Advantage Australia as WTC series hangs in the balance

Nathan Lyon ended South Africa captain Temba Bavuma’s resistance in the middle as Australia closed Day 3 of the third ICC World Test Championship Test in an advantageous position. 

With a 40-run lead in the second innings, the Proteas are four wickets down in the second innings at the score of 140. 

The hosts had mounted an impressive display earlier on Day 3, restricting Australia to 429 after they began the day’s play with six wickets in hand and 330 runs on the board.

Josh Inglis went on to complete an impressive century while Alex Carey also compiled 80 runs. For the home side, Marco Jansen and Simon Harmer split seven wickets between them.

While Harmer finished with bowling figures of 4/104, Jansen continued his impressive run in the series with 3/60.

The performance comes on the back of the left-arm quick rising to the top of the ICC Men’s Test Bowling Rankings as well as the Test All-Rounders Rankings.   

Trailing by 100 runs in the first innings, the Proteas were put on the back foot early on the innings as Mitchell Starc got rid of Aiden Markram in the third over. 

A second wicket followed soon as Josh Hazlewood removed David Bedingham from the equation.

It was from here that South Africa’s highest run-getter in the first innings, Marques Ackerman and captain Temba Bavuma, added crucial runs on the board.

The pair added 64 runs for the third wicket partnership as Ackerman scored his second half-century of the Test.

Starc however, got Australia right back into the game, snapping Ackerman. A final blow to the visitors was dealt by Nathan Lyon in the penultimate over as Temba Bavuma returned to the dressing room. 

At Stumps, Matthew Breetzke (19*) and Ryan Rickelton (8*) are in the middle with the Proteas in the lead by 40 runs.

Series schedule

First Test: 9-13 October, Durban  (Australia won by 214 runs)

Second Test: 18-22 October, Gqeberha (South Africa won by an innings and 31 runs)

Third Test: 27-31 October, Cape Town