Renshaw’s 190 puts Australia in control in Durban
Matt Renshaw's stellar innings took the advantage away from South Africa, and put Australia ahead in Durban.
Matt Renshaw's brilliant knock of 190 lifted Australia from a spot of bother to 390 on Day 2 in Durban.
South Africa lost an early wicket in reply, and bad light play to a close with the hosts on 27/1, 363 runs behind Australia.
At the start of the day, Australia resumed their innings on 187/6, with Renshaw on 46 and captain Pat Cummins on 33.
They had added 63 on the first evening after Australia slid to 124/6, but the stand ended after another 23 runs, when Wiaan Mulder drew a thick edge from Cummins and Aiden Markram took the catch at second slip.
Mitchell Starc came in next and departed soon enough, bowled by Mulder for six from 25 balls, leaving Australia on 230/8.
South Africa would have hoped to wrap up the innings quickly from there, but exemplary rearguard act from Renshaw and Australia's lower-order saw the tourists through.
Renshaw reached his second Test century before lunch, nine years after his first.
Renshaw looked unhurried, defending the short ball patiently and using reverse sweeps against the spinners on occasions to keep the scoreboard moving.
Australia added 90 runs in the morning session and went to lunch on 277/8 after 96 overs, with Renshaw unbeaten on 102.
The afternoon belonged to Renshaw and Lyon.
Their ninth-wicket partnership grew to 134, a record for that wicket in Durban, and the second-best ninth wicket stand for Australia, and took the total past 360.
Lyon contributed 27 from 92 balls, with five fours, before he was given out lbw to Marco Jansen.
Josh Hazlewood stayed with Renshaw until tea, and the pair added 26 to take Australia to 390/9. The end came with the second ball after the interval, when Renshaw found Markram at slip off Simon Harmer.
He walked back after a career-best 190.
Mulder was the pick of South Africa's bowlers with 4/68 from 27 overs. Jansen finished with 3/68 from 31 overs, bowling nine maidens, and Nortje, back in Test cricket after three and a half years, took 2/88 from 28.
South Africa's reply began badly. Ryan Rickelton was out for a duck, caught at third slip by Beau Webster off Hazlewood after facing three balls.
Markram, on 15 from 27 balls, and David Bedingham, on 12 from 22, steadied things briefly and took the score to 27/1 after 8.4 overs, before the umpires took the players off for bad light.
That leaves Australia, who top the current World Test Championship standings, in control of the opening Test against the reigning champions, who sit second.
Series Schedule
First Test - October 9 to 13, Durban
Second Test - October 18 to 22, Gqeberha
Third Test - October 27 to 31, Cape Town