Live updates: South Africa vs Australia, second Test, day three from St George’s Park in Gqeberha

It’s Temba Bavuma on strike and defending to begin the over.

Cummins has his head in his hands between deliveries. I think there’s an issue with his eye. The Australian captain is grimacing as he jogs off the oval.

Carey is back in a conventional pace-bowling wicketkeeping position as Bavuma defends once more.

Oh, pardon me — he’s decided to return to the stumps for the very next delivery.

WOW! Oh my word, I think Carey has stumped Bavuma down the leg side! We’re going upstairs but the Australians seem very confident.

Oh, that’s anticlimactic.

Bavuma was well home as Carey whipped off the bails.

Not out — but a stellar piece of wicketkeeping regardless.

One ball remains until tea.

And Bavuma is beaten outside off to end the session.

Back of a length from Hazlewood and Bavuma is flat batting back towards the bowler.

This isn’t far off now.

This will probably be the penultimate over.

Bavuma earns a single through a sweet glide behind point.

Four! Another Hazlewood bouncer just doesn’t quite get up and Harmer plunders another boundary well in front of square.

Harmer is then shouldering arms.

A solid forward defence to end the over.

Here comes Beau Webster once more.

Stump to stump and Bavuma is deflecting one behind point for a single.

Harmer is pushing towards mid-on for no run.

The broadcast camera cuts to vision of Smith receiving some treatment and maybe a little strapping in the Australian dugout.

Bavuma is defending to end the over.

Four! A loosener from Hazlewood and Harmer is on the back foot and pulling with authority forward of square.

Harmer works one off the hip for a single. Uncharacteristically inaccurate so far from Hazlewood in this over.

Edge! Bavuma is wafting outside off and is edging towards the cordon. Smith is at full stretch at second slip and the ball is dying just as it reaches him. He can’t complete the catch and he’s hurt his finger in attempting to.

Smith his shaking out his left hand and then running off the field to receive some treatment.

Not a good sign for the Aussies.

Things are meandering out there right now for the Aussies.

Four! Oh gosh, that is so, so good from Temba Bavuma. He offers the full face of the bat and times his straight drive to perfection. Sensational.

Bavuma is forward and defending.

More runs! Holy moly, that’s even better from Bavuma. Full and on the pads and the diminutive magician executes a picture-perfect on-drive for another boundary.

Better from Webster to end the over, Bavuma is beaten outside off.

Bouncer! And a good one from Cummins. Bavuma manages to ride the bounce and deflect it into the off-side, the ball gaining some air but falling well short of the nearest fielder.

Bavuma works a single.

Harmer cops another good one from Cummins, the ball jagging back at him from a length and hitting him on the body.

Ouch! Another nasty short one from Cummins and Harmer takes his eye off the ball as he tries to get underneath it. The Kookaburra glances off his helmet and flies for four.

Harmer looks okay but there is some support staff on the field for the mandatory concussion test.

Shot! Harmer doesn’t look groggy in the slightest as he flicks Cummins forward of square for a boundary. Excellent timing.

Carey is up to the stumps and has two slips and a gully behind his right shoulder.

Stump to stump here from Webster.

Shout! The ball flies past Bavuma’s inside edge and Carey drops it behind the stumps.

There’s an appeal for LBW!

No one seems particularly enamoured with it, but Cummins eventually decides to send it upstairs…

The technology shows Bavuma got an inside edge on it so the Australians lose another review.

It goes down as a drop for Carey, but I don’t think he had much chance of pouching that one.

There looks to be a few more clouds gathering on the horizon.

They don’t seem particularly foreboding, but it’s certainly a little darker out there.

Harmer is defending on the front foot and then shouldering arms outside off.

Full from Cummins and Harmer is defending with authority.

Another dot to end a maiden over.

Four! Bit of a loosener from Big Beau, and Bavuma drives through the covers with some nice timing.

Bavuma is forward and defending, looking completely untroubled against Webster’s medium pace.

Full and on the pegs, Bavuma is defending to end the over.

Bavuma works a couple through the leg-side and then leaves a couple outside off.

He’s in total control right now.

There are three men next to Carey as Bavuma is defending into the off-side.

Marnus Labuschagne is moving well at cover to prevent a quick single.

A thick inside edge from Bavuma and that’s a single to end the over.

