Josh Inglis recorded his second Test hundred as Australia took charge on the third day of the third Test against South Africa at Newlands on Thursday. South Africa ended the day leading by 40 runs with four wickets down in their second innings.
Australia Build Strong First-Innings Lead
After dismissing the hosts for 329 on the opening day, Pat Cummins’ team established a 100-run advantage before being bowled out for 429 after the lunch break. Alex Carey and Inglis drove the visitors ahead through a 185-run partnership for the fifth wicket, with Inglis reaching his century from 132 balls. Inglis finished with 102 runs from 135 deliveries, featuring 11 fours and two sixes, before Simon Harmer had him caught behind by Ryan Rickelton.
Harmer proved to be the standout bowler for the hosts, claiming four wickets for 104 runs after also removing Carey for 80. Kagiso Rabada dismissed Cummins for a duck, Gerald Coetzee had Mitchell Starc caught behind for 11, and Wiaan Mulder accounted for Nathan Lyon for one, caught in the slips by Harmer.
South Africa Fight Back in Second Innings
Mitchell Starc immediately applied pressure in South Africa’s second innings to increase his match tally to eight wickets. Aiden Markram fell for one after hitting Starc to Travis Head at mid-off in the third over, and David Bedingham departed for 11 when he pulled a short delivery from Josh Hazlewood to Lyon at deep square leg.
Marques Ackerman and captain Temba Bavuma formed a steady partnership, with Ackerman contributing 62 runs from 80 balls. His innings ended when a bouncer from Starc clipped his gloves and carried to Cameron Green in the slips, leaving South Africa at 132 for three inside 28.2 overs. Bavuma then dug in against the Australian pace attack, making 35 runs from 115 balls.
Just five minutes before the close of play, Lyon delivered a decisive breakthrough by spinning a delivery past Bavuma’s bat to hit the middle stump. Matthew Breetzke on 19 and Ryan Rickelton on eight will resume their innings on Friday morning with the hosts at 140-4.
