Key events
ICYMI, my learned friend Jack Snape scoured David Boon’s to-do list as the former Australia top-order batter puts memories of facing the West Indies’ bowling cartel behind him to now tackle the equally unenviable task of guiding the big ship that is Cricket Australia.
David Boon walked on to one of the stickier wickets in Australian sport on Wednesday, after Cricket Australia warned the national pastime faces years of financial losses and a period of “cost minimisation”. The outlook is grim, and that’s without a glance towards a cricketing world of emboldened match-fixers and upturned by Indian interests, facing an Australian summer that is no longer the country’s own.
The moustached former Test No 3 batter was sent into the middle due to the ousting of Mike Baird, whose place as chair was pulled out from under him by New South Wales officials unhappy at the manner of his pursuit of BBL private investment.
The runs are flowing once again in the ODI tri-series between England-Sri Lanka-Pakistan, this time with openers Ben Duckett and Tom Banton enjoying the flat deck at Lahore. We hope you don’t venture too far away, and not for more than another half hour, but do check in on the white-ball action over at …
Lunch: Australia lead by 82 runs
An even session in keeping with much of this series. Australia added 81 runs while South Africa picked up four wickets including Josh Inglis (102) a couple of deliveries after he raised the bat for a century and Alex Carey (80) just as he looked well down the path to also reaching three figures. Simon Harmer claimed those two crucial wickets and he heads to the break with 4 for 104 from 37 overs as the Newlands deck shows signs of favouring the spinners. Cooper Connolly (20 not out) looked solid after a shaky start and was comfortable protecting the strike as Australia look to push their lead past 100 and perhaps well beyond.
117th over: Australia 411-8 (Connolly 20, Lyon 1) Lyon keeps Harmer out as South Africa crowd the bat. A maiden over and that’s lunch on day three.
116th over: Australia 411-8 (Connolly 20, Lyon 1) Coetzee keeps Connolly on strike as he spends half the over pitching the ball short and the rest sending it out wide. A maiden gives Harmer a shot at Lyon before lunch.
115th over: Australia 411-8 (Connolly 20, Lyon 1) Harmer gets the ball to straighten up and beat Connolly’s inside edge. The ball raps him on the pads and the South Africans are up in arms. But the umpire has little interest and Bavuma has even less in considering a review. A single to deep point from the fifth delivery helps keep Connolly on strike.
Cooper Connolly is doing all that he can with the bat at the moment. But he has been underused with the ball in his only two Tests with nine overs in South Africa’s first innings in Cape Town, and five overs on debut in Sri Lanka.
“Tuning in inbetween making lowball offers on marketplace – not sure of the logic of dropping one bit-part player in Webster, whose only real crime was to lack much opportunity, for another in Connolly, unless long term hes seen as a viable frontline spin option (which would make room for Boland),” Eamonn Maloney ponders. “What would you pay for a second hand set of bifold doors by the way? This guy’s dreamin’.”
114th over: Australia 410-8 (Connolly 19, Lyon 1) Connolly turns down an easy single as he is happy to face Coetzee and leave Lyon at the non-striker’s end. The South Africa quick overpitches with an attempted yorker and Connolly punches a drive through cover to the rope. He ends the over easing a single to deep point to maintain the strike.
113th over: Australia 405-8 (Connolly 14, Lyon 1) Lyon works the ball off his pads for a single to deep midwicket and Connolly adds another with a drive through cover. Dare I say, Connolly has looked quite comfortable against Harmer.
112th over: Australia 403-8 (Connolly 13, Lyon 1) Coetzee sends Starc on his way and South Africa are just a couple of wickets away from limiting what might have been serious damage to their hopes. Lyon gets off the mark with a glance. Connolly ends the over jabbing out a nasty yorker.
WICKET! Starc c Rickelton b Coetzee 11 (Australia 402-8)
Coetzee gets his first as Starc stands tall and attempts to drive a delivery that pitches back of a length. A thick edge carries through to the keeper just as Starc looked as if he was about to get going.