More jag off a length from Hazlewood. The ball thuds into Bavuma’s back leg and that one certainly stung.

Bavuma squirts a single through the leg-side.

Frustration! Hazlewood prises a thick edge from Harmer but the ball flies through the gap between second slip and gully and makes its way to the rope.

Harmer is shouldering arms well outside off.

And again to end the over.

Bavuma wraps up his celebrations before working a single.

Harmer is defending.

Movement! Cummins manages to jag one back towards Harmer and the batter is shouldering arms as the ball just about grazes his off stump.

A grimace from Cummins and that’s over.

Timing! Ooh, that’s some shot from Simon Harmer. He gets high on his back foot and drives square for a boundary.

Harmer is leaving a wide length ball.

More sweet timing from Harmer but this time it’s collected at mid-off.

And he’s defending to end the over.

Another drive to mid-off from Harmer and the batters complete a quick single. Good running.

Bavuma returns to strike on 98…

And he leaves it again on 99 after cutting a single through point.

Beaten! That’s a beauty from Starc, angling in from around the wicket and holding its line off the pitch. Harmer misses his drive.

A single off the hip returns Bavuma to the action.

Ooh! Short from Starc and Bavuma is loose in under-edging it back towards his body. The ball bobbles around his crease for a moment as the batters contemplate, and ultimately turn down, a single.

Swing and a miss! Bavuma goes hard at the short ball and it flies past him and through to Carey! There’s a half-appeal from behind the stumps but nothing more.

But it’s Simon Harmer facing up to Scott Boland, with things looking pretty overcast out there all-of-a-sudden.

Harmer is solid in pushing to mid-on for no run.

Boland finds some movement into Harmer and the batter is driving into the stumps at the non-striker’s end.

Harmer is again driving straight, this time finding mid-off.

Back of a length from Boland and Harmer is pulling ever-so-sweetly, running a single to end the over.

He’ll retain strike for the next set.

Bavuma on strike, but not for long. He takes another single to the off side to move to 92.

He’ll get the strike back though as Harmer takes a single to deep point.

FOUR RUNS! Bavuma opens the face on a forward defence and glides the ball down to a wide third man region for four. He moves to 96. He’s one more of those away…

BEATEN! Now that was close. Starc comes around the wicket and nearly sniffs out an outside edge as Bavuma plays a nervous prod.

Starc gets too straight and Bavuma pushes to square leg. He takes off for one and he wants two. Head throws at Harmer’s stumps… and misses. He was out by a mile if he hit. Bavuma nearly sizzled up his partner there.

So that will be over, Temba Bavuma has to sit for a minute on 98 because it’s time for drinks. Henry Hanson will be right with you.

Harmer on strike, ducking below a bouncer.

SHOT! Boland has a crack at Harmer’s front pad, so Harmer whips him through square leg with disdain. Classy shot for four.

Just that delightful boundary off the over, Harmer doing a tidy job so far.

He’s short to Bavuma, who tries to flick away from his hip but succeeds only in gloving one to fine leg for a single. Harmer back on strike.

FIVE WIDES! Starc drops in an outrageous bouncer which sails miles over everyone, wicketkeeper included, and disappears to the fence. Five to the extras tally, and the 250 is up for South Africa.

BEATEN! Good comeback. Starc pitches up and beats the outside edge of Harmer’s driving bat. Ooh hold on, are they reviewing this? Carey is not interested at all and try to talk Cummins out of it, but the skipper and Starc reckon they’ve heard something there. Let’s have a look.

Nope, nothing at all. One day wicketkeepers will be properly respected. One day.

Harmer is finally off the mark with a bunt down the ground. And he’ll keep the strike too, that’s your over bowled.

Bavuma on strike and on 89. And now into the 90s with a single to deep point. He’s edging ever closer.

Harmer is cautious and composed to begin with. He defends the rest of that Boland over comfortably.

Simon Harmer is the new batter, and he survived one ball to end the Boland over. He will now take the strike to Starc after Bavuma nudged a single out to deep point.

Starc has really struggled to get anything out of the conditions in this Test match. He’s not alone on that front, but he’s not been quite at his best.

Just as I say that, he swings one back in sharply over middle stump. That’s more like it. Over bowled.

 To nobody’s surprise, the umpire flashes the brand new ball towards the scorers’ box and Boland is the man to wield it. He’s got Jansen on strike on 85.

