Australia are heading for victory in Durban after another dominant day. They raced to 314/6 declared in only 58 overs, with Matt Renshaw making 82 and Nic Maddinson a 38-ball 48, before wearing down the South Africans with the ball.

Aiden Markram played an exemplary innings and will resume on 45 not out, but he and David Bedingham (46) were the only men to reach double figures. Bedingham played some eye-catching strokes before falling to the superb Josh Hazlewood.

Renshaw’s dream match continued with his first Test wicket when the South African captain Temba Bavuma was caught at short leg. It’s Renshaw’s match, and barring a miracle it will end in a massive Australia victory tomorrow afternoon.

40th over: South Africa 101-4 (Markram 44, Mulder 5) Mulder waves Renshaw for a single to bring up the South African hundred. Renshaw finishes another dream day with figures of 7-1-16-1, including his first Test wicket.

39th over: South Africa 99-4 (Markram 43, Mulder 4) Markram, a model of defiance, plays out yet another maiden, this one from Lyon. Should be time for two more overs.

38th over: South Africa 99-4 (Markram 43, Mulder 4) Mulder gets off the mark from his 13th delivery by slashing Renshaw past backward point for four. You’d expect the occasional bad ball from an occasional spinner, but Renshaw is also getting a few to really bite. Mulder is hit on the pad by one such delivery – it was too high for an LBW – and then bat-pads wide of short leg.

37th over: South Africa 95-4 (Markram 43, Mulder 0) Australia’s second spinner, Nathan Lyon, returns for a couple of overs before the close. An errant delivery is turned to the fine leg boundary by Markram, who lest we forget averages 63 in Tests against the Aussies. That’s almost double his average (32.20) against everyone else.

36th over: South Africa 91-4 (Markram 39, Mulder 0) A big offbreak from Renshaw bounces to hit Markram amidships. He follows that with a long hop that Markram pumps through extra cover for four. In the face of almost certain defeat, Markram has played admirably.

Mulder offers no stroke to another big offspinner from Renshaw that bounces over off stump. Renshaw is having the time of his life.

35th over: South Africa 86-4 (Markram 34, Mulder 0) An accurate maiden from Cummins to Mulder, who appears to have joined Markram in playing exclusively for the close. It’s about 20 minutes away.

34th over: South Africa 86-4 (Markram 34, Mulder 0) A maiden from Renshaw to Markram, who continues to bat in his defensive bubble. He’s scored 34 from 94 balls and 15 from the last 56.

33rd over: South Africa 86-4 (Markram 34, Mulder 0) Josh Hazlewood’s dismissal of David Bedingham was Australia’s cue to go for the kill: they’ve taken three wickets for 13 in the last 10.1 overs.

32nd over: South Africa 86-3 (Markram 34, Stubbs 1) Renshaw continues and has a strangled shout for LBW against Stubbs. Inside edge, probably outside the line.

31st over: South Africa 84-3 (Markram 33, Stubbs 0) Stubbs pushes absent-mindedly outside off stump and is beaten by Cummins. Australia go up for caught behind when Stubbs tries to jump inside a bouncer. I think it flicked his shoulder, but it was a no-ball anyway.

Plenty of noise from the Australian fielders. With the light still good, they fancy their chances of breaking the back of the South African innings tonight.

30th over: South Africa 82-3 (Markram 32, Stubbs 0) Who writes Matt Renshaw’s scripts?

29th over: South Africa 81-2 (Markram 31, Bavuma 1) Lyon is replaced by Cummins after a single over. Bavuma feels defensively outside off stump and is beaten. Another maiden, and the pressure is starting to build again.

28th over: South Africa 81-2 (Markram 31, Bavuma 1) Markram has been largely strokeless in the past hour, an approach he continues for most of a maiden over from Starc. Markram has scored 12 from his last 42 balls.

27th over: South Africa 81-2 (Markram 31, Bavuma 1) The lights are on, even though it remains sunny at Kingsmead. Lyon returns after the drinks break and starts round the wicket to Markram with a slip, leg slip and short leg. Markram defends solidly, as he has throughout the innings, before working a single to square leg.

26th over: South Africa 80-2 (Markram 30, Bavuma 1) Bavuma works Starc to fine leg for a single to get off the mark. No sign yet of Starc getting the ball to reverse – that was a pretty harmless over, and it’s time for drinks.

25th over: South Africa 77-2 (Markram 28, Bavuma 0) The light in Durban remains good, so play should continue for longer than on the first three days.