111th over: Australia 401-7 (Connolly 12, Starc 11) Australia bring up the 400 as Starc clobbers a shorter ball through point and to the rope. He looks for the same stroke off Harmer again but is unable to pick the gap.
110th over: Australia 397-7 (Connolly 12, Starc 7) A better over from Coetzee as he finds his line and varies his length. Starc picks up a single as he steps back, opens the face and prods to deep point. Connolly has been patient but he can’t help to end the over taking a swipe at a full and wide delivery.
109th over: Australia 396-7 (Connolly 12, Starc 6) Connolly drives to long-off for a single as Starc picks up the same in less convincing fashion as he guides the ball wide of the cordon.
108th over: Australia 394-7 (Connolly 11, Starc 5) Gerald Coetzee takes the ball and immediately releases the pressure. Connolly punishes a wide ball with a slice that takes two bounces before crossing the rope at backward point. Coetzee is hardly at fault as Starc slashes and nicks the ball wide of second slip for another boundary. The South African ends the over pushing a slower ball well wide of the batter as it barely reaches the keeper.
107th over: Australia 385-7 (Connolly 6, Starc 1) Connolly picks up another easy single, this time through mid-on. Starc goes searching for runs off Harmer but is unable to find a gap.
Australia’s pair of wicketkeeping types made their mark with the willow over the past couple of days and Gervase Greene has been suitably impressed:
“You said Inglis’ fine knock might have “gone some way to silence the doubters.” Yes, no doubt it should have … but if anyone still doubts Australia’s need for an Inglis – or someone very like him – then they are spending too long watching the hit’n’giggle boondoggle comps.
“Alex Carey is quite fantastic, but he is 36. And keepers endure the reverse of dog-years – they do age quickly – even if as enviably footballer-fit as Carey. Inglis is 31, and happens to be a very good keeper – while still being extremely proficient with the blade. Surely it’s not too hard to figure – however accidentally – that a quite neat succession plan might have landed in our lap?”
Carey isn’t too far past 35 years old. But I think Gervase’s point still stands.
106th over: Australia 384-7 (Connolly 5, Starc 1) Connolly guides a wider ball through point for a single, once again handing over the strike early in an over. Australia won’t mind their young all-rounder getting his eye in like this. Rabada somehow misses leg stump as Starc plays across the line and is beaten by the seam and swing and whatever other movement is available at Newlands today.
105th over: Australia 381-7 (Connolly 3, Starc 0) Connolly drives Harmer to long-off for an easy single. He is doing well to turn over the strike in just his second Test. Starc sees out the rest of the over watchfully. He is probably due a decent score after being dismissed for 6, 1 and 11 so far in this series.
104th over: Australia 380-7 (Connolly 2, Starc 0) Rabada keeps the wickets tumbling as he dismisses the Australian captain. One brings two seems to be a major theme of this game.
WICKET! Cummins lbw b Rabada 0 (Australia 380-7)
Rabada angles the ball into Cummins pads as the Australia skipper plays across the line but is unable to get his bat near it as he leaps at the same time as contact. The umpire raises the finger and Cummins immediately reviews. Ball tracking shows it was clipping the top of leg-stump and the decision goes with umpire’s call.
103rd over: Australia 379-6 (Connolly 1, Cummins 0) Simon Harmer has helped change the contest once again with a second wicket as Alex Carey is gone for 80 from 168 deliveries with eight boundaries. A wicket maiden as Pat Cummins comes to the crease.
WICKET! Carey c Markram b Harmer 80 (Australia 379-6)
Harmer gets his second wicket of the morning to drag South Africa back into the game. Carey gets down low to defend a fuller delivery but the extra turn takes an edge on the way through and Markram dives live to grasp the chance from slip.