HE’S DOWN! Boland has nipped one back into Jansen and he has gone down like a sack of spuds. What has that actually hit? I don’t think it was the box, it looked like the back thigh. But I’m not sure I’ve ever seen somebody in so much pain from a whack to the leg.

Oh yeah, that has taken a healthy piece of Mini Marco on the way through. He is in all sorts here.

BEATEN! Jansen is back up and nearly nicks off from the very next ball. Boland has the new rock talking.

The new ball will be due after this over.

BEATEN! Nicely bowled by Webster, luring Bavuma into a nibble that nearly brings an edge. Carey tidy again up to the stumps.

AND AGAIN! Suddenly, in these last two overs before the new ball, a bit is going on.

That’s your over bowled. The new ball is there if they want it.

CLOSE! Jansen advances and is lucky to get the toe of the bat onto the ball to prevent a stumping. He’s got to be a bit careful here, complacency is the risk.

EVEN CLOSER! Jansen goes the big slog and is saved by a feather of an inside edge which takes the ball away from the stumps. Goodness me, that was a whisker away from a Nic Maddinson wicket.

A surprisingly eventful over. Jansen survives and closes in on a maiden Test century.

Carey is up and the Slug is wobbling a few down. Bavuma drives and takes off, kept to a single by some smart Cummins fielding at mid-off.

Couple of singles and very little else to report. I wish I had more excitement to bring you, but that is being saved for the new rock I fear.

Maddinson is back on bowling his left-arm finger-spin, which I think is Test cricket’s version of a recession indicator.

We’re just cruising for the new ball now.

Oooh, half a shout! Jansen charged but missed, struck on the pad but not in any real danger.

Jansen goes down the ground for a single, Bavuma does likewise and a very quick over ends.

He’s bowling to Bavuma, who defends to the on side for no run.

FOUR! Bavuma slashes through backward point off the back foot for another boundary. He’s in total control out there.

Bavuma pull away to deep square leg now for one more, and that will end the over. All very easy for the batters.

He’s still around the wicket to Jansen, still employing leg theory.

Jansen goes after the pull shot and gets a bit of it, but only enough for a single out to Maddinson on the boundary.

This pitch really has flattened right out. We’ll see if the new ball opens the bowlers anything, but it looks like dream batting conditions out there at the moment.

Bavuma pulls, controlled, to fine leg for a single.

It’s not easy to get a bouncer up to Marco Jansen’s head height, but Cummins is managing. The big man ducks underneath the final ball of the over.

The Hoff has been on ice for a couple of days and now he’s ready for action. A little surprised they haven’t waited for the new ball, but I guess he’s probably pretty keen to get into it.

A couple of singles to begin the over. Hazlewood bang on the money already.

Just those two off the over. The big orange hammer is being run out so Hazlewood can bash up the footmarks a little bit.

We’re back. The new ball is only a handful of overs away and we expect Josh Hazlewood will be ready to claim it when it comes. But for now, it’s time for some short stuff.

The field is spread and Cummins is coming around the wicket. These are only going one way.

Jansen has a couple of swings before defending the third ball from the back foot.

Not sure what’s happened there. Jansen tried to pull a ball that didn’t quite get up as he expected. I think it’s hit him flush on the hip bone and raced out to deep point. My word that must hurt.

Bavuma rushes through a single from the final ball of the over and around they go.

From my calculations, Josh Hazlewood spent about two hours and 25 minutes off the field yesterday evening and has already spent two hours and 15 minutes in the field today.

That means he should have no longer than a 10-minute wait after lunch — although Cummins way well hold him back for the new ball, which is due in eight overs.

Hey Alan — Josh Hazlewood didn’t take part in yesterday’s action due to what we believed to be food poisoning, but he has since recovered and has been out there fielding all morning.

He just isn’t allowed to bowl until he fields for the same amount of time he missed yesterday.

Big Hoff will be fast approaching that mark when we return from lunch.

This should be the final over before lunch.

Alex Carey is up to the stumps and has a slip and a gully to his right.

Temba Bavuma on strike and defending.

Three balls remain in the session.

I don’t imagine Bavuma will be doing anything too expressive before the break.

The South Africa captain is forward and defending stoutly.

And again.

