South Africa six wickets away from innings victory after Australia skittled for 99, asked to follow on in second Test at St George’s Park in Gqeberha

It’s going to take something remarkable for Australia to save this Test tomorrow.

Blown away in the early stages today, bowled out for 99 as the batting order crumbled to bits under the slightest South African pressure, this belated rearguard may only be postponing the inevitable. Travis Head is batting well but riding his luck, and will hope to register a century tomorrow morning. He’ll probably need to double it if Australia is to avoid defeat.

South Africa’s day for sure, thanks largely to the brilliant bowling of Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada. Simon Harmer had his moments, as did Wiaan Mulder. They caught pretty well, were bold in enforcing the follow on and are now only six wickets away from victory.

A tough day for Australia but a pleasure for us to spend it all with you. From me, Simon and Henry, thanks as always for your company and we hope to see you tomorrow as this second Test reaches its conclusion.

One more check of the light, but that’s given the all clear. Boland will face one more Harmer over. Fielders all around the bat.

Harmer is coming over the wicket and Boland defends him well, straight down into the ground.

Boland defends from the back foot this time, but again smartly. Two down.

Too short from Harmer, Boland again defends from the back foot straight back down the pitch.

Harmer comes around the wicket, Boland defends on the front foot. Two to come.

Boland works it well off the hip and opts against taking the available single. One ball left in day four.

Wonderful forward defence from Scott Boland. He’s done his job, yet again. That is stumps.

This may well be the final over if the Aussies can sufficiently stall.

Head leaves the first ball alone through to the keeper.

I don’t think they will be able to sufficiently stall. Markram is racing through this over.

There you go, a maiden bowled in about three minutes. They’ll sneak one more in.

Boland on strike. Time for two, maybe three more overs tonight.

Half a shout again, but I’m not sure they know what for. The fielders reacted for a potential catch as the ball flew past everyone, then they appealed for LBW though the ball was missing leg.

DROPPED! That was a chance. Definitely an edge onto the pad and Ackerman nearly snared it at silly point. Got some fingers to it, but no more.

Back around the wicket comes Harmer as Boland tries to waste some time.

Jeez, Boland doesn’t need to be playing at that one. He gets a thick inside edge back into his pad and the ball rolls harmlessly away.

Great over from Harmer but Boland survives.

Into the last 10 minutes of day four. Can South Africa find one more?

Head gets off strike with a single down the ground.

Boland does the right thing and takes a single from the final ball of the over to keep the strike and keep protecting his partner.

The light meter is out again, but it looks like we’ll keep playing.

Play goes on for now, with Boland facing up to Harmer.

Harmer is a fraction too short, so Boland can defend from the back foot.

Harmer moves back over the wicket now and there’s half an LBW shout as Boland is hit on the pad. He actually edged it onto his pad and is lucky it didn’t pop up to one of those fielders.

Over bowled, a maiden.

The umpires have the light meter out and are having a good ol chat about things. The verdict is too dark for the fast bowlers, not too dark for the spinners. So here’s Markram.

Bavuma misfields at cover and turns a dot ball into two Head runs.

Just one this time for Head out to deep midwicket. And now the fielders swarm for Boland.

But Boland is up to the challenge and gets off the mark with a single to midwicket.

Head can’t get anything away from the rest of the over, and that is that.

Out comes nightwatchman Scott Boland again. Safe to say Steve Smith won’t be coming out tonight, but Alex Carey is still padded up. For now though it’s Boland.

Boland gets forward to defend the final ball of that over. We’ve got about 18 more minutes to play tonight, light permitting.

Ever seen a batter walk for an LBW shout? You have now. Webster pushed back deep in the crease, was beaten by some extra pace and a lower trajectory and is struck on the back pad in front of middle stump.

Absolutely dead, and Webster turns and goes. Harmer has another, and that’s a big strike for South Africa in the final stages of the day.

Head drives away for one more, and that brings up Australia’s 150.

Looks to me that it is starting to get a little dark out there now. Probably OK for spin still at least.

He was the star of the first innings for South Africa, and now he’ll get one last spell tonight to try to make something happen.

Webster pushes one to the leg side and takes the single.

SWING AND A MISS! That one keeps a little low on Head and goes underneath his attempted cut shot.

Well cut that time for one.

Jansen digs one in short but Webster ducks under it easily enough. Only two from that over, but Australia is creeping ever closer to stumps now.

His little rest is over already. Webster is on strike and drives down the ground for two.

Nicely driven again by Webster, this time to long on for one.

BEATEN! Head wasn’t sure what to do with that, and in the end just flicked at the ball almost as if he was trying to nick it. He didn’t.

Over bowled, three from it.

Head on strike, driving to mid on for no run.

FOUR MORE! Another loose one down the leg side, another Travis Head flick very fine to the fence. He moves to 77 now.

IN THE AIR! FOUR! Another thick edge from Head, but he gets it past the despairing dive of Bedingham at slip. He has ridden his luck at times today, Travis Head, but is making the most of it.

Over bowled.

Head drives from the back foot straight back to the bowler for no run.

FOUR! Beautiful hands from Head, working that one incredibly fine down the leg side and all the way for four.

Add one more to the tally as Head drives from the back foot through cover.

Big Beau Webster is in no rush. He defends well and another over is crossed off.

Webster on strike, and he goes after a wide one but whacks it directly to the fielder at cover.

Now a confident square drive from Webster, but there is still a fielder out there. Just one run.

Cracking drive from Head that time, but yet again the off side sweeper keeps it to one.

Another over down.

Head faces up and turns Markram to midwicket for a single.

Webster defends away most of the over and then gets a full toss to complete it. He’ll probably be disappointed he was only able to bunt it down the ground for one.

Over bowled.

He’s got Webster on strike to begin with.

Webster defends out a maiden over with little fuss. Though I really do think this pitch is starting to keep low from time to time. That is going to be an issue if play goes too deep into tomorrow.

Switching spinners now, South Africa. Markram to have a crack.

Head cuts away for a single.

Webster clips a Markram dart off his pads and gets off the mark with a single. Head then cuts again out to the deep for one more.

Webster closes out the over with another single, four from that set all up.

Still no Steve Smith, whose neck problem is now becoming a real issue.

Beau Webster comes to the middle now in his stead.

Webster sees out the final ball of a successful Kagiso Rabada over.

What has happened there!? That ball has hit Renshaw on the pad before taking the off stump. If not for that deflection, the ball would have just about hit middle stump.

It certainly jagged back a bit from Rabada and maybe kept a little low, but that is a bad misjudgement from Matt Renshaw. He’s gone for 11, Australia shaking again with the best part of an hour still to play,

Head on strike.

Until he takes a single to midwicket.

One for Renshaw as well down to fine leg.

One for Head to deep point. It certainly no longer feels like the Australians are under immense pressure out there, as it did during the morning session.

IN THE AIR! Jeez that’s rubbish from Head. He skews a silly drive from a very wide delivery straight into the air, but fortuitously into the gap. He’s living dangerously.

FOUR! Renshaw showing him how it’s done. He simply steps inside the line a little and clips it off his pads, timed well enough to find the rope.

Another single for Renshaw as Harmer gets too straight.

Head does likewise as the over ends. Harmer just losing his line a little in that over.

BEATEN! Renshaw is done outside his off stump. Interestingly it died a little through to the keeper, and bounced before him.

SHOT! Beautiful from Renshaw, maybe Australia’s shot of the day. A perfect on drive back past the bowler for four.

EDGED! Short of the slips cordon for Renshaw. Soft hands helped him, but it does seem like this pitch is losing a bit of pace.

Over bowled, four from it.

Head pushes back and jams the ball away at the last moment. He takes the single and turns down the chance to take another on the overthrow.

