South Africa down Australia in 3rd Test, win series 2-1
What's the story
Australia's batting line-up crumbled under pressure on the fifth and final day of their Test series against South Africa. Chasing a daunting target of 288 runs, they were reduced to a dismal 60 for 7 at lunch. The morning session was dominated by South African bowlers Kagiso Rabada and Simon Harmer, who took three and three wickets respectively. After lunch, Cameron Green and Pat Cummins offered resistance before the home side completed the job.
Bowling brilliance
Rabada shines with 3-wicket haul
Rabada, who had been bowling within himself earlier in the match due to stomach cramps, returned to form with a fiery opening spell.
He dismissed Matt Renshaw (0), Marnus Labuschagne (4), and Travis Head (14) in quick succession, and the South African pacer achieved his 350th Test wicket milestone with just five overs bowled.
Spin attack
Harmer leaves Australia reeling
Offspinner Simon Harmer also had a major impact in the morning session.
He dismissed Alex Carey with a reverse-sweep that was well-caught by Marco Jansen at backward point.
Harmer also got rid of Cooper Connolly and Mitchell Starc, leaving Australia in deep trouble at 60 for 7 at lunch.
Harmer then broke Australia's resistance after lunch by dismissing Green (27). SA became 62/8 at this stage.
Harmer then dismissed Cummins to complete his fifer and dismissed Josh Hazlewood for his sixth.
Last stand
Green puts in a fight for AUS
With Australia in dire straits at 60 for 7, all hopes of a miraculous recovery rested on Green.
The Australian batsman was unbeaten on 25 at lunch but had a close call when Harmer dropped a tough return catch.
Green and Cummins defended strongly after lunch before the former got out to Harmer.
Green scored 27 runs off 110 balls for his side.
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Cummins and Lyon offer resistance
After Green's dismissal, Nathan Lyon joined Cummins and they put up a fight. Cummins was blocking everything at one end whereas Lyon found some useful runs along the way. Harmer ended Cummins' fight, who scored 11 off 90 balls. Cummins and Lyon added 45 runs off 104 balls.
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How did SA's bowlers fare in 4th innings?
Harmer was the chief performer. He claimed 6/16 from 21.1 overs. He clocked 14 maidens. Rabada bagged 3/39 from 14 overs. He delivered 4 maidens. Marco Jansen managed 0/17 from 8 overs. Gerald Coetzee bowled six overs and clocked 0/7. Aiden Markram bowled six overs and managed 0/13. Wiaan Mulder clocked 0/4 from 2 overs.
Summary
Summary of the 1st two innings
South Africa scored 329/10 in the 1st innings. Markram (78), Marques Ackerman (95) and David Bedingham (50) shone.
Ryan Rickelton (42) and Jansen (52) also scored runs.
For Australia, Starc bagged 6/72 from 16.3 overs.
In response, Australia scored 429/10 and took a 100-run lead. Renshaw (74), Green (65), Josh Inglis (102) and Carey (80) scored useful runs.
Harmer (4/104) and Jansen (3/60) did well.
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What happened in the match's 3rd innings?
Ackerman scored 62 whereas Rickelton (101) and Mulder (115) hammered hundreds as South Africa managed 387/10. Starc bagged a three-fer for Australia. Meanwhile, Cummins and Lyon picked 2 wickets each.
SA batting
Key numbers for Markram, Ackerman, Bedingham and Jansen
Markram (78 and 1) clocked his 15th half-century. He owns 3,394 runs from 53 matches at 35.72.
Ackerman hammered twin fifties. He now owns 163 runs from 2 matches (3 innings) at 54.33.
Bedingham (50 and 11) is closing in on 1,000 runs (984). He averages 35.14 (100s: 1 50s: 5).
Jansen (52 and 0) owns 822 runs from 24 matches at 25.68. He has six fifties and five ducks.
Bavuma
Temba Bavuma completes 4,000 runs in Test cricket
Bavuma crossed the 4,000-run mark in Test cricket. He achieved this milestone on Day 3.
Bavuma scored a valiant 35-run knock off 115 balls.