Another dot to end the session.

I wonder how Nathan Lyon is feeling right now.

This is now a time killing exercise for the Pat Cummins, with ten overs remaining until the new ball.

Bavuma is working a single to Maddinson’s skiddy left-arm orthodox before Jansen drives for a single.

Three singles from the over.

Cummins must be dying for Hazlewood to be permitted back to the bowling crease.

Mustn’t be long now.

Instead, it’s Beau Webster.

He’s bowling his seamers and Bavuma is defending a couple and then working a single.

Carey is up to the stumps and Jansen is working one off the hip for a run.

The batters trade another couple singles.

And Jansen is defending to end the over.

Fifth over on the trot here for Renshaw.

The batters are unbothered in trading singles from the first couple balls of the set.

Another single brings up the 100-run partnership between Bavuma and Jansen.

What a superb counter punch this has been.

Pat Cummins looking a little devoid of ideas right now.

Starc continues from over the wicket to Jansen, and he has a slip and a gully to work with as he charges in.

Jansen nudges one into the off-side and the batters are through for a quick single.

Bit of a nothing length from Starc and Bavuma is standing up and pulling forward of square for a single.

A good short one from Starc has Jansen getting his gloves out of its path.

Bang! This one doesn’t quite get up and Jansen is slogging well forward of square for a boundary.

The ball made a quite peculiar thud when it hit the bat and Jansen signalled that he had an issue straight away.

It looks like his blade has cracked up the handle.

Four of five potential replacement bats are taken out to the middle and Jansen takes a while to decide which one he wants.

He eventually does and uses it to defend out into the off-side to end the over.

That was a much more satisfying thud.

It’s Temba Bavuma on strike, and the South African captain is defending to begin the over.

Pretty good spell this from Rensahw, who is yet to offer up a real loose delivery.

And Bavuma is defending for a maiden over.

Top edge! Jansen gets a short one and miscues his pull shot horribly, the ball floating high in the air from the top edge off his bat. It looks like Scott Boland hasn’t quite picked it up from the boundary and doesn’t get anywhere near the ball before it falls to turf. Boland didn’t have any chance of getting there in any case.

Jansen drives a low full toss through the covers and the batters run three.

Short again to end the over and Jansen is unable to make connection with his pull shot.

I don’t think Temba Bavuma will mind that.

The South African captain just nudges one to long on for a single.

Pat Cummins turns to his premier strike bowler, and Starc is charging in from over the wicket, angling across Jansen.

The field is spread a touch but Jansen isn’t bothered — the big man flays one on the bounce to mid on before finding a diving Marnus Labuschagne at cover.

Good stop from the Queenslander.

Jansen is beaten outside off and that’s over.

Jansen strides forward and bunts Renshaw to long on for a single.

Bavuma then works a run to the sweeper deep on the off-side.

The batters trade another pair of singles.

SIX! Jansen is down on one knee and goes BANG! The South African gets every piece of it and sends the ball dead straight and hurtling towards the commentary boxes.

The man with the golden arm, Matt Renshaw, is thrown the ball for the first time at St. George’s Park.

Bavuma works a single off the first delivery of the over and Jansen’s eyes must be lighting up as he takes guard against the part timer.

But the towering allrounder is defending a couple to begin before cutting a single.

A dot to end the over.

Four! Jansen gets a bit of width and lashes Cummins forward of point.

This has been a very effective little counterattack from Jansen, who has now moved to 44 from 32 deliveries.

Brilliant! Cummins offers up an off-cutting yorker and Jansen is caught unaware, bringing his blade down far too late.

The ball just about shaves off stump on its way through to Carey.

Two slips and a gully in place for Boland as he gets Bavuma pushing towards point. No run.

Ooft, that’s a belter of a straight drive from Bavuma. Picture perfect, but it’s stopped at mid-on.

Another sweet drive, this time through the covers, is worth two.

Shot! Gosh. Once again, that’s a beautifully timed shot. This time, Bavuma gets one angling onto his pads and drives it through mid-on for four.

Glorious.

Hello everyone.

What a huge hour of play we have ahead of us.

If Marco Jansen can keep going, and if Temba Bavuma can stay solid, South Africa will be well in this game come lunch.

The Australians will be hopeful of a little more assistance from the pitch after drinks, though I doubt they’ll get it.