Hazlewood continues to get some subtle reverse swing to the right-handers. Bavuma plays very carefully, protecting his off stump, and it’s another maiden. Hazlewood’s figures are terrific: 8-3-20-2.

24th over: South Africa 77-2 (Markram 28, Bavuma 0) Starc replaces Renshaw and almost gets Markram with a delivery from round the wicket that keeps low. Markram crouches to deflect it into the ground and over the stumps.

Markram, who had been becalmed, crunches a wide half-volley from Starc through the covers for four. That’s his first boundary since the 12th over. But Markram has hurt his right shoulder and is getting some treatment from the physio.

23rd over: South Africa 73-2 (Markram 24, Bavuma 0) David Bedingham faced 141 balls in this match, and for 139 of them he looked a seriously good player. That’s the life of a batter.

Bedingham has fallen just short of a half-century for the second time. He push-drove and pulled Hazlewood for high-class boundaries, only to walk across a straight delivery that moved inexorably towards his front pad. Hazlewood was so delighted that he didn’t even appeal; Bedingham hung his head and walked off without seriously considering a review. There was a little bit of reverse inswing, but ultimately it was a misjudgement from Bedingham.

22nd over: South Africa 65-1 (Markram 24, Bedingham 38) And now for something completely different: the occasional spin of Matt Renshaw. He’s already the player of the match so there’s a certain logic to it, and he finds a bit of slow turn during a decent first over. Two singles from it.

21st over: South Africa 63-1 (Markram 23, Bedingham 37) Hazlewood wobbles into the crease and beats Markram with a snorter outside off stump. Perfect length, extra bounce and a bit of seam movement.

There has also been a hint – a suggestion – of reverse swing when Hazlewood has pitched it up in this spell. A mini-grubber is kept out well by Markram, who is playing an excellent defensive innings. Hazlewood has been the pick of the bowlers in this innings and has figures of 6-2-12-1.

20th over: South Africa 62-1 (Markram 22, Bedingham 37) Lyon has a slip and two short legs for Bedingham, who forces a couple into the leg side off the final ball of the over. Australia won’t be worried yet, but they would very much like to break this partnership tonight.

19th over: South Africa 60-1 (Markram 22, Bedingham 35) Hazlewood replaces Cummins and slips one past Bedingham’s outside edge. The follow-up ball is straighter and slightly fuller, looking for the LBW. Bedingham is good enough to flick it through midwicket for four. That brings up a determined fifty partnership with Markram.

Including these two, there have been 19 scores between 21 and 49 in this game. Matt Renshaw remains the only man to reach fifty.

18th over: South Africa 55-1 (Markram 22, Bedingham 30) Three singles from Lyon’s fifth over. I’m not sure you’re ever in on this pitch, unless you’re Matt Renshaw, but Markram and Bedingham are playing nicely.

17th over: South Africa 52-1 (Markram 21, Bedingham 28) Oohs and aahs from the Australians when Markram inside-edges a low full toss from Cummins onto his pad. Turns out it was a no-ball anyway.

That might it for Cummins after five overs of toil. Australia would love one or two more wickets before the close, whenever that may be.

“Could there be a more Marnus possibility than dropping him for the next Test, and then bringing him in as Steve Smith’s concussion replacement?” wonders Pete Salmon.

Cricket loves a full circle.

16th over: South Africa 49-1 (Markram 20, Bedingham 27) Lyon tries his luck around the wicket to Bedingham, then moves back over. Nothing doing in that over, but Lyon could claim a decent record in this Test: the most wickets in the fourth innings of a Test victory. Shane Warne leads the way with 106; Lyon is on 104. Winning games in the fourth innings is a point of pride for all spinners.

15th over: South Africa 46-1 (Markram 19, Bedingham 25) Bedingham’s fifth boundary is another superb shot, flick-pulled behind backward square leg off Cummins. I still think he’s taking a risk on a slightly uneven pitch, but he timed and placed that one beautifully.

14th over: South Africa 42-1 (Markram 19, Bedingham 21) So far, so good with the light. Lyon continues after the drinks break and induces a false stroke from Bedingham, who inside-edges an attempted whip into his front pad. With Bedingham going a long way across to Lyon, Pat Cummins puts in a leg slip. The close fielders are extremely chirpy, particularly with Lyon is bowling to Bedingham.

The over ends with an unsuccessful LBW appeal against Markram, who played around a big off-break but just managed to get outside the line. It feels like a wicket is coming at Lyon’s end.

