Quick hits: Cummins blasts and Maharaj juggles as Smith pulls up lame

Pat Cummins's explosive knock pushes Australia clear, Keshav Maharaj produces some magic in his follow-through and Steve Smith doesn't join his teammates in the field. 

Here are the quick hits from day four of the first Test between Australia and South Africa.

1. Maddinson's manic start

Nic Maddinson hooked the first ball of the innings for four, so it was no surprise that he got a move on when day four began with Australia needing quick runs to set up a victory.

He hit two boundaries in his first three balls faced, but both were off the edge. Then, after watching opening partner Travis Head chip a tame shot to mid-on, Maddinson decided to force the issue.

Through cover, down to third man, back over the bowler … the controversially selected 34-year-old made a real statement as he raced to within one shot of a maiden half-century.

But it came to an end on 48 off 38 balls when Anrich Nortje uprooted his middle and leg stumps with a searing yorker.

A famous Test inning? Perhaps not, but a career high likely to earn him another chance to prolong his strange Test career.

2. Maharaj's bizarre juggling take

With Matt Rensaw having pushed into the 80s and looking destined for a second century for the match, it felt like the South Africans were in need of something extraordinary to dismiss the Queenslander.

And although not quite a work of art, Keshav Maharaj's diving return catch was certainly out of the ordinary.

With Renshaw having chipped one back towards the bowler, the finger spinner did well to get down in his follow-through, before juggling the ball once, twice, taking his eye of the cherry, and ultimately securing it in his palm while lying on the turf.

He looked as surprised as anyone to have taken the catch, which was confirmed after a lengthy review by the TV umpire.

3. Cummins's late cameo

Australia was surprisingly circumspect during the middle session, with Matt Renshaw and Beau Webster doing little more than keeping the scoreboard ticking over.

Pat Cummins clearly had no plans to declare on Renshaw when he had a second ton for the match in the offing, but when Renshaw was caught out, the captain took it on himself to up the tempo.

He wasted little time attacking the spin of Simon Harmer, smacking his fourth ball for six over long-on and adding three more in his next four deliveries from the off-spinner before declaring on 6-314 having clattered 32 off 12 to take his team to a 420-run lead.

4. Smith sidelined

Steve Smith's slips catching changed the game on day three but soon after Cummins's declaration it became clear he would not have the same impact on day four.

Smith stayed in the pavilion when the Australian team took to the field for South Africa's run chase on account of a sharp blow he copped to the helmet from an Anrich Nortje bouncer while batting.

He carried on to 27 before holing out, but the after-effects of that head knock appeared to keep him sidelined.

He also hurt his finger taking the catch that ended South Africa's first innings, which could have caused issues in the slips.

5. Renshaw's dream Test continues

Matt Renshaw couldn't have dreamt it better.

With shadows lengthening in Durban, and with South Africa's innings threatening to steady, Australia's freshly minted golden boy was thrown the ball.

South Africa captain Temba Bavuma had faced 18 balls for his one run and was set on seeing his team to stumps, but he was unable to contend with the drift and turn of Renshaw's part-time off spin, the Queenslander drawing the batter forward and having him caught at short leg by a diving Maddinson.

Renshaw was mobbed by his teammates as he celebrated his maiden Test wicket and Australia marched on to be six wickets from victory at stumps on day four.

That came after the southpaw had once again led Australia's efforts with the bat, peeling off 82 to add to the 190 he made in the first innings.

Remarkably, Renshaw remains the only player to pass 50 in the match.