It’s captain Pat back in the attack after a rather lengthy drinks break.

Jansen is squirting a single off an inside edge before Bavuma opens the face and glides one through point for a couple.

Another smart single into cover for the Proteas captain.

BIG! Jansen takes on the short ball and that’s six! It was a bit of a top edge, in truth, but has enough to fly over the fielder on the square boundary.

Jansen flashes expressively for a couple to end the over.

He’s got Jansen on strike and prodding at a wide one without making contact.

Cummins has dropped himself deep at mid off now too, about halfway to the fence, as Jansen continues to absolutely moose those straight drives.

Jansen is cramped up and fends away to the leg side, where he is able to take a single.

Bavuma is watchful and he sees the over. With that they will take a drink, and I will hand you over to Henry Hanson. Enjoy!

Jansen is on strike, but not for long. He takes a quick single to cover.

More good running, another sharp single to Bavuma’s tally.

There’s a sweeper on the off side for Jansen now. He takes a gentle single out to him to bring up the 150.

Starc comes around the wicket to finish up that set. Three from the over.

Alex Carey has moved up to the stumps to try to through Marco Jansen off his rhythm.

SIX RUNS! Is Marco Jansen the best batter in the world? Hard to argue against it right now. He has just hit Scott Boland back over his head for six with the most gorgeous check drive you’ve ever seen. This is spectacular.

Carey is sent back so Boland can try some short stuff to Jansen. It’s a long way up there, and Jansen respects the effort by leaving the ball alone.

Fun to watch at the moment! The over ends.

Starc is bowling to Bavuma now, and it’s a slightly different game with the skipper on strike. Bavuma and Jansen, quite the odd couple out there.

BEATEN! That’s a lovely ball. Just left Bavuma a little and nearly found the edge.

AND AGAIN! Starc is troubling Bavuma with a bit of bounce and the natural angle across him.

Turns out that second one was actually a no ball. And then the next one is a wide full toss. Starcy maybe losing his run up a little.

FOUR AND 50 FOR BAVUMA! Starc strays onto the pads, Bavuma whips it fine and celebrates a crucial half-century. A captain’s knock so far. Not done yet.

Over bowled.

A reminder, Josh Hazlewood is back out there today but can not bowl for a few hours due to the time he spent off the field yesterday. So the quartet is a trio for a little while yet.

Boland to Jansen.

FOUR RUNS! Jansen is creaming them here. An elegant little glance off the front pad this time which races to the midwicket fence.

SHOT! Holy moly, that might be the sweetest shot I’ve seen in my entire life. How about the eight-foot tall bloke playing a Ponting-esque on-drive? That was beautiful, brings a tear to the eye.

It’s the Marco Jansen show at the moment. Eight more from that Boland over.

FOUR! Jansen flays at his first ball and gets a thick under-edge which squirts through the cordon for four. He’s off the mark.

BEATEN! Starc squares Jansen up and nearly takes his outside edge. Jansen is desperate for bat on ball early.

FOUR MORE! Really nicely timed from Jansen there. Just a back-foot shove through backward-point, but placed and timed well enough to earn a boundary.

AND FOUR MORE! Sheesh! The long levers of Marco Jansen unleash through a glorious cover drive! A thing of beauty from the big fella.

A single from the final ball means Jansen will keep the strike. He has 13 from his first over faced.

So as Starc celebrates his 450th Test wicket, the skipper will run in at Temba Bavuma again. The new man in at the othere end is Marco Jansen.

SHOT! Shot of the Test match so far. Can’t play a better on drive than that one from Bavuma. Straight back past Cummins for four.

Another good short one tests Bavuma there, squaring him and taking the splice of the bat. It falls safely.

The bouncer is looking Australia’s best weapon this morning. Cummins has Bavuma jumping, but crucially surviving.

Four from the over.

First job for the South Africans was seeing out the first half an hour today, and they’ve managed that with relative ease. Now they get a look at Starc.

These look to be beautiful conditions for batting. The pitch is lovely for batting and the ball is not swinging a jot. Starc is still searching for his radar in this opening over.

OUT? Starc has hit Mulder somewhere with a bouncer and the catch is taken by Renshaw at first slip. Was it bat or glove? Or all helmet? Not out is the call, but we’ll have a review.

I think that is all head and shoulder I’m afraid.