13th over: South Africa 41-1 (Markram 19, Bedingham 20) A quiet over from Cummins takes us to the drinks break. Markram has 19 from 37 balls, Bedingham 20 from 29.

12th over: South Africa 40-1 (Markram 19, Bedingham 19) Markham is surprised by some extra bounce from Lyon and edges for four. I thought it went straight past slip but replays show it hit the elbow of Carey, who had almost no reaction time, and then deflected past Labuschagne. Even Steve Smith would have struggled to catch that.

“Checking out the biggest chases,” writes Mark. “There were plenty of runs in the 2002 series. Aussies chased down 331 to win then SA 335 in Durban. Proper peak Aussie side too: Hayden, Langer, Ponting, Waugh, Waugh, Martyn, Gilchrist, Warne, Gillespie, Lee, McGrath. Warnie bowled 70 overs in one innings in the 2nd Test!! No workload management there...”

That was when Australia struggled with another DRS: Dead Rubber Syndrome. Most of their defeats in that time were when the series had already been won. Cracking series, though, as they usually are between these two. Adam Gilchrist’s 138 not out at Cape Town is one of the best counter-attacking innings I’ve ever seen. He smashed 204 with about 10 sixes, in the first Test of the series but I think the 138 was even better.

11th over: South Africa 36-1 (Markram 15, Bedingham 19) Markram square drives Cummins for four, a classy shot from a brilliant player. Cummins’ response is an unpleasant lifter; Markram gets on top of it but throws his head back in surprise.

When Markram rotates strike, Bedingham pulls smoothly behind square for four. Not sure it’s the best approach in these circumstances, but he plays some extremely attractive strokes.

10th over: South Africa 27-1 (Markram 10, Bedingham 15) A double bowling change from Pat Cummins, who introduces Nathan Lyon inside the first 10 overs. “Awwwwwwwwww Gary, I like it!” drawls Marnus Labuschagne after his second delivery is defended by Bedingham.

Bedingham, possibly affected by all the chatter, tries to cut a wide ball and is beaten.

9th over: South Africa 26-1 (Markram 9, Bedingham 15) Pat Cummins replaces Starc. His first ball sits up on middle stump and is timed expertly to the midwicket boundary by Bedingham.

After playing and missing outside off, Bedingham forces a back-foot drive behind square for his third boundary. Another lovely stroke, but Australia won’t mind because the margin for error is small.

8th over: South Africa 18-1 (Markram 9, Bedingham 7) A terrific shot from Bedingham, who stands tall and times Hazlewood to the cover boundary. He almost throws his wicket with an airy-fairy hook next ball; Australia enquired for a catch but it flew past the top edge.

7th over: South Africa 13-1 (Markram 9, Bedingham 2) Starc is bowling over the wicket to Bedingham and around to Markram. The days of one-size-fits-all bowling are long gone. Bedingham throws his hands at a wider delivery and cloths a single into the covers; Markram defends the rest of the over.

“Reckon they’re about 17 short,” writes Luca. “We chased down 438, why not 421?”

6th over: South Africa 12-1 (Markram 9, Bedingham 1) Hazlewood concedes his first run from his 16th delivery when Bedingham clips into the leg side. He’s been fiendishly accurate so far, with nothing even vaguely loose.

Cricket Australia have confirmed that Steve Smith is being assessed after being hit on the head by Anrich Nortje earlier in the day. The second Test begins on Sunday.

5th over: South Africa 11-1 (Markram 9, Bedingham 0) Markram is tempted into a drive by Starc, still bowling round the wicket, and thick edges it behind square for four. Australia have so many runs to play with that they’ll be happy to see Markram trying to drive.

Markram looks quizzically down the pitch after sniffing a ferocious lifter from Starc. South Africa surely have no chance of surviving 100+ overs on an increasingly awkward pitch.

4th over: South Africa 7-1 (Markram 5, Bedingham 0) Hazlewood v Rickelton in this Test: 12 balls, 0 runs, 2 wickets.

3rd over: South Africa 7-0 (Rickelton 2, Markram 5) An errant delivery from Starc is excellently saved by Carey, leaping to his left down the leg side.

No movement of note for Starc and Hazlewood just yet. We could see Nathan Lyon very early in the innings.

2nd over: South Africa 5-0 (Rickelton 1, Markram 4) Josh Hazlewood, who induced a loose drive from Rickelton in the first innings, starts with a few tempters outside off stump. Rickelton resists the bait and defends the straight ones. A maiden.