Quick single for Renshaw to cover, that gets him off the mark.

FOUR! That was lucky for Head. A thick outside edge from a slashing cut shot could easily have gone straight to Rabada at point. Instead it goes fine of him and to the rope instead.

Six from the over.

Into the last hour and a bit of the day we go. Australia really can’t afford to lose another wicket today.

Rabada is bowling to Head.

Head turns a back of a length delivery to the leg side for one.

Renshaw shoulders arms to the first four balls he faces in the over.

And then he defends the last. One from the over.

Steve Smith has a warming blanket around his neck.

Travis Head faces up to Harmer, Renshaw still yet to face a ball.

Head defends nicely to the first couple, Harmer looking to get that gorgeous flight working and looking to turn the ball away to catch the outside edge.

Head pushes to mid off for a single to give Renshaw his first ball.

Renshaw gets a big stride forward and defends solidly back down the pitch – good player of spin.

Another good stride, and a good defensive stroke.

Renshaw defends the last.

Time for a drink, the flags billowing behind the cart carrying them as the wind howls across the St George’s Park ground.

That’ll do me for the night, Dean Bilton will take you to the close.

 That’s the sort of shot that will do down about as well as a fart in tomorrow morning’s team meeting.

Not well.

Loading

Travis Head defends the first couple of Rabada’s spell.

We have brief break as the umpire chases after a bail that has blown off the stumps – and then needs to collect the things that have blown off him.

Head defends out to mid on.

And then a single off the last as Rabada targets the stumps and Head squeezes it away.

Matt Renshaw is the man who comes out at number four.

Steve Smith is in the dressing room, just dealing with that neck issue.

Oh my goodness what a shocking shot!

Marnus Labuschagne looks to hit the ball over long on, using his feet to get to the pitch of the ball.

It’s a good idea if there’s nobody out there, but there was!

Marco Jansen was out there, tracking back and expertly following the ball as it was buffeted down with the wind.

He takes a good catch in the outfield.

Marnus, having looked so good, is out for 39 off 98 balls.

Australia are 2-100.

Labuschagne swipes across the front of his pads and gets the ball away to square leg for no run.

He defends the next one more orthodoxly.

He wants a single as he clips the ball to fine leg but there’s no run here.

Solid defence from Labuschagne, back deep in his crease.

Again, Marnus covers up as Harmer targets the stumps.

Head rocks back and cuts away for a single out to deep point. Jansen always looks disgusted at something, but he’s really annoyed at that delivery.

Marnus defends the next three for no run.

And now he pushes to cover for a single.

That’s the 100 up for Australia

Good ball! Head is cramped up and made to look very awkward as a shorter ball follows him and he can’t pull it away.

Lovely shape from Harmer, Head can only fend to short midwicket.

BIG APPEAL! Harmer goes up as Head is rapped on the pads attempting a sweep.

But it’s runs! Just one of them, but a crucial one.

Head scores 50

It’s come off 81 balls, a crucial innings.

Marnus defends the first, and then clips away to square leg. I think the fielder at short leg has to do better than what he is doing – everything is getting past him at the moment. Not very dynamic.

Head pushes to cover for no run.

Then he pushes past cover for a single.

Will that overturned decision diffuse the tension and pressure that’s been building on the Australian batters? Or will it just continue to build.

Travis Head defends.

Now he cuts straight to gully on the bounce. A crowd catch there.

BOUNCER! And what a bouncer! Head tries to ramp it over the top as he leans back and away. Jansen doing his best to keep the pressure on.

Head punches the next ball out to cover.

Marnus pulls, there’s a cry of catch, but it reaches deep square leg on the bounce.

Pressure is still on.

Head clips away for another single to end the over and move him to 49.

The South Africans were overjoyed as soon as the ball hit the pad!

The finger went up from Umpire Illingworth straight away.

Marnus has reviewed almost straight away too.

Was there an inside edge? Nope.

Did it pitch outside leg? Nope.

Was it going on to hit leg stump? NOPE!

It did a bit too much! Marnus was beaten all ends up and has got closer and closer to being out.

That was the closest yet.

But it did too much and was missing the leg stump by perhaps the width of a hair. So close.

And Head turns him away for a single to midwicket.

Oh was that a chance? Marnus pushes forward and the ball flies behind the man at bat pad. There was an inside edge onto pad there, so that was a chance.

Marnus pushes towards cover, but there’s no run.

Marnus clips away to a man at short backward square leg.

EDGED! FOUR! Marnus is late to drop his bat on the line of the ball and edges it past the slips and away to the third man boundary. It’s getting close.

South Africa needs a wicket, so they throw it to their five-fa man.

IN THE AIR! Marnus clips the ball into the air on the leg side! That’s a horrid shot off the top edge of the bat. A bit of extra bounce maybe, or a slack shot, they run a single.

BEATEN! Swing and a miss from Head! It was wide and rising outside off and Head’s eyes lit up for a cut, but he got under it and missed.

Head pushes to cover for a single.

BEATEN! Marnus lets out a groan as the ball beats his straight bat outside off. He’s missed that by a distance but Jansen has started to make things happen, the two slips and gully very interested now.

Marnus defends.

Solid defence to end from Marnus, just a couple from the over.

Marnus defends. I’d love to tell you how, but the picture quality from South Africa is not the greatest and we just lost the vision for a moment there.

There’s an anguished cry of “CATCH IT!” as Marnus gets his bat out in front of his pad and the ball drops safely in front of him.

Marnus clips off his pads now to escape the strike.

BIG APPEAL! Going down leg I think, and the South Africans don’t press the case so I suspect they believe that too.

That’s the first moment of real jeopardy for a while in this innings.

Marnus pushes to deep point for a single.

It’s all quite sedate out there at the moment, the Aussies holding firm, the South Africans holding out for something to happen.

Head pushes to point for the easiest of singles.

Marnus clips away to deep midwicket for a couple more.

Solid defence from Marnus, the wind whipping his shirt sleeves under his sleeveless jumper. It’s very gusty out there.

Marnus fends to point and takes a single.

Head pushes out to deep cover and they run a couple more to make it seven from the over.

I’m not sure of South Africa’s tactics here. There’s little to no intensity out there – they’re easing in for a marathon effort and forgotten that it’s easier to defend than attack with a bat in your hand.

The 135-ball partnership is now worth 76 runs to this pair, and a whole lot more to the Australian spirit.

Simon Harmer skips in and bowls to Head, who pushes to mid off for a single.

Labuschagne clips off his pads for no run to short midwicket.

Nice shape in the air, Harmer has Marnus getting forward and reaching for a defensive stroke.

Labuschagne flamingo’s this one, clipping the ball to mid on with a clip that earns him no run.

Now he clips to deep cover for a couple.

A clip off his pads that gets some of the crowd interested sees Marnus retain the strike.

That’s harsh – he’s absolutely steaming in and he bowls, Head defending off his fourth stump.

Solid punch off the back foot from Head, straight to short cover for no run.

Head cuts out to deep backward point. He has an impish grin on his face, as if remembering that batting can be fun.

Marnus now clips to the same area of grass, deep backward square leg, and a single.

Head cuts, it will be a single and a single only.

Marnus gets an inside edge that has Ryan Rickelton groaning like a Medieval ghoul behind the stumps. Marnus throws his head back too.

Travis Head fends into the leg side, a slip and bat pad waiting.

EDGED! FOUR! A big drive from Travis Head that he had absolutely no control over, and the ball floes off the outside edge and away to the third man boundary. There was turn there though, that’s what forced the false shot.

Head defends solidly to the next three balls, back deep in his crease, his feet working a charm.

Head pushes to deep cover for a single.

