Australia set South Africa a fourth-innings target of 421 in the first Test at Kingsmead, Durban, declaring their second innings on 314 for 6 by tea on day four after Matt Renshaw backed up his first-innings 190 with 82 off 99 balls.
At stumps, South Africa finished the day on 4-102 trailing by 319 runs, requiring 319 more runs to reach a target of 421
Australia scored at 5.41 runs an over, with captain Pat Cummins hitting 32 not out off 12 balls and Beau Webster finishing unbeaten on 39.
Renshaw, batting at No. 5, appeared on course for a second century of the match before he was caught and bowled by spinner Keshav Maharaj, who took the catch low to the ground. Third umpire Richard Illingworth ruled that Maharaj’s fingers were under the ball. Renshaw, who returned to Test cricket as an opener against Bangladesh in August after three and a half years away, is the only batter in the match to have passed 50. He reached his half-century with a reverse-sweep for four off Simon Harmer, a shot he used to good effect throughout.
Australia needed quick runs, as bad light had cut short each of the first three days in the final session, with dark clouds building over Durban as they typically do at this time of year. Resuming on 33 without loss, after only 5.4 overs were possible on day three, Australia got an aggressive start from new opener Nic Maddinson.
Maddinson, a surprise selection who had not played first-class cricket since March 2025, made 48 off 38 balls, a contrast to his 33-ball duck in the first innings. He survived early edges through the slips before driving freely through the off side to pass his previous highest Test score of 22, and hit Harmer for a six down the ground before Anrich Nortje bowled him with a yorker.
Travis Head made 11, edging Marco Jansen to mid-on. Head averages 31.6 in Tests away from home against almost 52 in Australia, and his highest score in his last six innings is 29, raising the question of whether he should swap places with Renshaw and return to No. 5.
Steven Smith was struck on the helmet by a Nortje bouncer but responded with three boundaries and brought up a 50-run partnership with Marnus Labuschagne by hitting Harmer down the ground. He fell soon after, caught by Jansen at the second attempt.
Labuschagne, under pressure after going without a Test century since the 2023 Ashes, looked in good touch at No. 3 but holed out to cover off Maharaj for 37 off 58 balls, an identical score from an identical number of deliveries to his first innings.
The pitch is becoming harder to bat on, with variable bounce and significant turn for Maharaj and Harmer, after South Africa failed to make use of easier conditions on day three. Nortje had several deliveries keep low through to wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne, a sign Australia’s fast bowlers will look to exploit.