Steve Smith is off the field, presumably because of the blow he suffered during his innings this morning. That’s a concern, especially with his concussion history. Michael Neser is on as sub.

1st over: South Africa 5-0 (Rickelton 1, Markram 4) Ryan Rickelton gets off a pair straight away by taking a quick single to mid-off.

Starc digs a few deliveries in to Aiden Markram, then pitches one up to see whether there’s any swing. Not on this occasion: Markram leans into a gorgeous cover drive that rushes away for four.

That prompts Starc to go round the wicket for the last ball, which lifts to beat Markram’s defensive push.

In other news

Mitchell Starc will open the bowling as per. Australia are likely to have just two hours in the field tonight.

“If SA are to get anywhere close to a draw and a wi... [come on now], someone, if not a few of their batters will need to join Matt Renshaw’s sublime Test by getting on the half-century list,” writes Guy Hornsby. “This final session, like so many I’ve witnessed as an England fan, will be crucial.

“Get to the close one down and there’s hope, but how many times have this quartet rattled a few top order wickets out when they’re applying the thumbscrew? After the quicks, a man licking his lips since he walked off yesterday, will be central to this all: Nathan Lyon.”

I hope I’m wrong, and that it goes to the final over tomorrow, but I think it’ll be done by lunch. I’ve just checked the tea leaves and all I can read is Edgbaston 2019.

A lot was made of South Africa picking two spinners in this Test. It may not happen again for a while: Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj have combined figures of 4-320 from 82.2 overs.

57th over: Australia 291-6 (Webster 35, Cummins 13) Cummins mistimes a reverse sweep off Maharaj and is dropped by Bedingham, a tough chance running back from short third. Later in the over, Webster marmalises a wide ball to the cover boundary.

South Africa are having an increasingly miserable time out there, which is all part of the Australian plan.

56th over: Australia 281-6 (Webster 29, Cummins 9) In the first innings, Australia were under all kinds of pressure when Pat Cummins came to the crease. There’s no pressure today, only freedom. Cummins embraces it by belting Harmer over midwicket for six.

“Something tells me this is not ‘declaration batting’, but rather a statement for the rest of the series,” says Gervase Greene. “And perhaps the one following too.
Given the Durban sunsets make for such truncated sessions, there’s no way even a well-performing South African batting order could chase 350-plus. Let alone this lot. I think Cummins and Smith know this is a draw in progress, and are set on rubbing their opponents’ faces in it.”

I don’t see it that way; I think Australia will win this game comfortably. Modern captains love shutting the door before a declaration, knowing it gives their opponents a form of cognitive dissonance in the fourth innings. You want us to bat for a draw?

55th over: Australia 270-6 (Webster 27, Cummins 0) Matt Renshaw ends the match of his life with 272 runs and a ticket to India.

The ball after driving six over long-on, Renshaw popped a drive back towards the bowler. Maharaj dropped it twice in his follow through but took the catch at the third attempt when the ball fell into his left hand while he was on all fours. A most unusual catch to end another brilliant innings from Renshaw: 82 from 99 balls with seven fours and two sixes.

54th over: Australia 259-5 (Renshaw 75, Webster 23) Now Renshaw puts Harmer away on the off side, driving beautifully through extra cover for four. He’s in the zone of his life and – time permitting – seems nailed on for another century.

53rd over: Australia 249-5 (Renshaw 69, Webster 19) Webster, who is looking more fluent now, flicks Jansen behind square for another boundary.

It’ll be fascinating to see how South Africa approach their second innings. Graeme Smith’s great team of the early 2010s relished batting for a draw, most famously at Adelaide in 2012-13. But the last time any South African team managed to do that was in Colombo 12 years ago.

52nd over: Australia 242-5 (Renshaw 67, Webster 14) Harmer overpitches to Renshaw, who pops him lazily over midwicket for six. That’s a fabulous shot, both relaxed and dominant.

“It’s hardly breaking news,” writes Gary Naylor, “but to watch Australia play below-par cricket, collectively at least, in the first Test of a series away to the world champions, and be cruising to a win, is galling to say the least. I know ‘sporting DNA’ isn’t a thing, well it is if we’re talking clichés, but how else to account for this? Yours, already with the fear.”

I know what you mean about a below-par performance, but their collective bowling display was superb. That + Renshaw + a decent toss + South African rust = 1-0.

51st over: Australia 229-5 (Renshaw 55, Webster 13) Renshaw works Jansen off the hip for another single. Four days ago he had a Test average of 28; it’s now 37.