Five runs off that Harmer over.

The wind is so strong that the bails just blew off. And the camera square of the wicket is bobbing about all over the place.

FOUR! Pulled nicely by Marnus, that’s rocketed to the boundary at square leg.

Marnus gets a lovely stride in and defends the ball out to mid off. Lovely movement of the feet there from the Queenslander.

Off the inside edge of the bat this time, Marnus pushing forward and the ball trickling out to fine leg, just a single taken. It was a no ball too.

FOUR! Travis Head drives expansively and with a flourish that has been missing of late, a perfect cover drive to the boundary – no use running when they come off the bat like that.

Head pushes to deep point for a single.

Late leave from Marnus at a ball very close to the stumps outside off.

Marnus defends the last ball of the over for no run. A whopping 11 runs coming off that one, Australia trailing by 261.

Essex’s finest comes back to bowl his spinning deliveries.

There’s a slip and a bat pad and Head pushes into the point region for a single.

Labuschagne clips off his pads to bat pad for no run, the ball half-fielded by David Bedingham under the helmet.

Labuschagne defends the next couple, good stride, a flat trajectory not allowing any turn.

Marnus clips to square leg for a single, past Bedingham.

Lovely flight there from Harmer, floating the ball from wide and looping it towards the line of the stumps where Head defends solidly. Great shape from the offy.

BEATEN! There’s an appeal, a big appeal as Travis Head has a big swing and a miss. Everyone behind the wicket went up but the bowler did not.

SOUTH AFRICA ARE SENDING THIS UPSTAIRS!

Well I never.

I didn’t hear anything.

Oh my goodness, and the reason why is that he was a solid inch away from getting bat on that ball. What a shocking appeal in the first instance, and a shocking review in the second. Pretty rubbish shot too, in fairness.

Head defends solidly next ball.

Now he defends to cover. No run, no width for Head to cut or slash at.

Two slips and a gully in place, as well as a catching cover, where the ball is played now.

Head fends the ball to point, which is back, for a single.

Labuschagne defends a ball on his stumps, just the single from the over.

Short and wide to start, Travis Head’s wheelhouse in other words. He cuts to deep point for a single.

Marnus has to defend first up.

Lots of chat and excitement around the bat as Marnus fends the ball to short square leg.

He does the same again, the man under the helmet there making a good stop on the bounce.

Down leg side, Marnus leaves it and Ryan Rickelton pads it rather than catches it.

Marnus ends the first over after tea with a clip to midwicket for no run. Markram looks puzzled.

So the session ends with the most comfortable period of Australian batting of the Test, after it began with yet another collapse.

The Aussies were rolled for 99 in the first innings and asked to follow on. When Nic Maddinson nicked off early in Australia’s second innings, some were wondering if there was any chance of a result tonight.

Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head have put paid to that though with a composed spell of batting on a flat wicket against steadily tiring bowlers. Australia really ought to believe it can still save this Test.

To do so, they’ll need another strong session to close out today. We’ll be back very shortly to find out how that one goes.

I think it will be tea after this over. I think.

FOUR RUNS! Beautiful sweep shot from Head. Nobody out there, and a loose one on leg stump is dispatched by Head.

Now belted through the off side, this time only for a single. That’s the 50 up for Australia.

Marnus defends the final ball, and that will indeed be tea.

He’s around the wicket to Head with tea looming.

Head rides a short one and works it around the corner for a single to fine leg.

Labuschagne has been resolute in the 44 balls he has faced in this second innings. He’s been leaving the ball particularly well.

In saying that, there aren’t any demons in this wicket and South Africa is a quick down. Which really only makes that first innings all the more curious.

Head chases the short and wide one and shanks it out to the deep for a single.

DROPPED! I reckon Labuschagne has just put another one through Bedingham at short leg. This one went through his legs and took a bit of fingertip on the way through. That was still only a half chance, but more catchable than the last one.

One more single for Head to end the over, three from it.

The wind is absolutely whipping out there, as an aside. Can’t be fun to be bowling in.

Head pushes through point again for a single.

Labuschagne remains incredibly patient, waiting for the bowling to get onto his pads for his chance to score. He clips away for two again when Rabada finally does stray.

Three from the over.

It will be very interesting to see how much South Africa can get from its spinners in this innings. Harmer in particular could be make or break given they are a bowler short.

Head gets a full toss and drives it away for a single.

DROPPED! A half chance I guess, but Labuschagne has just clipped one straight into the arm of the fielder at short leg. No real chance of catching it, but still. A chance, of sorts.

Just the single off that over.

A short break and a change of ends for Rabada. Perhaps South Africa will be made to work a little harder for its wickets in this second innings.

FOUR RUNS! Head throws the bat at that one, belting it up and over cover for four. A bit of a counter-attack there.

One more for Head out to deep point as he rises with the bouncing ball.

Six from the over. By my count we’re about 15 minutes away from tea.

PLAYED AND MISSED! Head played an aggressive cut at that one to no avail.

DROPPED! That should have been it. Head played a flaying cut again with no control, sending a quick but relatively comfortable catch to Jansen at gully. It burst through his hands and went away for four. South Africa lets one slip.

A couple more for Head off his pads to end the over. He’s had a life, can he cash in on it?

Jansen gets too straight to Head, who casually works it to fine leg for one.

Half a shout as Labuschagne misses one down the leg side. Quarter of a shout really, at most.

Jansen not looking quite as dangerous in this innings so far. Labuschagne defending well for now. Tea not too far away.

Turns out Marnus didn’t fully get that rogue element out of his eye. He’s really struggling with it currently. Between this and Steve Smith’s neck, the Australians have been all over the place. The medico has spent more time in the middle than some of the batters.

Punched away eventually by Head off the back foot, out to the sweeper for a single.

FOUR! Good batting from Labuschagne. He doesn’t want anything to do with the off side, but is taking the ball off his pads sweetly when given the chance.

FOUR MORE! I take it back. He’s grown quite fond of the off side suddenly. That’s a crunching cut shot, beautifully timed through point for four.

Good stuff from Labuschagne. Nine runs from that over.

He’s still around the wicket to Labuschagne, who leaves one on a fifth stump line.

Runs for Marnus, a couple of them thanks to a neat clip off the pads. When Jansen gets too straight from that angle, Labuschagne should cash in.

Another leave from Labuschagne, this one on more of a fourth-stump line. But he is trusting the length and the bounce from Jansen’s great height.

Something has gotten into Labuschagne’s eye. After a bit of a delay, I think he has removed it.

Jansen comes back over the wicket and now does tempt Labuschagne into a bite at a wide one. Marnus bunts it back down into the turf, and the over comes to an end. Two from it.

Now the logic of the follow on will be tested a little. Rabada bowls a three-over spell and is taken off, as South Africa needs to be wary of his body after such a long lay off. Nortje is out of action, so do they have the bowling depth to back up two consecutive innings?

It’s a maiden over from Mulder. A little bit of wobble through the air, and Head didn’t fancy taking any risks.

Head is on strike, but not for long. He limps through for a leg bye after being struck just in between the pad and thigh guard.

BEATEN! Jansen too good for Labuschagne there. His outside edge is beaten again.

Jansen is coming around the wicket to Marnus and trying to tempt him outside the off stump. No real joy as yet.

Just that single from the over, steady as she goes for these Australian batters.

Australia has been asked to follow on 40 times in their Test cricket history.

They lost 29 and drew 11 of those matches, winning none.

There have been four instances of a team winning after following on in Test matches.

Given that this is the 2,638th official Test match, that’s a vanishingly small number.

Somewhat surprisingly, Australia has lost after asking their opponents to follow on three of those four times.