102nd over: Australia 379-5 (Carey 80, Connolly 1) Carey pulls Rabada for a single through midwicket as Connolly passes the test while the South Africa quick works away outside off stump.
101st over: Australia 378-5 (Carey 79, Connolly 1) Carey sends a full delivery to long-off for a single as Harmer gets a first look at Connolly. An inside edge on to the pads gets the South Africa in-close fielders up on their toes but the ball falls safely. Connolly looks keen to give himself some room and defend off the back foot.
100th over: Australia 377-5 (Carey 78, Connolly 1) Rabada forces Carey into a panicked defensive stroke as he gets the bat down just in time to direct it through point to the boundary. A cut to deep point brings Connolly on strike. After a sighter he plays and misses with a half-hearted jab. Connolly gets off the mark with a well-timed cover drive.
99th over: Australia 370-5 (Carey 72, Connolly 0) Simon Harmer needs some attention on his finger after the diving chance off Carey but then takes the ball in a double change for South Africa. Josh Inglis is immediately on the front foot to reverse sweep his way to a century and lets his emotions all hang out with an intense celebration. But just a couple of balls later his important knock ends as Harmer gets a much-needed breakthrough and Inglis looks as if he left runs on the table.
WICKET! Inglis c Rickelton b Harmer 102 (Australia 370-5)
Inglis brings up his century and then two balls later is on his way as Harmer gets the ball to drift away from the right-hander and catches the edge on the way through to the keeper’s gloves. A fine knock from Inglis comes to an end but he has gone a long way to silencing the doubters with his second Test ton and first since his debut against Sri Lanka.
CENTURY! for Josh Inglis
Josh Inglis brings up his second Test hundred in style with a reverse sweep to the rope. He reaches the milestone from 133 balls with 11 fours and two sixes.
98th over: Australia 362-4 (Inglis 97, Carey 69) Kagiso Rabada comes into the attack with South Africa desperately needing a breakthrough. It turns out Rabada couldn’t bowl straight away after spending time off the field yesterday. Inglis nudges closer to a milestone as he glances the opening delivery for a single to fine leg. Carey looks comfortable defending anything full but has to get his gloves down quickly as Rabada gets a ball pitched back of a length to rise up unexpectedly. Carey survives as he drives on the up with an angled bat and can only get a thick edge. Harmer dives low to his left and gets a hand to it – perhaps after the bounce – but the ball carries through his hand for four.
97th over: Australia 357-4 (Inglis 96, Carey 65) The ball keeps following Mulder even as he is moved off the rope and into the covers. Carey punches a powerful drive in the South Africa all-rounder’s direction and Mulder seems to fail to pick up the trajectory as the ball bounces past him and to the boundary. Jansen gets away with one as Inglis misses out on a full toss as the drive picks out a fielder at deep point for a single. Another full toss, this time to Carey, is directed at the batter’s head. Jansen puts his hand up to apologise. Might be time for a change of bowler.
96th over: Australia 350-4 (Inglis 95, Carey 60) Inglis and then Carey both work Mulder off their pads with ease for a pair of singles. The runs keep flowing as Inglis cuts a shorter ball for two more. 350 up for Australia.
95th over: Australia 346-4 (Inglis 93, Carey 59) A loose over from Jansen as he drifts on to Inglis’s pads and the Australia No 6 glances to fine leg for a single. Carey cuts a wider delivery through point that is only just pulled up short of the boundary by a diving Mulder. The South African is made to work hard again as Carey hammers another shot through point and this time Mulder fields with his feet before picking the ball up. All this running isn’t ideal when he has to charge in with ball in hand again.
94th over: Australia 339-4 (Inglis 91, Carey 54) Mulder continues with Ryan Rickelton standing up at the stumps. The South Africa pace bowler has the ball nipping around. Inglis doesn’t know much about it as he defends with a straight bat and gets a thick inside edge that runs away to square for a single. Mulder goes around the wicket to Carey who comfortably defends four times.