Webster gets his first boundary with an edge for four. It went between Verreynne and Markram, standing slightly wide at slip, though it wouldn’t have carried anyway.

Verreynne appeals for caught behind when Webster chases a wide yorker. Jansen isn’t interested and replays show there was no contact. The over concludes with an excellent stroke from Webster, who times Jansen behind square for four more.

50th over: Australia 220-5 (Renshaw 54, Webster 5) Webster bat-pads Harmer wide of Bedingham at short leg. He’s struggling to get going – 4 from 18 balls – so pulls out the reverse sweep to rotate strike.

Harmer gets the last ball before drinks to turn sharply into Webster, who defends awkwardly. It’s another reminder that Australia hold 99.94% of the aces in this game.

“Rob,” says John Starbuck. “It’s beginning to look as if ‘Renshaw’ is turning into a verb.”

A synonym of Bradman? Or perhaps of G Kirsten, who holds the record for the most runs in a Durban Test: 286 against England in 1999-2000.

The best cricket-surname verb is surely ‘to Waqar’.

49th over: Australia 218-5 (Renshaw 53, Webster 4) Marco Jansen, who has bowled only five overs in the innings, returns to the attack. Male pride notwithstanding, I’d be tempted to save his legs for Gqeberha and Cape Town, because there’s surely no way South Africa can win this Test.

A quiet over, one from it. Australia lead by 324.

48th over: Australia 217-5 (Renshaw 53, Webster 3) Renshaw is still the only man to reach fifty in this Test, and now he’s done it twice. Not that ‘reaching fifty’ does justice to his mighty 190 in the first innings. It’s a heartwarming story. Never give up on your dreams, eh.

REVIEW! Australia 215-5 (Renshaw not out 52) Thanks Geoff, hello everyone. I’m straight into the action with a successful review from Matthew Renshaw, who was originally given out LBW after trying to reverse sweep Harmer. He reviewed instantly and replays showed a little brush on the glove.

47th over, Australia 215-5 (Renshaw 52, Webster 2) Just trying to survive, is Webster, facing Nortje. He’s suddenly seemed tentative in his last few Test innings, after being very effective in his first few. Gets hit by Nortje, tries to duck a bouncer but there’s a lot of Webster to go under a ball. Doesn’t score from the over.

That’s it for me today. I’ll leave you with Rob Smyth.

45th over, Australia 210-5 (Renshaw 48, Webster 1) Almost gone, Webster! Big nick into the cordon, but it bounces just short of slip. He manages to push a run from the next ball.

“I’ve noticed Durban has been receiving a fair bit of undue stick as a Test venue,” is how Julian Menz begins the case for the defence. “My family spent some time in Durban when I was a kid, and watching Natal (as it was known) at Kingsmead was my first real introduction to cricket. The likes of Barry Richards and Mike Procter in their pomp. It’s a beautiful ground, in a beautiful part of the world, with a fantastic history. Yes, the light fades fast, and late-afternoon thunderstorms are common, but that is no reason to dismiss it as a Test venue. I don’t have the stats, but I doubt more time is lost on average to rain/bad light in Durban than at English grounds, for example.”

No doubt a beautiful spot, I very much enjoyed travelling to Durban. I think it’s fair, though, if bad light is so predictably and routinely a problem, to question scheduling there. Any venue can get rain, but that’s an erratic risk. Plus the fact that literally nobody has shown up to watch today. The visible spectators are in the dozens.

44th over, Australia 206-5 (Renshaw 45, Webster 0) The long figure of Beau Webster now to the middle. Has a big sweep at Harmer, no love.

42nd over, Australia 197-4 (Renshaw 44, Carey 16) The singles keep on gathering, four more in this over. There’s still the odd big turning ball from Harmer, but no damage from that turn as yet.

41st over, Australia 193-4 (Renshaw 42, Carey 14) Nortje is down on the boundary line getting his foot strapping renovated, adding a reading nook and knocking out a new window into the kitchenette. Comes back to bowl the over, jogs to the middle, and bowls over the wicket to Carey. Nortje is up in appeal, but Carey smashed that into his pad, the ball goes sideways into the knee roll on the back leg. Carey follows up with a back-foot punch for a couple, then is beaten cutting.

40th over, Australia 191-4 (Renshaw 42, Carey 12) Harmer toils on, got the one wicket went Steve Smith went weird, but this is pretty dry stuff here. He’s bowling really wide of Carey’s off stump, turning it away, looking to draw an overly adventurous shot.