Once was against England at the SCG in 1894 – losing by 10 runs, and then again against England at Headingly in 1981, losing by 18. Yeah, that one.

The other time Australia were on the wrong end of a result after enforcing a follow on was at Eden Gardens against India in 2001.

More on that below…

The only other time it’s happened was at Wellington in 2023, when Bazball saw England lose by a single run to New Zealand at Basin Reserve.

There is history between Australia and South Africa surrounding the follow on.

In a 1950 Test at Kingsmead in Durban, South Africa, after scoring 311 then bowled Australia out for just 75, a first-innings lead of 236.

South African captain Dudley Nourse did not enforce the follow-on.

However, South Africa was bowled out for just 99 in their second innings and, thanks to an unbeaten 151 from Neil Harvey, Australia made 336 in 123.6 overs to win by 5 wickets.

If you want to know more about Australia’s history with following on and asking to follow on, check out this piece here.

Rabada squares Head up and catches his outside edge, sending the ball squirting away to deep point for a single.

Labuschagne is trying will himself into some focus and form here, really going large with the “no run” calls and exaggerated body movements in defence.

And he’s very nearly bowled leaving. That one jagged back a mile and missed the off stump by a coat of paint.

One off the over, but crucially the Aussies survive.

SWING AND A MISS! Head plays an aggresive pull shot at a short one but can’t connect.

The short leg was in place for Head in Jansen’s first over but has come out now.

Head gets himself off the mark from the final ball of the over, defending into the off side for one run.

Over bowled, Head will keep the strike.

Marnus Labuschagne is back in the middle, getting his second chance of the day. He too nicked off in the first innings, so let’s see how he fares this time around.

He theatrically leaves his first delivery, and then gets off the mark with two runs through midwicket from his second.

A fine over from Rabada, South Africa off and running in this third innings.

With all due respect, this is an untenable situation at the top of the order. It’s tidy bowling, but Maddinson has just pushed at a harmless ball outside the off stump and nicked it through to the keeper.

Rabada strikes, Australia is one down already and Nic Maddinson’s stint as a Test opener will continue to be hotly debated. Or perhaps, more accurately, that debate just ended.

Maddinson on strike.

Maddinson looks to slash at a shorter ball, but it’s too close to the body and he gets a bottom edge. Not miles away from a chop on.

FOUR! Stand and deliver from Maddinson! Slashing through the off side, all the way to the rope. He’s going to play some shots here.

The hot left hand of Jansen is holding the ball, on his way in to Travis Head who is struck on the thigh pad.

Watchful from Head, who is leaving alone anything outside the off stump. Most unlike him.

Good over from Jansen, a maiden seen out by Head.

Take two for the Australians. They are trying to save a Test match now and will need to bat for effectively a day and a half to do it. These batters should be glad for the opportunity to immediately put right their many combined wrongs of the first innings.

Nic Maddinson gets another crack as a Test opener. He lasted four balls in the first innings, and now gets to stare down Rabada again.

BEATEN! Strong start. Maddinson tries to defend and misses the first ball of the second innings.

Now an outside edge, but straight into the ground. Jansen cops it on the body in the gully.

That’s a better forward defence. Not a whole lot of press forward, but he played it solidly under his eyes.

FOUR! Maddinson is off the pair with a smart prod through backward point for four. Well controlled.

THROUGH HIM! How has Maddinson survived that one? An absolute Rabada seed that splits the gap between bat and pad and somehow misses the off stump.

PLAYED AND MISSED! Maddinson isn’t really sure which way these balls are going to move, and he’s missed that one by quite a way.

Four runs from the over, Australia survives it.

Here we go.

Australia are being invited to bat again.

South Africa can sense blood in the water and they want to strike when the iron is hot.

Dean Bilton will take you through the next passage of play until tea.

It looks very sunny out there to be honest.

There is no more rain forecast for the rest of the Test as far as I am aware.

Time is off the essence in this Test. That much is clear.

South Africa have not been out in the field long.

They are, however, a bowler down with Anrich Nortje getting treatment for a groin injury.

That being said, Steve Smith looks about as comfortable as an Englishman in a Scottish pub during the World Cup, so why wouldn’t you make him get back out there as soon as possible?

Big call about to be made.

Australia still trail by 326 runs.

It’s only taken 42.3 overs.

The follow on is an option here and a serious one, despite the injury to Anrich Nortje leaving them a bowler down…

It’s a good catch in the deep, Cummins just lofted it over to the leg side, the ball went a long way up, came a long way down and into the palms of Matthew Breetzke.

Cummins is out for 7!

Australia all out for under 100.

Sick note plays a drive, pushing well away from his body, to get a single to cover.

Cummins backs away and fends into the off side. Nicely played in the end.

Richard Illingworth copped a ball in the head there after the Starc wicket. Whoops.

He looks OK.

SWING AND A MISS! Well wide, Hazlewood has no interest in going quietly so had a heave at it but misses making contact.

EDGED! Inside edge to fine leg, they will take a run.

Cummins tries to lift a rising ball over the slips. He doesn’t make contact.

And he can’t make contact with another riser that follows him to the leg side.

AUSTRALIA ARE NINE DOWN!

Starc just pushed at a ball outside off, it’s the easiest catch in the world for Ryan Rickelton behind the stumps.

Starc is out for 1, Australia 9-97.

Australia still trails by 328 runs.

The follow on is a real possibility here.

Uh oh.

Here comes the big bad wolf of this South African side.

Outside off is where he starts, Mitch Starc continues to swing from the hip and misses. There are three slips and a gully waiting for him to make a mistake.

Mitch Starc is the batter out in the middle now.

And he gets a leg side wobbler first up that he leaves alone.

Starc clips off his pads towards midwicket and takes a single.

How much of that was down to his discomfort?

How much of that was down to a brilliant ball from Mulder.

The ball pitched outside off, nipped back in a touch and clipped the top of off stump.

Smith is out for an 88-ball 28.

Australia are 8-96.

And Smith, looking very uncomfortable, gets hit on the thigh as he tries to back away.

FOUR! That beat everything and every one! The ball nipped in from outside off, past Smith, past the stumps, past the gloves of the keeper and away for four byes for Australia.

Smith is hit again. Right in the Joe Roots. He can’t move at all well. I wonder how much longer he can stay out there for? He needs to wait for the tablet he’s just taken to take effect. But he’s uncomfortable.

He was struggling with what appeared to be a stiff neck before lunch.

And now he’s having to take a tablet out in the middle again.

He’s gingerly moving his head on his shoulders.

He needs a tablet but he’s just dropped it – which is not ideal. I hope the physio bought out another one…

Smith pushes into the off side.

11,000 Test runs for Steve Smith

What an achievement that is. He averages 55.84, it’s come in his 126th Test match.

BOUNCER! That’s a beauty for Cummins to have to deal with, rearing up and forcing the Australian skipper into awkward evasive action.

Cummins fends past the slip cordon and will take a couple for square leg.

Two slips, second and third, gully and a leg gully in place. Cummins defends.

Cummins clips off his pads, that’s brilliantly timed and has raced away to the boundary. Marques Ackerman raced to save the boundary and has done very well, has he? Let’s have a look at that… was his hand touching the padding when he stopped the ball? Yes it was. FOUR for Pat Cummins.

Cummins fends the next to short cover for no run.

Cummins defends solidly.

Two slips and a gully in place for Cummins.

BEATEN! Outside off, Cummins just dangles the bat out there begging for the ball to catch the edge.

Three slips now.

BEATEN! Cummins drives expansively and recklessly outside off and is beaten comprehensively. It’s a great length from Mulder, rising and never there to drive. Cummins seems intent on living by the sword here.

