Australia close on Durban win as Renshaw breaks South Africa's resistance
South Africa need 319 more runs with six wickets left, and a world record 421 to win, after Matt Renshaw's 89 and his first Test wicket left the Proteas 102-4 at Kingsmead.
Australia are one day from a statement win in Durban. Set a world record 421 to win the first Test, South Africa closed day four on 102-4, still 319 runs short, with six wickets left and one day to survive.
As BBC News Africa reported on 12 October, Matt Renshaw followed his 190 in Australia’s first innings with 89 in the second, then took his first Test wicket by removing South Africa captain Temba Bavuma, caught at short leg in the final hour. Australia declared on 314-6 before Pat Cummins set up Tristan Stubbs with short balls and nicked him off with a full one.
South Africa had won 11 and drawn one of their Tests under Bavuma, a run that included beating Australia in the 2025 World Test Championship final at Lord’s. That unbeaten record is now a day away from ending at Kingsmead.
Aiden Markram is the reason it is not over yet. The opener is 45 not out from 115 balls, and he has now faced 313 balls from Nathan Lyon in Tests without being dismissed. He made 136 against Australia in the fourth innings at Lord’s, and only Sri Lanka’s Kusal Mendis has a better fourth-innings average among active players than Markram’s 45.56.
Ryan Rickelton went early, top-edging a loose pull to Josh Hazlewood in the fourth over. David Bedingham made 46 in a stand of 66 with Markram before falling to Renshaw, who found extravagant turn by the close on a surface that had looked placid for much of the day. Josh Hazlewood finished with 2-20.
Australia’s first innings of 390 was built on Renshaw’s 190, with Anrich Nortje and Keshav Maharaj taking two wickets each. South Africa replied with 284. Australia’s second innings brought Renshaw 82, with Nortje and Maharaj again taking two apiece.
Australia may be without Steve Smith’s fielding on the final day. The former captain spent time off the field after being hit on the helmet by a Nortje bouncer while making 27.
Bad light cut short the first three days and did not come to South Africa’s aid on the fourth evening. Whether it returns on day five may decide whether Australia were right to bat on until tea.
The odds sit with the tourists. Only twice in the past 13 years has a team survived 140 overs to save a Test. For South African supporters, the more immediate question is simpler. Markram has batted through worse, and he has never been dismissed by Lyon. He needs to still be there at the close.
This is the first of a home summer that includes two more Tests against Australia, two against Bangladesh and three against England over Christmas.