Wait. WAIT. Is that a little murmur on the Ultraedge as it passes the glove? I think it might be!

Pat is a bit excited by that first ball, which is comfortably left by Bavuma. Cummins came from wider on the crease and seemed to think the off stump was in play. Not sure myself.

Good running from Bavuma, a quick single to cover. He did that particularly well last night.

Good short ball. Mulder late to react but ducks under it in the nick of time.

Nice running from Mulder now too. He drops and runs to Hazlewood at mid on, who isn’t moving particularly sharply it must be said.

Bavuma defends the final ball of the over, another one safely negotiated.

BEATEN! There it is again, Mulder looking vulnerable outside the off stump. There’s a nick coming there.

Boland drops short and Mulder takes a couple to the men out there on the hook. It’s interesting that they are set up for the catch from a short ball instead of just peppering that outside edge. In fairness, Mulder does seem intent on playing the pull shot.

BEATEN AGAIN! Mulder might claim he played inside the line of that one. Jury’s out.

Two runs from that over. South Africa has settled into the first 20 minutes of day three pretty well.

BEATEN! Mulder looks a candidate outside his off stump there. He chased after Cummins that time and was lucky not to nick it.

More leg side runs though as Mulder jams down to square leg and takes the one on offer.

There’s the short one to Bavuma, and it’s a good one too. Bavuma bails out of the way at the last moment.

Just the one off the over, and Australia succeed in keeping Mulder on strike for the beginning of Boland’s next over.

It’s been noted on the broadcast that Boland is bowling from the slightly more comfortable end, with his run up ever so slightly downhill. Which means captain Cummins is taking one for the team and running in ever so slightly uphill.

Boland is probing a very tight line to Bavuma, getting him to play as much as possible. One ball is slightly too short though and Bavuma is able to work it off his thigh for a single.

Square leg was back on the boundary, so Mulder’s leg glance earns him an easy single.

That run means he’ll keep the strike. Two off the over.

Cummins bowled well without luck yesterday. Pace was good and the short ball looked dangerous. He’s got Wiaan Mulder on strike now.

FOUR! Mulder moves across his stumps and gets a thick inside edge down the leg side. Boland isn’t able to reel it in on the rope. Cummins won’t be concerned with that though, he’s beaten the moving batter there.

There’s the first short one, and Mulder plays a pull shot. Doesn’t time it but it takes two runs out through midwicket.

BEATEN! A little bit of shape away from Cummins, beating the prod of Mulder who is still moving across his stumps.

Six runs from the over.

Right, let’s play cricket. Josh Hazlewood is back on the field but he won’t be allowed to bowl for a while as he sat out yesterday’s session of play with what we believe to be a dodgy belly.

So it will be Boland from the top, chasing his fifth wicket. Temba Bavuma is on strike.

Boland is on the money immediately. Bavuma solid in his forward defence, as he has been for most of his innings.

That’ll be a maiden over to kick things off then. Bavuma is in this for the long haul. Let’s see if he can find some help at the other end.

It’s looking like an absolutely gorgeous day right now in Gqeberha and we are certainly beginning on time.

But it ain’t all good news.

The clouds are slated to roll in during the early afternoon, and the heavens a chance to open a couple hours later.

Eek.

Like most of us yesterday, Russell Jackson was probably sensing another wasted day as the rain fell and the water lingered on the St George’s Park surface.

But any opportunity to bowl in a Test match is one that Scott Boland and Mitch Starc won’t want to waste, and they made hay despite the fact that Josh Hazlewood was indisposed through illness.

Here’s Russell’s analysis.

I don’t think anyone was more surprised than Matt Renshaw when he snaffled a magical catch at slip to dismiss Ryan Rickleton.

Read all about that and the other things you may have missed, here.

On last night’s evidence, I’m not actually sure there will be too many demons in this wicket. It spent most of yesterday baking under the sunlight and seemed to me to be playing pretty true for the most part. Only Scott Boland found any real sideways movement.

Of course Kagiso Rabada is going to be a problem, as he is on any pitch. But I reckon it’s more likely it flattens out for the rest of the week now.

A lot of rain started the day, then a patch of muddy ground stopped play, and then when the players did get onto the field, it was wickets that started tumbling as Australia pressed home its advantage.

Here’s how the day unfolded.