39th over, Australia 189-4 (Renshaw 41, Carey 11) Edged but safe! Renshaw goes up to 228 runs for the match as he edges Nortje through the cordon. Notional cordon. There’s one slip, then a big gap to two gullies, and naturally the ball finds the gap rather than the gully. Four runs. Then a couple more through square, and one dropped to the off. He’s so adept at collecting runs, is Renshaw.

38th over, Australia 181-4 (Renshaw 34, Carey 10) Harmer gets some big turn in the over. Two left-handers to turn the ball away from. Walking up with his distinctive approach: Sunday stroll into swan dive, both arms out and wrists turned up like he lives on the top of a wedding cake.

Looking more closely to answer Jonah’s question more accurately, I would say the attendance today is absolutely bloody bugger-all.

37th over, Australia 179-4 (Renshaw 33, Carey 9) That’s a fair old start after tea. First ball he faces, Carey steps forward and laces Nortje through cover. Lovely shot. Big appeal from the last ball of the over, Carey hit on the pad around leg stump, but it was likely pitching outside or impact outside. The speed gun says 150.1 kph for that one. Mind you, it also has Starc’s fastest at 148 and Cummins at 146, and I’m not sure either of them has bowled that fast for some years. (Feel free to factcheck me if you have the stats software.)

Jonah Sack drops us a line. “Anyone in the stadium today? I know it’s a weekday but Durban crowds are the absolute worst. I’ve always thought we should keep Tests away from that ground because no one comes! Plus, bad light at the end of the day is guaranteed — why they don’t start earlier in Durbs I’ll never know.”

Well, if they started any earlier then it would be a dawn service. 9:30am is the break of day for Test cricket. Grounds tend to be damp from overnight moisture in the morning, too, that takes some time to dry off. As for the crowd, doesn’t look like many in the stands for a Monday’s play.

Eamonn Maloney on the correspondence: “As I was reading this I was myself making a defenceless attempt at fruit [Ed: see the Maddinson wicket post] trying to understand the modest orchard at our new house (no gardener, me). If any of your readers have any loquat recipes I’d be obligated (that’s what the online plant identifier suggests it is, and it’s going, ahem, bananas).”

The little orange guys? They’re called nespereira in Portuguese. Lots of them on the trees in my yard here. Lovely flavour, tart and light. My only advice is that they do not keep at all, barely for a day, so only pick them as you’re ready to eat them. Cooking, I did try stewing some with a little orange juice, not bad though the texture gets a bit leathery. Not sure if there’s anything more elaborate one can do.

Paul from Leichhardt emails in. “I’m inclined to see Maddinson’s innings not just in personal terms (a slightly crazed hit-and-hope strategy after his travails in the first dig) but also to see it as a pretty gutsy contribution to what the team needs. Given how many overs get lost to bad light in Durban, Australia really need to motor along in their second innings if they’re going to set a decent target and have enough overs left.”

Yep, that’s fair. It could be a bit of both.

36th over, Australia 174-4 (Renshaw 32, Carey 5) How has Renshaw done that? Harmer has bowled that ball a foot outside leg stump, and Renshaw, as a left-hander, has reverse-swept it through cover! I don’t know how he even reached that, let alone got so much leverage to hit it back onto the off side, let alone got such timing that it split the fielders and rolled to the rope. That’s astonishing.

Lovely bowling from Harmer to Carey after that, flight and dip and turn, just misses the outside edge. The umpire’s do a stumping review of their own volition, but Carey’s fine.

35th over, Australia 169-4 (Renshaw 27, Carey 5) Just a couple of singles from Nortje as the grind goes on.

34th over, Australia 167-4 (Renshaw 26, Carey 4) Still not very expansive batting against Harmer, though Renshaw does take off for a kamikaze run, but manages to return to base and land safely when Carey tells him the mission is cancelled.

33rd over, Australia 165-4 (Renshaw 25, Carey 3) Finally a change of pace, literally, as Nortje comes back. He’s still got some pep, gets one ball to zip past Carey’s edge.

32nd over, Australia 163-4 (Renshaw 24, Carey 2) Carey a good option to keep the score moving, backs away and cuts Harmer, but it’s stopped at backward point for one.

31st over, Australia 161-4 (Renshaw 23, Carey 1) Three from Maharaj. Renshaw almost sweeps a ball onto his stumps, a little glove and pad and it rolls back past his heel towards the stumps, has him swivelling around trying to knock it away, but it misses leg stump.

