Lunch South Africa 216 for 6 (Bavuma 76*, Jansen 72*) vs Australia
Temba Bavuma and Marco Jansen led a superb South Africa fight on the third morning in Gqeberha with a rapid century stand. Jansen put the pressure back on Australia as he flayed a 43-ball half-century while Bavuma continued at his own pace in more favourable batting conditions under sunny skies.
By lunch, the pair had extended their stand to 106 in 22 overs which lifted South Africa from 110 for 6. Jansen had launched three sixes in his innings which put Australia on the back foot in terms of scoring pressure for the first time in the series, and by the break had nearly caught Bavuma who had been on 43 when he arrived. The visitors were still a bowler down with Josh Hazlewood, who was back on the field, having to make up for the time he was off the field yesterday due to illness.
South Africa resumed on 97 for 5 after battling across the first two truncated days. The outside edges of Bavuma and Wiaan Mulder were beaten in the early exchanges before Australia's breakthrough came in the seventh over of the day.
It was a brutal short delivery from Mitchell Starc which clipped Mulder's glove as it deflected into the slips via the helmet. Initially it was given not-out on field by Chris Gaffaney, who was back in the middle after being ill for two days, but the review showed the small spike as Mulder was undergoing the mandatory concussion check. That was Starc's 450th Test wicket.
In the next over, Bavuma unfurled a pristine on-drive against Cummins but it was Jansen who led the counterattack. He collected three fours in an over against Starc, the best of them the third when he laced a drive through the covers. Then, facing Scott Boland who had caused a mountain of problems, he dispatched him straight down the ground with a shot which made a tremendous crack off the bat.
Bavuma's superbly constructed half-century came from 140 balls when he tucked Starc to fine leg and, for the first time in the game, Australia were losing control of the scoring rate. That point was emphasised when Jansen lofted Boland straight down the ground for six, unperturbed by Alex Carey's presence up to the stumps.
Jansen added another six when he hooked Pat Cummins over deep square leg as Australia started to feel the absence of Hazlewood. Spin was introduced in the 61st over and, shortly after reaching his half-century, Jansen sent Renshaw straight down the ground with a step-hit for six. Jansen was given caught behind against Renshaw on 58, but the DRS showed Jansen had clipped his back pad.