He defends that next one on his stumps well enough – I reckon I’d consider just dangling deliveries out there in the corridor for now and wait for him to give himself out.

He leaves outside off, a tight leave.

There is a large group of school kids in the crowd today, and it seems like they’re singing happy birthday along with the band. Lovely.

Cummins defends.

Off the inside edge from Cummins and away to deep backward square for a single.

Smith, on 10,999 Test runs, leaves outside off.

Aiden Markram dives across from second slip to take a good catch as Webster flashes at a wide one.

It hit high on the bat, a bit of extra pace and bounce perhaps.

It has been coming, he has been living on the edge for a couple of overs now since lunch and Webster finally loses the battle with Jansen, who has 5-25 and is in no mood to stop there.

Webster goes for 13.

Australia are in the mire, 7-84.

Webster defends the first.

And he leaves the second.

Jansen is keeping his accuracy high, testing Webster’s patience and ability to defend his stumps.

EDGED! Short of slip! Soft hands, a good stop in the cordon in the end, but that was very close.

BEATEN! Webster needs to go and take a walk and reset here. He played that a long way from his body and he just didn’t need to.

FOUR! Driven through the covers brilliantly and expansively by Webster, brilliant hand speed from the all rounder. Great shot!

Two slips and a gully crouch down and watch as Webster fends to mid off for no run.

Webster defends to end an eventful over.

But he has reviewed instantly!

There was a sound.

If it wasn’t the bat, I’m not sure what that sound could possibly have been – but it may have missed?

“What!” is the incredulous call from someone off mic in the SuperSport commentary box.

There was definitely a sound.

But there is nothing showing up on Snicko!

It’s not out!

Was it the bail that he hit? Very fortunate.

Webster defends off his stumps as Mulder steams in.

And digs one in short, Webster pulls and the bat spins in the hands, making for untidy contact and the ball falls safe at midwicket.

Webster defends the next delivery.

Three slips, tightly packed like they’re queuing for an autograph to Ryan Rickelton’s right, as Jansen steams in and Webster can’t make solid contact on the ball.

Webster clips off his pads for a single to midwicket.

Jansen is over the wicket.

Smith, standing square and front on to the bowler! Incredible, he fends the ball to cover and gets a single. We talk of bowlers changing the angles a lot – Smith is changing his angles too, it seems.

CLOSE! Webster sets off for a run after getting an inside edge onto his pads, Jansen wheeling away with hand on head in anguish.

He bustles in, busy with arms pumping, and bowls down the leg side, Ryan Rickelton claiming the ball and pouching it neatly before trying his luck by whipping the bails off.

Smith leaves the next outside the off stump.

Yorker from Special Agent Mulder, who groans loudly when he realises Steve Smith is capable of dealing with one of those at 124km/h.

There are two slips, a catching midwicket and cover, a gully and the keeper is up.

Did that keep low? Smith has just jam the bat down to keep it out regardless.

Smith defends.

And Smith leaves the last outside off, cueing more groans from the close fielders.

I hope he didn’t have the same prawns that Josh Hazlewood had… for South Africa’s sake. They can’t afford to lose another bowler you feel.

Outside off to start, Webster leaves alone.

BEATEN! Outside off, the implacable Marco Jansen scowls down the pitch at Webster.

Webster defends off his stumps.

Close, Jansen coming around the wicket and angling the ball into Webster’s stumps, he just about manages to get bat to ball.

FOUR! Driven square of the wicket by Webster, a little bit of width and a lovely shot off the bottom of the bat. Great shot.

That’s the first boundary since the 13th over, apparently. Some drought…

He defends the last – good start after lunch.

Interesting chat on Fox Sports at lunch with Usman Khawaja, who is insistent that opening the batting is a specialist position and should be treated as such.

Sam Konstas has scored an unbeaten 151 as New South Wales sets WA an imposing total at the close on day three at the WACA.

As questions continue to swirl over Australia’s Test batting line up, Kontas and teammate Kurtis Pattinson have underlined their abilities to score big with timely tons.

Pattinson scored 122 in the first innings, but he was overshadowed by his 21-year-old teammate, who bludgeoned four sixes and 15 fours in his 167-ball innings as NSW set up a declaration on 5-262.

That left WA a little over a day to attempt to score 364 for victory.

The hosts’ chase got off to the worst possible start though, as Ben Dwarshuis (2-5) and Jack Edwards (1-0) tore into the top order; Cameron Bancroft (11), Sam Whiteman (17) and Corey Rocchiccioli (0) all departing cheaply to leave WA 3-30 at the close.

Three wickets from Gabe Bell has put Tasmania in a strong position to claim victory against Victoria after three days in Hobart.

Bell’s 3-22 included the scalps of opener Campbell Kellaway and number three Oliver Peake
for ducks, while he also had Matthew Short caught behind for 17.

Riley Meredith (2-17) was also in the wickets, removing Peter Handscomb for 37 and night watchman Todd Murphy for a duck.

Marcus Harris (39), who top scored for Victoria with 54 in the first innings, is Victoria’s last real hope of getting the 173 runs remaining for victory, with the Victorians floundering at 5-98 at the close.

The Tigers have Nikhil Chaudhary to thank for their strong position, his 81-run score helping push the hosts up to a score of 236, setting the Victorians 271 to win.

Wild match at Adelaide Oval over the past couple of days, where Queensland have beaten South Australia by six wickets.

Set 111 runs to win, the Bulls slumped dramatically to 4-29, before Jimmy Peirson (48no) and Jack Clayton (37no) combined to steer the Bulls to 4-114 before tea on day three.

Xavier Bartlett took seven wickets for the game for Queensland, helping reduce the Redbacks to 7-90 late yesterday.

“I didn’t think that was the way the arvo was going to go yesterday, to come out and string together some really good overs and see the back of some quality players early,” Bartlett told AAP.

“The key throughout the whole game was try to take wickets in the first 20-25 overs when that ball was new and hard, and we made the most of that.

“We came out like a bull out of a gate there and were lucky enough to get ahead of the contest.

“It’s always nice to get the first win on the board.”

SA posted 203 in the first innings and Queensland replied with 238.

Another session convincingly won by South Africa. Five wickets were taken for just 66 runs in this morning’s action, and as a result Australia is left fighting to even come close to avoiding the follow on.

Realistically South Africa is just 14 wickets away from winning this Test match, and they’ve got more than a day and a half to do it. Steve Smith has looked scratchy at times but he now looms as his side’s last hope in this innings at least, but there is a lot of batting ahead if Australia is to get out of this jam.

Marco Jansen (4-16) was particularly good this morning, Kagiso Rabada also excellent for less reward. The only problem for South Africa was the injury to Anrich Nortje, who might not bowl again in this Test match.

Stage really is set here. Rabada vs Smith in the last over before lunch.

First ball is wide outside off stump and Smith leaves it alone.

Likewise the second. Rabada trying to lure Smith in.

Geez, that was close as well. Smith steps across and plays a full ball from the back foot. He gets a thick inside edge through his legs and down to fine leg for two.

Smith leaves the next one. Two balls to come.

Solid and still defence from Smith. One ball to come.

Smith defends the final ball of the over, and that will be lunch.

He’s coming around the wicket to Smith here, and immediately jams one into his back thigh.

Now the short one forces Smith inside the line and nearly catches a glove. Get a leg slip in, Temba.

BEATEN! Smith stays still and tries to glide Jansen through gully. No luck. Smith has been all over the shop in these last 30 minutes or so.

SHOUT! Smith is struck on the back pad and immediately gestures to the world that it’s too high. The appeal is turned down and there won’t be a review. Don’t like it when Smith does that, not his business to be telling the umpire what to think.

It was too high though.

Smith finally gets some bat to on and takes a single to the off side.

