Cape Town, October 28 (Daily Kiran) : South Africa has edged ahead of Australia in the ongoing third Test match at Newlands, as Day 2 concluded.
After bowling Australia out for 329 runs, South Africa managed to score 330 runs for the loss of four wickets in their first innings.
The team had previously secured a 2-1 victory in the three-match ODI series. Australia won the first Test by 214 runs, but South Africa bounced back to claim the second match by an innings and 31 runs, setting the stage for an exciting decider.
Winning the toss and opting to bat, South Africa’s opening pair of Aiden Markram and MJ Ackermann provided a solid foundation. They partnered for 158 runs before Ackermann was dismissed for 95, hitting 12 fours and two sixes. Markram contributed 78 runs with 11 boundaries before the team experienced a dramatic collapse, losing six wickets for just 74 runs.
Ryan Rickelton and Marco Jansen then forged a crucial seventh-wicket partnership of 95 runs, helping the team surpass the 300-run mark. However, South Africa was ultimately bowled out for 329.
Mitchell Starc was the standout bowler for Australia, claiming six wickets for 72 runs in 16.3 overs. Nathan Lyon took two wickets, while Josh Hazlewood and Cooper Connolly each secured one.
On the , South Africa’s Travis Head and Matt Renshaw opened the innings with a steady start, adding 58 runs for the first wicket. However, both were dismissed in quick succession, with Head scoring 41 and Marnus Labuschagne failing to score.
Renshaw then stabilized the innings with Cameron Green, putting together a partnership of 126 runs for the third wicket. Renshaw scored 74 runs with 10 boundaries before being dismissed at a total of 184 runs, and Green followed shortly after, contributing 65 runs.
Josh Inglis, who remained unbeaten on 85, took charge as he formed a 145-run partnership with Alex Carey, who also finished not out on 51. By the end of Day 2, South Africa had a slender lead of just one run. Marco Jansen and Simon Harmer each took two wickets for the visiting team.