' first delivery.

Cummins was inspirational with the ball on day three, but could not recapture his brilliant best as he leaked four boundaries in his opening two overs. With the surface wearing as expected, Cummins deployed offspinner Nathan Lyon in the 10th over but Bedingham and Markram blunted his effectiveness.

Bedingham looked in serene touch until once again falling agonisingly short of a half-century when on 46 he was trapped lbw by a Hazlewood delivery that angled into the stumps.

Cummins eventually had an impact when he nicked off Tristan Stubbs as South Africa lost wickets in clumps in familiar woes to their tame first innings effort.

Steven Smith did not take to the field after being hit in the helmet by a fierce short ball by quick Anrich Nortje earlier in the day and will undergo further concussion assessments.

Australia's dominance of the final session puts them in position to wrap up the Test early on day five before the unknowns of the afternoon weather. Each of the first three days ended early in the final session due to bad light amid thickening dark clouds that gather like clockwork in Durban at this time of year. However, the ground was bathed in sunshine on the day, which went the distance.

Wary of the weather conditions, Australia had earlier pummelled South Africa, scoring at 5.41 runs an over to ensure they had enough time to win the Test match.

Australia's platform was laid by new opener Nic Maddinson, who set the tone in the morning session with an aggressive approach. Maddinson, a shock selection having not played first-class cricket since March 2025, made a breezy 38-ball 48 in a major relief after his excruciating 33-ball duck in the first innings.

Australia resumed their second innings at 33 for 0 after just 5.4 overs were bowled before the familiar bane of bad light prematurely ended day three. Maddinson hoped to continue his momentum from the previous afternoon, where he avoided a pair with a first-ball boundary.

Maddinson was in an attacking mood, a far cry from the first innings where he looked so tentative, pouncing on width to crack several blows through the off side to quickly overtake his highest Test score of 22.

He overshadowed Travis Head, who on 11 tamely fell to Marco Jansen when a leading edge flew to mid-on. Head let out a groan knowing his fate while his middling away record in Test cricket continued, where he averages 31.6 compared to almost 52 in Australia.

There will also be questions over whether he should switch positions with Renshaw and move back to No. 5, with Head having a highest score of only 29 in his last six innings. Bavuma turned to spinner Simon Harmer early in the session, but Maddinson greeted him with a huge six down the ground as he moved to the brink of his half-century.

However, he could do little against a superb yorker from Nortje that crashed into the stumps. Nortje could not sustain the pressure, with Smith shaking off the blow to his helmet by peeling off a trio of boundaries as the runs flowed.

Bavuma deployed Harmer and Keshav Maharaj, who were ineffective with just one wicket between them in Australia's first innings. Smith's eyes lit up as he danced down the pitch to smash Harmer down the ground to raise his half-century partnership with Marnus Labuschagne. But he could not repeat the dose moments later, holing out to the towering figure of Jansen who clung on at the second attempt.

Labuschagne appeared set for his first Test half-century since the Brisbane Ashes Test last December, but he trudged off the field in frustration after hitting Maharaj to cover. He finished with the exact same score (37) off the exact same balls (58) in both innings

After runs flowed in the first session, South Africa attempted to slow down the scoring but Renshaw could not be contained. He fittingly reached his half-century with a reverse-sweep to the boundary off Harmer, once again waving his bat to the sparse crowd.

Renshaw appeared set to make it twin tons for the match until he was caught and bowled by Maharaj, who juggled the catch low to the ground with third umpire Richard Illingworth adjudicating that he got his fingers under the ball.

Even after Renshaw was eventually dismissed, South Africa's pain continued when Cummins threw the bat with great effect, including three sixes off an over from the hapless Harmer who finished with 1-121 off 25 overs.