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It’s another cracking day at Newlands. Blue skies, it’ll be low 20s and there’s a fresh breeze.
Nathan Lyon helped give Australia the momentum late on day three, taking the important wicket of captain Temba Bavuma in the penultimate over of play.
Graeme Smith says the bit of rough is a “perfect length” for Nathan Lyon, which has been helped by left-arm quicks Marco Jansen and Mitch Starc.
Smith – the great South African opener and captain – believes 250 is par.
There’ll be so much responsibility on the right-hander Matthew Breetzke (19) and left-hander Ryan Rickleton (8), who is batting in the middle order but has a 259 to his name opening the batting. That double century came in Cape Town too.
South Africa are 40 runs in front, but they’re four wickets down. Who’s on top? Australia, according to Kerry O’Keeffe, Mark Waugh and David Warner. Here’s what they just said on Fox Cricket.
O’Keeffe: “It’s climax time, isn’t it? This is why we turn up (at Test cricket).
“I think Australia are well ahead in the game. The way the surface was being disturbed late yesterday, these six could fall over very quickly – and then it’s a walk to the line for Australia.”
Waugh wasn’t quite as emphatic, but still believes the tourists are favourites.
“Australia’s in the driver’s seat, aren’t they. I think South Africa need another 150-200 to be in the game. They’ve got a bit of batting to come, but I think Australia are in the driver’s seat.”
Warner: “I think it’s Australia. This first hour is a big one for Australia. It’ll be a balance of attacking and saving runs.”
Australia have held another group huddle in the middle of Newlands ahead of a day that can deliver them the series over South Africa. While the tourists are ahead in the game, they will be wanting to get quick wickets this morning to minimise the dimensions of the chase they confront on a dry pitch that is starting to do plenty for spin and a little more for pace.
As South Africa spinner Simon Harmer said:
“The series is at 1-1 and it’s going to boil down to getting the ball in the right area the most amount of times. Just trying to keep it as simple as possible, understand the occasion, enjoy it, enjoy the pressure and hopefully do something spectacular.
“We’ve got two very capable batters at the crease and still a lot of batting to come, so there are going to be casualties along the way and you just hope that little things start to go your way and you can get to a score that will give us a chance to bowl them out in the fourth innings.
“It’s clichéd and simplistic, but the most important part of this game for us is the first hour tomorrow [Thursday] morning.”
South Africa have warned Australia they may need to conquer a trial by spin to taste series success, after Mitchell Starc’s golden Cape Town Test gave the tourists a clear path to victory.
The veteran pace ace struck twice on Thursday afternoon to leave the Proteas 4-140 in their second innings, leading by just 40 after three days, with Australia now firmly on top.
The left-armer’s wickets came after he also took six on the opening day, setting up the match for Australia and giving them the best of the batting conditions.
But it’s the way the pitch acted with Starc and Nathan Lyon bowling late on day three that offered a hint of the challenges Australia could face while chasing in the series decider.
The hours of play will remain the same and there may be an extra 30 minutes available to make up for weather or missed overs.
First session: 7.30pm to 9.30pm (AEDT)
Second session: 10.10pm to 12.10am (AEDT)
Third session: 12.30am to 2.30am (AEDT)
According to AccuWeather, Cape Town is forecast to be sunny giving way to increasing clouds with a high of 25 and a low of 17.
Hello and welcome to our cricket live blog for day four of the third Test between Australia and South Africa at Newlands.
I’m Christy Doran and I’ll be taking you through tonight’s action while Daniel Brettig is on the ground in Cape Town.
Play is set to resume at 7.30pm AEDT. Enjoy the hours to come.