Webster ducks under a bouncer and there’s your over. We’ll have one more before lunch.

You guys hear enough from me, so the floor is now yours.

Not getting any easier. Smith on strike, until he prods to the off side for a single. Beau Webster is the new man in with 10 minutes to survive before the lunch break.

BEATEN! Just an outstanding delivery from Rabada to beat Webster’s outside edge. Rabada thinks he might have heard something there and is trying to talk Bavuma into a review, but it’s not forthcoming. I don’t think Webster hit it.

Webster survives the over. One from it.

Well well well! Marco Jansen is on fire just before lunch and the Australians are in absolute all sorts now!

A bit more pace from Jansen, but again it was the extra bounce that brought the wicket. Carey was forced to fend at a ball that was close to his body and sent a little tickle through to Rickelton behind the stumps.

Two in three balls for Jansen and the Aussies are on the brink.

Alex Carey is the new man in.

BEATEN! Another cracker. Jansen steps up the pace and sends it past the outside edge of Carey’s bat. Jansen on fire.

The extra bounce of Jansen does for Renshaw! Pressed to the back foot, the ball takes the shoulder of the bat towards Harmer in the cordon. It’s a smart catch down low to Harmer’s right.

There are some words from Jansen towards Renshaw as he passes by, and the Aussie is forced to trudge off. Big blow on the cusp of lunch.

Jansen lopes to the crease and Renshaw leaves him alone outside the off stump.

Rabada offers Smith some width for first time and he helps himself. Not perfectly timed off the back foot so he’ll settle for two.

PLAYED AND MISSED! That is such smart bowling. Rabada offers width again, but slightly fuller this time and swinging away. Smith has a really swipe at it and is lucky not to nick it. Rabada has played him like a fiddle there.

Now Smith moves across his stumps and tries to drive from the back foot. He gets a thick inside edge instead to mid on.

Smith is going really hard at Rabada here. Another firmly struck drive straight to mid off, but that was a little uppish too. Smith is not settled.

Great over, good cricket. Rabada looks to be in Smith’s head, but Smith survives.

The Australian physios are out in the middle paying some attention to Steve Smith’s neck. They are running some tests and performing some stretches, and Smith doesn’t look entirely comfortable.

Looks like Smith is going to continue. Renshaw is on strike to Jansen.

BEATEN! First ball, Jansen nips one away from Renshaw and passes his outside edge.

Renshaw works off his pad for one more.

More sharp running from Smith for one more to cover. Another over down, we’ve got about 20 minutes to play until lunch.

Smith vs Rabada, always worth tuning in for.

Stump to stump, every ball. Making Smith play and testing his defence. Rabada’s pace still building through this first over.

EDGED! And juuuuust short of second slip! A healthy nick from Smith which Markram takes cleanly on the half-volley. A stroke of luck for Smith.

Rabada worked him over brilliantly in that set and nearly cashed in. A maiden.

Smith on strike, defending with the turn to begin the over.

A single for each batter now out to those sweeping fielders in the deep. Seems just a little easy for the Aussies to take those runs at the moment, relieving a little bit of pressure every time.

Was that a dropped caught and bowled chance or a bump ball? Bump ball, never mind.

CLOSE! Now Renshaw chops one down into his pads from the inside edge. That easily could have been stump instead.

Over bowled.

Can I toss a curveball in there and suggest that Travis Head isn’t really an opener either? So you could make an argument that Head could shore up the middle order and the search should be on for two new openers.

Of course that isn’t likely to actually play out, not before India anyway.

There are promising bats throughout Shield cricket currently, and though they may not have the records of the incumbents of yesteryear, they are talented and desperate for a crack. Some of them are even under 30 years old!

Renshaw presses back and drives through the covers from the back foot for two more runs.

Mulder moves over the wicket to the left-handed Renshaw. Just trying some things with the angles.

Not for long though, back around he goes. Mulder is throwing his head back just about every time Renshaw leaves a ball. Perhaps if it is frustrating him so much he should deliver a few on the stumps.

Like that. He fires one in at leg stump and draws Renshaw’s leading edge. Renshaw is lucky that didn’t turn into a chance.

Over bowled, two from it.

Renshaw drives confidently but there’s a sweeper out at wide mid-off. Just one run for that stroke.

A quick and uneventful over, punctuated only briefly when Smith missed another one down the leg side. One from the over.

Rickelton has come up to the stumps now that Renshaw has started walking at the bowler.

More good running from Renshaw, a quick single to cover. That was a feature of the Bavuma innings yesterday, and in fact the South Africans initially managed to turn the tide on Australia with some assertive running between wickets.

Circumspect from Smith and another over is successfully negotiated.

Thrust into the attack early, they’re going to stick with Harmer now. That Nortje injury could be so crucial, because they will be wary of overbowling Kagiso Rabada on his return.

One more for Renshaw, hurried through by Smith for the single.

Just the one run off the over as these two go about steadying the ship.

Mulder tries to tempt Renshaw with what looked to me to be a wide half volley, but the batter isn’t interested at all. He leaves it alone.

BEATEN! There it is for Mulder. Finally draws a false stroke from Renshaw, beating his outside edge as he presses forward to defend.

Renshaw walks down the pitch to the final ball of the over and clips it fine for one more. Some frustration for Mulder who is bowling pretty well here. Around they go.

So Harmer will bowl the final three deliveries of this over with Nortje on his way for some treatment.

Renshaw gets forward and takes a single out to deep point.

Oooh, Harmer deceives Smith down the leg side and beats the bat. Lucky there was no tickle on that one through to the keeper.

The over ends, potentially a highly consequential one for South Africa.

Pace is up and he’s hitting the bat hard here. Nortje strays down the legside that time though and the batters get through for a bye. A leg-bye, actually. Must have just barely flicked something or other.

Nortje is just massaging his groin a little now, doing a couple of little stretches at the top of his mark. That’s something to watch.

Not slowing him down though, he sends his next ball sharply past Renshaw outside the off stump.

Nup, that’s it for Nortje. That groin issue is clearly bothering him and he is now limping from the field. A huge blow for South Africa.

Renshaw is on strike and shoulders arms to one just a fraction outside the off stump. Mulder holds his hands to his head.

Runs for Renshaw, squeezed away through the gully via the outside edge of the bat. We saw plenty of that in Durban.

He’s picked up where he left off, Matt Renshaw. Solid defence, tight leaves, generally unflappable demeanour.

Mulder has some words to him as the over ends.

Kurtis Patterson got 122 at the WACA in New South Wales’ first innings.

He only got 20 in the second though, while a young opener called Sam Konstas has just passed a hundred in the second innings for the Blues…

Just something to think about.

Renshaw is on strike and he fends the ball down into the point region. There is a helmeted bat pad in place at short square leg, as well as three slips and a gully.

Renshaw clips past that square leg, who sets off after the ball to limit it to a single.

Only two slips for Smith, square leg still in place, and he pushes confidently into the off side for no run.

Solid defence from Smith.

Bouncer ends the over for Nortje.

And indeed, the first hour or so of play.

It’s time for a drink and, after that, Dean Bilton will take us through to lunch.

Not as quick, Mulder, but he’s plenty accurate enough, as Smith defends the first ball he faces from the fourth seamer back down the pitch to him.

Up comes Rickelton behind the stumps to keep Smith in his crease.

Smith pushes the next away, or tries to, Rickelton taking the ball well.

Smith is squared up here, the ball squirting off the outside edge to point. No run.

Smith defends this one a lot more competently.

Another good, solid defensive stroke. Smith is wearing black paint under his eyes, on his cheek bones akin to an NFL linebacker. Spending time in New York must be rubbing off on him.

