By Kevin Rademeyer, Sports Journalist.
Photo Credit: CSA.
The Proteas began the third day of the series decider at Newlands backed against the ropes, taking punishment and staring at a potential knockout that would hand Australia the series.
By stumps, they were battered and bruised, having lost four wickets and surrendered the initiative for long periods, but they were still on their feet and throwing punches. The fight is far from over.
The visitors reached 429 in their first innings on Thursday, establishing a lead of 100 before reducing the Proteas to 140 for four at stumps.
South Africa lead by only 40 runs, with two days remaining and a considerable amount of work still to do if they are to turn the contest around.
Australia began the morning at 330 for four, holding a slender one run advantage. By the time Simon Harmer finally broke through, Inglis and Alex Carey had added 185 for the fifth wicket and taken the game away from South Africa’s bowlers.
Inglis, drafted into the side after Steven Smith was ruled out with a neck injury, made the most of an unexpected opportunity, and produced a superb 102 from 135 deliveries.
It was only his second Test century, following his debut hundred against Sri Lanka in 2025, and an innings that underlined Australia’s options as their batting order enters a period of change.
Carey contributed 80, showing patience and control as South Africa struggled to make the ball talk on a surface that had offered little assistance on the second day. Inglis shifted gears impressively, using his attacking instincts to put pressure back on the bowlers.
Harmer eventually removed him and then Carey, finishing with four for 104 from 37 overs.
Marco Jansen claimed three for 60, while Harmer was South Africa’s most effective bowler. Their efforts helped prevent Australia from building an even more damaging advantage after the visitors had threatened to dominate the innings.
Kagiso Rabada appeared in better condition after struggling with stomach cramps on Wednesday, but South Africa still needed more from their attack.
Missed opportunities and untidy fielding added to their frustration, including a difficult chance offered by Carey that Harmer could not hold at slip.
The bigger problem emerged when South Africa began their second innings.
Aiden Markram, who had helped lay the foundation with Marques Ackerman in the first innings, made just one before driving Mitchell Starc straight to mid off.
David Bedingham struck a crisp cover drive but was undone by the short ball again, top edging Josh Hazlewood to deep square leg for 11.
The dismissals were a familiar source of frustration in a series in which South Africa have repeatedly surrendered promising positions. On a pitch offering increasing turn and some unevenness, patience and judgement are becoming more valuable than raw aggression.
Ackerman again showed he was prepared to take the fight to Australia. Having fallen five runs short of a maiden Test century in the first innings, he made 62 from 66 balls, helping South Africa erase the deficit with a positive approach.
His innings ended when Starc produced a sharp short delivery that hurried him into a top edge.
Temba Bavuma then attempted to stabilise the innings. The captain made 35, reaching the milestone of 4,000 Test runs in the process, becoming only the 11th South African batter to achieve it.
But Bavuma’s dismissal late in the day was another damaging lapse. Nathan Lyon tossed the ball up outside off stump, and Bavuma tried to work it through the leg side. The ball gripped and spun through the gap between bat and pad, leaving South Africa four down and Australia celebrating a wicket just before the close.
Breetzke helped resist Australia’s attack. Breetzke was unbeaten on 19 from 59 balls, with Ryan Rickelton on eight. The pair survived the final over from Starc and will resume on Friday with South Africa still 60 runs short of making Australia bat again.
The position is precarious, but the match is not finished. Lyon is already extracting significant turn from the rough, a warning for South Africa’s remaining batters and a potential weapon for Harmer if the Proteas can build a meaningful lead.
South Africa will need to summon one final surge of resistance on the fourth day. They have taken plenty of punishment, and Australia have landed the cleaner blows, but the Proteas are not yet down for the count.
A substantial partnership could change the complexion of the contest and force the visitors to work for the knockout. If the home side keep giving their wickets away, however, the referee may soon be counting them out, with Australia poised to claim both the Test and the series.