Bavuma surpassed 4,000 runs (4,028) at an average of 38.36 from 68 games.
This includes five tons and 26 fifties. In 12 games versus Australia, he owns 803 runs at 42.26.
As many as 2,365 of Bavuma's Test runs have come at home (100s: 5, 50s: 13). He averages 43.79 from 39 games (64 innings).
Rickelton
Rickelton hammers his 3rd century in Test cricket
Rickelton's 101 off 219 balls in his side's 2nd innings had 12 fours.
In 18 matches, Rickelton has amassed 1,073 runs at 37. He clocked his 3rd hundred (50s: 1).
In four matches against Australia, he has scored 198 runs at 28.28 (100s: 1).
Meanwhile, 714 of Rickelton's 1,073 runs have come at home from 9 matches at 47.6 (100s: 3), as per Cricinfo.
Mulder
4th hundred for Mulder
Mulder's 115 had 10 fours and 4 sixes. In 27 matches (45 innings), Mulder has amassed 1,440 runs at 36. He clocked his 4th hundred (50s: 1).
As per Cricinfo, in four matches against Australia, Mulder has scored 220 runs at 31.42. He smashed his maiden fifty-plus score.
Meanwhile, this was Mulder's maiden ton on home soil. He has three away hundreds (opposition's home).
Starc
Mitchell Starc claims nine match scalps versus South Africa
With figures of 6/72 and 3/65, Starc raced to 460 wickets at 25.97 from 110 matches (211 innings).
As per Cricinfo, in 13 matches against South Africa, Starc has claimed 62 scalps at 26.46.
In 43 away matches (home of opposition), Starc has managed 167 wickets at 26.29.
Meanwhile, in 163 First-Class matches, Starc owns 648 scalps at 25-plus. He owns 31 four-fers and 28 five-wicket hauls.
AUS
Key numbers for Renshaw and Green
Renshaw slammed 10 fours en route to his 139-ball 74 in his side's 1st innings.
This was his fifth Test fifty, which powered him past 1,000 Test runs. He bagged a duck in his next outing.
With his ninth run in the game, Renshaw also went past 8,500 runs in First-Class cricket.
Green crossed the 2,000-run mark in Test cricket. Green bagged 65 and 27.
Green owns 2,012 runs at an average of 34.68. His tally includes nine fifties besides three hundreds.
Inglis and Carey
2nd hundred for Inglis and 2,500 runs for Carey
In Australia's 1st innings, Inglis scored 102 off 135 balls (11 fours and 2 six).
It is worth noting that Inglis has converted both of his 50-plus scores so far into three figures.
In six Tests (9 innings), the Australian batter owns 290 runs. He scored 4 in his 2nd outing.
Carey's 168-ball 80 was laced with 7 fours. He bagged 2 runs in his 2nd outing.
Carey slammed his 14th Test half-century. Across 53 Tests (81 innings), the left-handed batter owns 2,544 runs. His tally includes three tons.
Rabada
Kagiso Rabada becomes second-fastest SA bowler to 350 Test wickets
Rabada, the spearhead of South Africa's pace attack, became the fourth South African bowler to complete 350 Test wickets. The achievement came on Day 5.
Rabada achieved this milestone with his third wicket in the fourth innings.
Rabada took 70 Tests to attain 350 wickets - the second-fastest for a South African, as per Cricinfo. He is only behind Dale Steyn, who needed just 75 Tests.
However, in terms of balls bowled, Rabada is the quickest to the landmark in Test history (13,808). The ace pacer displaced none other than Steyn (14,719) on this list.
Harmer
Harmer claims 10 match scalpsÂ
Harmer was supreme and bagged 10 scalps in the match across two innings.
In 17 matches, he owns 83 wickets at 23.07. He collected his 8th four-fer and 3rd five-wicket haul. Meanwhile, he claimed his maiden 10-wicket match haul for South Africa.
In First-Class cricket, he owns 1,078 scalps at 26.47. He owns 55 four-fers and 61 five-wicket hauls.
He has picked 15 match hauls of 10 wickets.