Smith leaves outside off, a wide one to end Mulder’s first over, a maiden.

He’s always been a bit of a conundrum, to be fair.

He will go back and dominate the Shield if he’s dropped.

And then does he come straight back in? It’s hard, it really is.

His moustache is a thing of beauty, Anrich Nortje. Real 80s vibes.

Smith defends the first.

HIT HIM! Good ball, a rearing delivery from Nortje that raps Smith on the bottom hand, as the band strikes up a jaunty tune to match the South African’s mood.

Smith was hit on the head by Nortje at Durban, he spoke about the feeling and concerns he had following that blow right here.

Smith defends solidly.

It’s been a great start with the ball for Nortje. Quick and accurate.

Solid defence from Smith.

And now he takes a single into the cover region, to end the over.

Long spell for the strike bowler.

Smith clips away for a single, squared up a touch there, good bowling from Rabada but well played.

Hero of Durban, Matt Renshaw takes strike.

He leaves the first.

EDGED! Soft hands, along the ground and taken on the bounce by Harmer at third slip – really well played by the Yorkshireman-cum-Queenslander.

Left outside off.

Appeal, half stifled, as the ball clips the pad of Renshaw as he shoulders arms, but it was going past the outside of off stump.

Renshaw defends the last.

Brilliant one-handed catch at third slip by Simon Harmer!

I don’t know if it would have carried to second slip, so Simon Harmer had to dive to his left to attempt to get the catch.

He dived, stuck out a big left mitt and snaffled the ball.

A decent ball at a decent pace outside off from Nortje, but Marnus made a mess of playing it, never there to drive.

Marnus goes for 14,  Australia 4-46.

Change of bowling, the first of the day, and it’s Anrich Nortje who comes in.

Outside off, left alone by Smith.

Smith clips off his pads and gets a couple of runs down to fine leg, where Rabada slides and fields the ball well to save the boundary. There were groans of anguish after that delivery – not sure why.

Bouncer, Smith pulls really well, keeping the ball down enough so that it bounces to fine leg for a single only.

Marnus leaves the first.

He leaves the next, too.

Nortje is bowling in the mid-140s at the moment.

BEATEN! Smith counts his lucky stars and breathes a sigh of relief that his bat didn’t catch the side of that ball as it flew past him.

Solid defence from Smith.

FOUR! Wonderful, oh boy that’s a lovely shot, driving back past Rabada for another boundary with the straightest of bats. Text book. Brilliant. A joy to behold.

Smith clips away off his pads for a single, 147km/h that one was sent down at. His fastest so far today has been over 150km/h.

Marnus leaves outside off.

BEATEN! That’s another ripper, Rabada finding pace and just a little bit of movement away to beat the outside edge of Marnus Labuschagne.

I am a staunch advocate of playing the long game here.

Tests are not played in isolation – every day and every Test weaves itself into the tapestry of a series of stories and story lines, so playing long to wear out the bowlers for Cape Town next week? Great plan.

Marnus leaves with a little flourish of his bat, a wannabe matador almost 9,000km south of the nearest bull ring.

FOUR! Why dream of bullfighting when you can drive a ball like that?! A glorious push through mid off to the boundary. Great shot from Marnus.

Marnus defends the next.

BEATEN! That’s a beauty from Jansen. Marnus turns away in disgust, and the perpetually scowling Jansen delivers an Afrikaans word or two in the Queenslander’s direction.

FOUR! That’s one way to respond, another lovely shot from Labuschagne to wide long off.

Last one of his spell? I wouldn’t want to over-work him too early.

Smith leaves outside off.

And leaves the next one too.

Rabada has 29 wickets at 21.82 at St George’s Park, the fourth-most of any player in Tests at the venue.

His 11-150 here against Australia in 2018, when he famously brushed past Steve Smith with his shoulder, is the third best of any player at this ground in Tests.

FOUR! Lovely shot by Steve Smith, driving on the up outside off, all hands, lovely stuff.

Closer from Rabada, Smith clipping off his pads for no run.

Now he defends solidly.

Another straighter delivery from Rabada, a bit too straight, and Smith clips it off his pads for a couple more.

Steve Smith is the new man in the middle.

It’s left alone first up.

Jansen beats him! Good ball, hitting Smith on the thigh and no doubt leaving a bruise.

Outside off, left alone by Smith. What a job he has on his hands here, Australia are wobbling.

Smith gets off the mark, fending the ball away into the leg side off the inside half of the bat. Just a single to end a good over from Marco Jansen.

There was a lot of chat out there!

But it’s a brilliant review from Bavuma!

A lovely ball from Jansen, who has had the ball singing in this morning session, the ball nipping back from off and beating the edge of the bat.

It’s cannoned into the knee roll and would have gone on to hit middle stump!

Travis Head has to go.

He’s out for 14, and Australia are 3-22.

Down the leg side, Head wants to tickle it as the ball passes by, but he misses, thankfully.

Jansen is appealing, I am not sure what for… was it LBW? I thought there must have been two noises…

It wasn’t a very convincing appeal to be honest…

South Africa are reviewing this! A big moment!

It’s hard to read Jansen sometimes, he looks perpetually grumpy.

We’re getting a look at it and that ball has nipped back and hit Head’s pad! Could be dangerous, this!

 HIT HIM! Another good ball from Rabada, hits Head on the thigh, which will be bruising up nicely by now. Head has to be so careful of fending a ball to short square leg, waiting patiently behind him.

HIT HIM AGAIN! Another ball finds that gap between thigh pad and shin flap. Painful.

Head escapes off strike with a quick single.

Marnus on strike now, he’s fending to gully, no run.

Rabada fizzes the next ball past the outside of off stump and Marnus leaves it well alone, walking away to avoid Rabada’s death stare.

Rabada throws his hands up as Marnus gets a thick inside edge away down to square leg – a bit of swing that came in and Marnus was just about good enough to get his bat in the way of that one and earn himself two streaky runs.

APPEAL! Jansen comes around the wicket and raps Marnus on the thigh pad – it’s too high but not by much. They won’t review.

HIT HIM! This time it’s going much higher but another blow lands on the body of Marnus Labuschagne. That’s hit just a bit higher than the thighs and a bit lower than the belly.

Outside off, left alone by Marnus.

CHANCE! Jansen hits Marnus on the thigh, narrowly missing the inside edge and Marques Ackerman dives forward to snaffle the ball at bat pad. He’s definitely in play here.

FOUR! Wide, Marnus flicks up over gully for a boundary. Pressure relieving shot off a poor ball.

Marnus is hit again, the hands jumping off the bat handle as if it’s a pan that’s been on the heat too long, the ball popping up off the surface and causing the under-fire Australian to be alarmed.

Solid defence from Head, great line from Rabada to the left hander. No swing for the returning veteran.

Brilliant take from Ryan Rickelton, one handed down the leg side. Head came close to flicking that with his bat – I wonder if South Africa may consider a leg slip?

Appeal but half-hearted at best from Rabada as Head earns himself a bruise right on the thigh, just under the padding. Head is bent over. That ball was 147km/h. Stingy.

FOUR! A bruise to the thigh is returned with a bruise to the ego! Too full from Rabada, a bit wide too and Head punches it though the covers for four. Great battle, this.

BEATEN! Tit for tat batting of the highest quality! Travis Head just got his bat out the way in time, the ball fizzing past the off stump and missing it by a fraction.

Head leaves the last too.

No pressure Marnus, but you’re Test career is hanging by a thread.

CLOSE! Good ball first up by Jansen, outside off, Marnus leaves it but that was a mighty tight one to leave. There may have been a hint of swing there too.

He leaves the next too, a bit wider this time.