30th over, Australia 157-4 (Renshaw 21, Carey 0) Harmer a quiet one. Carey in the middle. Australia 264 ahead.

29th over, Australia 157-4 (Renshaw 20) Oh no! Markram tries to do a Steve Smith, and he gets flummoxed for his trouble. The pressure to mimic a bit of genius. Renshaw shapes to reverse sweep Maharaj, and Markram things he’ll be clever and jump across towards the off side like Smith did. Instead, Renshaw gets a bit of glove on the ball, underside of his glove, and it rolls very fine through the spot where Markram might have stopped it.

Next ball, another reverse, this one flat and square and down into the ground! Through square for four. Renshaw hit one of those in the first innings. It doesn’t matter how much anticipation the slip has if you hit your reverse into the ground first. Note to Bavuma and Verreyne.

Labuschagne falls from the last ball of the over.

28th over, Australia 147-3 (Labuschagne 36, Renshaw 11) Australia 251 ahead. How bold will they be with a declaration? The other factor is Labuschagne’s score. He’s been out in the 30s three times in his last six hits. Can he go bigger today?

27th over, Australia 144-3 (Labuschagne 34, Renshaw 10) Again the reverse sweep brings four for the score, but it’s four byes, because Renshaw’s missed shot distracts the keeper. Verreyne is very annoyed with himself for forgetting Keeping 101: assume the batter will miss the ball, then react if they don’t.

26th over, Australia 138-3 (Labuschagne 33, Renshaw 9) Haring singles, four in the over from Harmer, this pair working well.

25th over, Australia 134-3 (Labuschagne 31, Renshaw 7) Off the mark with a boundary, Renshaw, though not one that mirrors the control of his century. Tries a reverse sweep out of the rough, almost misses it, tiny little edge that gets it past the keeper for runs. Singles galore, eight from the over, they’re 240 ahead.

Was Smith declaration batting? We’ve lost overs each day, so if Australia are anticipating getting only two and a bit sessions today and tomorrow, maybe they need to declare by an hour after lunch? Not sure.

24th over, Australia 126-3 (Labuschagne 29, Renshaw 0) So here comes the first-innings hero.

23rd over, Australia 119-2 (Labuschagne 29, Smith 21) Maharaj a single. The partnership approaches 50, the lead is up to 225.

22nd over, Australia 118-2 (Labuschagne 29, Smith 20) South Africa burn a review, getting eager for a wicket as Harmer hits Labuschagne on the pad, sweeping. “It’s hit him in line, but I don’t know where it’s going,” Harmer tells his captain, which is not a ringing endorsement for a review, and Harmer isn’t pushing for one. The fielders ask themselves if they should take it, shrugging and pointing for 14.9 seconds, then finally say yes. It’s hit in line with middle but it’s turning well past leg stump.

Before that was another nice wristy Labuschagne hockey drive through cover for four.

21st over, Australia 114-2 (Labuschagne 25, Smith 20) Smith is building, with a couple more runs cutting Maharaj.

20th over, Australia 111-2 (Labuschagne 24, Smith 18) Harmer still the one keeping the brakes on, just walking in off a couple of steps and dropping it on the spot, but there’s no threat there as yet. Lyon looked much more dangerous yesterday. A single, and that’s drinks.

19th over, Australia 110-2 (Labuschagne 23, Smith 18) Nortje off, as expected. Maharaj on for double spin. But the double spinners have had no impact on this match so far. Got one bloke out for 190. Maharaj is driven nicely through midwicket for four, Labuschagne plays that shot against spin when he’s really purring. He looked terrific in the first dig, too. Is this the day he can convert?

18th over, Australia 102-2 (Labuschagne 17, Smith 16) Back to Harmer, two runs from his over after 14 from Nortje’s. Hard for a bowler to come in after so long out of long-form cricket. He’s produced the Maddinson wicket, and some vicious balls, but can go for plenty as well.

17th over, Australia 100-2 (Labuschagne 16, Smith 15) Is this a tactic from Nortje? He’s bowling very wide to Smith, some short and some fuller, but all of them way outside the off stump. If it is a tactic, it’s a bad one. He gets wided, then flayed from a shorter length behind point. Even wider next ball, but full, and somehow Smith smashes that one as well! Could barely reach it. That’s reminiscent of Smith’s 2016 streak, when his hand-eye could see him make contact with anything. Just the very toe of the bat as Smith heaves at it, but gets such good contact the ball flies away behind point. Then a wide, and a far more gentle gliding shot through the same area from a shorter length, as Smith hits three fours in three legal deliveries.