93rd over: Australia 338-4 (Inglis 90, Carey 54) Jansen wakes up Carey with a shorter ball. He gets the ball angling into the left-hander before ending the over with two more bouncers. Maiden.
92nd over: Australia 338-4 (Inglis 90, Carey 54) Wiaan Mulder takes the ball for South Africa. Have to think Kagiso Rabada is still feeling below full fitness as he stands in the field with his side desperate for an early breakthrough or two. Gerald Coetzee dives over the ball at mid-on and it races away to the boundary. It was an exquisite straight drive from Inglis and Coetzee got an unlucky bounce. But that is two little slices of misfortune that have already struck the Proteas today.
91st over: Australia 334-4 (Inglis 86, Carey 54) Marco Jansen comes around the wicket and cramps up left-hander Alex Carey without finding a way through. The towering left-arm quick drifts to the offside and Carey makes the most of being given a little bit of room with a drive for one. Jansen angles the ball across Inglis with the left-right combination messing with his line as he gives up another single through cover. Carey ends the over riding his luck as a thick inside edge nearly chops on to the stumps but he picks up a couple more.
Marco Jansen rolls the arm over as he prepares to get day three under way with Alex Carey on strike. A huge first session coming up. Let’s play …
The South African players are getting into position at Newlands as Josh Inglis and Alex Carey prepare to continue their partnership. A minute or so until it’s game on …
Cameron Green looked solid as he returned from an abdominal strain to make 65 while batting at No 4. But he would still be kicking himself over not making a much more impactful score both for his side in this Test and his own long-term future. He speaks to Fox Sports … while it is worth noting Australia had partnerships of 58, 0, 126, 1 and an unbroken 145 on day two.
It was a great day for us yesterday. We spoke about big partnerships on a great batting pitch. And we did that beautifully with a couple of big partnerships.
South Africa will pin their hopes on bowling with a ball that is only 10 overs old and with Kagiso Rabada still having much more to give. The pace bowler was suffering from stomach cramps yesterday as he finished with 0 for 81 from 18 overs. If he is back to anything resembling his best, then the Proteas could soon be right back in this Test.
A near perfect day for batting at Newlands with the sun belting down, no cloud, little wind and a forecast high of 26C. Could be worse for the punters in Cape Town too.
All but one of Australia’s batters spent a prolonged period at the crease as the tourists wrested back the momentum on day two at Newlands. Catch up on how it all played out, and much about what it means, with Geoff Lemon’s daily recap …
If Cape Town’s first day was a rollercoaster, the second was some more sedate form of transport, though it continued with ups and downs fitting its mountainous backdrop. Twice, South Africa produced double strikes to stall promising Australian positions; twice the Australians rebuilt. Finally, Josh Inglis and Alex Carey pushed Australia in front, 330 for four to South Africa’s all out 329, ready to surge on through day three with those six wickets left in hand.
Preamble
Martin Pegan
Hello and welcome to live coverage of day three of the third Test between South Africa and Australia in Cape Town. Hump day in this series decider has a lot to live up to after a rollercoaster ride across the first two days as the Proteas, and then Australia, each had a turn at tightening their grip on the game.
Australia have edged one run ahead of South Africa’s first innings total of 329 and still have six wickets in hand as Josh Inglis (85 not out) grasps his opportunity after a late call-up in place of Steve Smith and Alex Carey (51 not out) returns to form. The tourists are in a strong position as they seek to build a commanding first innings lead. But we only have to look back to barely more than a day’s play ago to when South Africa were 327 for 6 and in sight of stumps to be reminded of how quickly the tables can turn in this three-match contest between two evenly matched teams.
Inglis and Carey will be back at the crease in about 45 minutes with the first ball to be bowled at 10:30am in Cape Town / 7.30pm AEDT / 8.30am GMT. In the meantime, get in touch with your thoughts and predictions by email or find me @martinpegan on Bluesky.