Bat on ball for the first time now, Jansen going shorter and Marnus has to get the bottom hand off the bat. This is akin to an examination that Marnus knows is coming but perhaps he hasn’t revised as much as he might have done.

Outside off, left by Marnus comfortably.

There are three slips, a gully, a bat pad too.

BOUNCER! Marnus leans back and probably felt the breeze on his cheek as the ball fizzed past at 130km/h. Good delivery, well directed bouncer and it is making Marnus think already.

Simon, I am blaming you for this.

Good first ball from Jansen, in that corridor of uncertainty, albeit brushing the outside wall of it at best.

Boland pushes at it, gets a feather of an edge and it’s taken by the keeper.

No heroics in the sunshine for Boland, he departs for 2, the 13 balls he faced yesterday far more important, of course.

Australia 2-11.

Only one over of pace yesterday, so Jansen is called upon for the first time here.

By much, we mean, anything.

Can Boland, who has two first-class fifties and top score in Tests of 21, stay a long time?

Lovely sunny day, a bit of wind and some light cloud. Travis Head is on strike. There are three slips in place.

BEATEN! Head has missed that by a long way, pushing tentatively outside his off stump. Leave those alone, Trav.

FOUR! Pushed wide outside off, all hands, small step only, and it squirts past backward point to the boundary.

Bit shorter, Head steps to the off side and clips to short square leg, who gathers on the bounce.

FOUR! Streaky though, Head is squared up and the ball disappears past gully to third man for four more. Head did not know a lot about that one, holding the bat out and getting the thick outside edge.

Down the leg side, Head wafts at the ball but doesn’t make contact. Rabada scowls at him. Last delivery was 144.4km/h.

Down leg side again, wider this time and Head is nowhere near it as he dangles his bat in the ball’s general direction.

Loading

Before we get underway today, just a quick word from David Warner, South Africa’s favourite Australian, who has laid into the poor attendances at the cricket so far in the Republic.

In a social media post, Warner asked where the fans are, critiquing the empty stands and lack of atmosphere.

“We keep hearing how important Test cricket is, but where are the fans in South Africa?” he wrote.

“Empty stands, no atmosphere, and we’re supposed to believe the format is thriving?”

I don’t know if anyone in the T20 age believes the format is “thriving” David, but by all means continue…

“You can’t keep calling Test cricket the pinnacle of the game if no one turns up to watch it.

“Harsh reality, but someone has to say it. Pathetic.”

Harsh from Warner? Probably.

Fair? Probably.

As previously mentioned, it’s no secret that outside of England and Australia, Test cricket is woefully supported.

The reasons are legion and far too many to talk about here with the cricket about to start, but there is a sense of a vicious circle of neglect when it comes to the format outside of the big three.

The first Test in Durban was the first home Test for South Africa in 641 days, the best part of TWO YEARS without a home Test?

Why? Because India, Australia and England take the bulk of the profits from cricket and the smaller nations simply cannot afford to host them any more.

South Africa doesn’t get the high profile series during the height of their summer any more and, without a pattern of Tests at that time, how does one create a culture of going to the Tests?

This, as it happens, could be something Cricket Australia might want to think about given the lack of internationals the women are playing over the summer this year…

Additionally, it’s not even summer in South Africa at the moment! October is the earliest South Africa have played a Test match at home in their history.

So before Mr Warner gets all high and mighty, maybe he might want to think about WHY nobody outside of Australia or England is turning up to Test cricket anymore and offer solutions, instead of just criticism.

Lots of questions, and very few answers to be honest.

In case you missed it, Gqeberha is a Xhosa word for the river that runs through the city which was formerly known as Port Elizabeth.

isiXhosa is one of the 12 official languages of South Africa.

It is a tricky one for non-native speakers because it uses a click sound in its lexicon, which is the sound that the “Gqe” represents.

So, the pronunciation of Gqeberha is click> bear-gha.

Thanks to SuperSport, they have provided some commentary from Makhaya Ntini and Mluleki Ntsabo on the close fielders that circled the Aussie batters in the imposing gloom of yesterday evening.

So have a listen below to how Xhosa sounds.

Oh what price for some hindsight?

Nobody doubted that going with four quicks and omitting a specialist spinner when the green monster was revealed at the toss on day one at St George’s Park.

The decision especially seemed vindicated early yesterday when South Africa slipped to 6-110, with new man in Scott Boland taking four of those wickets.

But after a torrid day in the field yesterday, what would Australia have given to have been able to call on Nathan Lyon?

Of course, nobody would have expected hero of the first Test in Durban, Josh Hazlewood, to go down with a dodgy belly.

And look, Beau Webster bowled really well in his 19 overs, returning figures of 0-43 but at the most economical of all Australia’s bowlers used.

But the three part time spinners, Marnus Labuschagne, Matt Renshaw and Nic Maddinson bowled 15 overs 1-65, leaking runs at over four per over.

“If you know you’re going to be a man down from the start, you’re probably going with a different make-up, aren’t you?” Mitch Starc said.

“But unfortunately Josh had a dodgy prawn or something. He’ll have fresh legs for the second innings.”

Lyon was left to play a supporting role from the sidelines.

“He’s been around long enough to put his shoes back on and be the team man that he is. He was that man for most of the day today, whether it’s down at fine leg running us drinks or tapping us on the back.

“I’ve been left out plenty of times and naturally you’re disappointed that you don’t get to play. He’ll get another opportunity,” added Starc.

with Reuters

Need more on Temba Bavuma’s brilliant innings yesterday?

His was the fourth-highest innings score from a South African captain in a home Test match, behind Hashim Amla (twice) and Graham Smith.

His wagon wheel, as shown in the post below, is pretty much all around the ground, remarkable areas from Bavuma.

Heading into this Test match, Temba Bavuma has scored just four centuries in his 67 appearances.

But didn’t he do outstandingly well yesterday to score his fifth, his highest ever Test innings score and arguably his most crucial.

“I walked into a tricky situation,” he told reporters yesterday.

“I think everything was in the bowlers’ favour, the conditions overhead, the wicket itself, we’d just lost two early wickets, but ordinarily I’ve found myself in those situations quite a number of times and I guess it seems to bring out the best in me.

“I was always just trying to be as tight as I could and try to hit the ball as straight as I could.

“The one thing was being able to get the team out of a tough situation.

“But then from a personal point of view, to go on to getting a big 100, that’s obviously something that’s been a thorn in my side throughout my career. So it was nice to get over that mental hurdle.”

It was a remarkable innings from the diminutive skipper.

Russell Jackson has written all about the importance of the innings, right here.

Here’s the quick hits from day three.

Bavuma’s brilliance.

Australia’s bowling impotence.

And a fortuitous light ruling that gave Australia some respite from further damage before the close.

Here’s the wrap of a fascinating day three.

Test cricket is a remarkable thing, isn’t it?

At the toss on day one, there were genuine fears for South Africa, as Pat Cummins guessed right and put the hosts in on a pitch that looked a minefield.

Day two simply served to heighten those fears, as Scott Boland ripped through the top order and Australia was left five down for less than 100.

Fast forward 24 hours to the start of day four and it is Australia who are suddenly under the pump, a brilliant Temba Bavuma innings anchoring the Proteas to a massive score of 425, with Australia already a man down in pursuit of that target.

There is every chance that this game ends in a draw. It’s almost expected after two almost complete washout days.

But do not take your eyes off this for a second, because everything is still on the table, as we approach a fascinating fourth day in Gqeberha.

Hello everyone and welcome to the ABC Sport coverage of the fourth day of the second Test. My name is Simon Smale, with Dean Bilton and Henry Hanson also on deck as we get ready for what promises to be the deciding day of this match.

So strap yourselves in and get ready for action.