16th over, Australia 86-2 (Labuschagne 16, Smith 3) Harmer bowling some tidy overs, a real contrast in styles with Nortje. Smith eventually drives one down the ground.

15th over, Australia 85-2 (Labuschagne 16, Smith 2) What a shot from Labuschagne! A one-legged, twirling, deflecting pull shot, against searing pace from Nortje. The ball coming up at his shoulder, and he times his movement perfectly to use that pace, initially looking as though he might duck the ball, then getting the bat up to play that shot as he did so. Four, and four more with authority as Nortje bowls a less short one, too wide outside off, crashed away through cover with a horizontal bat. He’s on!

14th over, Australia 77-2 (Labuschagne 8, Smith 2) No run from Harmer’s over. Smith blocks out the first five balls, then uncharacteristically sweeps at the last one. That’s how he got out in Delhi in 2023, and it was weird that he played the shot then as well. Almost gets out here, too – he misses it and survives an lbw shout. No review.

13th over, Australia 77-2 (Labuschagne 8, Smith 2) Nortje bowling, with a couple of fielders back for the bouncer and three in the cordon. Length, single, but you know the short one is coming, and… bang. Nails Smith in the helmet! yGlancing blow, thankfullOn the back of the lid, there’s a scuff mark on the baize. Smith runs a leg bye, then waits for new headgear. Takes a long time, then the first ball back, Nortje hits Labsuchagne as well. Not in the head, thankfully. Really nasty bouncer thought, up at the throat, and he fends it off in a tangle of gloves.

12th over, Australia 74-2 (Labuschagne 7, Smith 1) Peace returns, with Smith and Labuschagne nudging Harmer about. Australia lead by 182.

11th over, Australia 72-2 (Labuschagne 6) What to make of that innings? Good on him for making a few, after what must have been a difficult day following his first innings. No doubt some will frame it as Maddinson blazing runs and answering the critics, etc etc. I’d say that if we’re honest, there was a note of desperation in there. He’s definitely a talented shotmaker, so he used his skills in that area. It’s was also clearly a specific attempt by him to play differently from that shotless first innings. Have a go and hope for the best. It worked ok today, it’s not a recipe for opening the batting in Tests though. It would have become very interesting if he’d lasted another few overs!

10th over, Australia 71-1 (Maddinson 48, Labuschagne 5) The Maddo Express keeps rolling, loaded heavy with receipts. South Africa turn to spin, Maddinson puts one foot down the track and lofts Harmer down the ground for six. This is a spectacle. Follows up with a couple more hits down the ground for two runs apiece. His score keeps rattling the loose shingle numbers on the board.

9th over, Australia 59-1 (Maddinson 37, Labuschagne 4) Another edge, Labuschagne this time, getting lucky against Jansen, down through the cordon for three runs, hauled back just in time. That brings Maddinson back on strike… and he immediately whacks another one! Again width, and he plays the same shot he kept trying in the first innings, except that this time he hits the ball. Top edgy, over the cordon, four.

8th over, Australia 51-1 (Maddinson 33, Labuschagne 1) Junk from Mulder! Short and wide, and Maddinson again hurls the hands and this time slams it through cover, got every piece of that with an angled bat. This is gonna be a fun day on the internet for all of us who said it was madness to pick him, when he nails a ton off 60 balls. He adds a couple more to leg. Flying.

6th over Australia 37-0 (Maddinson 21, Head 11): Just two balls remaining from Mulder’s final over of last night. Maddinson picks up where he left off! Hurling the bat at width, and getting something on it to slice it away for four.

And we’re about to get things under way on day four. Mulder has the ball in his hand, Maddinson is on strike. Let’s do this.

One of the aforementioned bowling quartet, Nathan Lyon, says he’s in the best shape of his career at the ripe old age of 38, nearly 39. His secret? Giving up the booze and an intense fitness regime. He’s what he had to say about it, after figures of 2-58 on day three.

The amount of work that I’ve put in, I’ve never had any doubt that I’ll get back. I haven’t had any alcohol for a fair while now, but I’m just trying to squeeze as much out of the lemon as possible that I can. I still feel like there’s a lot of decent cricket ahead of me, that’s for sure.

The weather looks sunny, fine, humid, 27C, for Durban today. Until the lights go off. Sticky bowling conditions.

Australia’s day in the field was all about The Quartet, those four absurdly credentialled bowlers who are still going strong. Here’s my piece from yesterday.