19th over, Australia 110-2 (Labuschagne 23, Smith 18) Nortje off, as expected. Maharaj on for double spin. But the double spinners have had no impact on this match so far. Got one bloke out for 190. Maharaj is driven nicely through midwicket for four, Labuschagne plays that shot against spin when he’s really purring. He looked terrific in the first dig, too. Is this the day he can convert?
18th over, Australia 102-2 (Labuschagne 17, Smith 16) Back to Harmer, two runs from his over after 14 from Nortje’s. Hard for a bowler to come in after so long out of long-form cricket. He’s produced the Maddinson wicket, and some vicious balls, but can go for plenty as well.
17th over, Australia 100-2 (Labuschagne 16, Smith 15) Is this a tactic from Nortje? He’s bowling very wide to Smith, some short and some fuller, but all of them way outside the off stump. If it is a tactic, it’s a bad one. He gets wided, then flayed from a shorter length behind point. Even wider next ball, but full, and somehow Smith smashes that one as well! Could barely reach it. That’s reminiscent of Smith’s 2016 streak, when his hand-eye could see him make contact with anything. Just the very toe of the bat as Smith heaves at it, but gets such good contact the ball flies away behind point. Then a wide, and a far more gentle gliding shot through the same area from a shorter length, as Smith hits three fours in three legal deliveries.
16th over, Australia 86-2 (Labuschagne 16, Smith 3) Harmer bowling some tidy overs, a real contrast in styles with Nortje. Smith eventually drives one down the ground.
15th over, Australia 85-2 (Labuschagne 16, Smith 2) What a shot from Labuschagne! A one-legged, twirling, deflecting pull shot, against searing pace from Nortje. The ball coming up at his shoulder, and he times his movement perfectly to use that pace, initially looking as though he might duck the ball, then getting the bat up to play that shot as he did so. Four, and four more with authority as Nortje bowls a less short one, too wide outside off, crashed away through cover with a horizontal bat. He’s on!
14th over, Australia 77-2 (Labuschagne 8, Smith 2) No run from Harmer’s over. Smith blocks out the first five balls, then uncharacteristically sweeps at the last one. That’s how he got out in Delhi in 2023, and it was weird that he played the shot then as well. Almost gets out here, too – he misses it and survives an lbw shout. No review.
13th over, Australia 77-2 (Labuschagne 8, Smith 2) Nortje bowling, with a couple of fielders back for the bouncer and three in the cordon. Length, single, but you know the short one is coming, and… bang. Nails Smith in the helmet! yGlancing blow, thankfullOn the back of the lid, there’s a scuff mark on the baize. Smith runs a leg bye, then waits for new headgear. Takes a long time, then the first ball back, Nortje hits Labsuchagne as well. Not in the head, thankfully. Really nasty bouncer thought, up at the throat, and he fends it off in a tangle of gloves.
12th over, Australia 74-2 (Labuschagne 7, Smith 1) Peace returns, with Smith and Labuschagne nudging Harmer about. Australia lead by 182.
11th over, Australia 72-2 (Labuschagne 6) What to make of that innings? Good on him for making a few, after what must have been a difficult day following his first innings. No doubt some will frame it as Maddinson blazing runs and answering the critics, etc etc. I’d say that if we’re honest, there was a note of desperation in there. He’s definitely a talented shotmaker, so he used his skills in that area. It’s was also clearly a specific attempt by him to play differently from that shotless first innings. Have a go and hope for the best. It worked ok today, it’s not a recipe for opening the batting in Tests though. It would have become very interesting if he’d lasted another few overs!
WICKET! Maddinson b Nortje 48, Australia 72-2
The flurry is over for Maddinson. Excellent piece of bowling from Nortje, fast and full from around the wicket to the lefty, spearing in at the base of middle stump, and it takes out two of the timbers, leaving one standing. No swing, no seam, it’s a low full toss by the time it reaches the batter, and his back foot pulls out of the way of the ball before his flailing bat pushes down in a fruitless attempt at defence.
10th over, Australia 71-1 (Maddinson 48, Labuschagne 5) The Maddo Express keeps rolling, loaded heavy with receipts. South Africa turn to spin, Maddinson puts one foot down the track and lofts Harmer down the ground for six. This is a spectacle. Follows up with a couple more hits down the ground for two runs apiece. His score keeps rattling the loose shingle numbers on the board.
9th over, Australia 59-1 (Maddinson 37, Labuschagne 4) Another edge, Labuschagne this time, getting lucky against Jansen, down through the cordon for three runs, hauled back just in time. That brings Maddinson back on strike… and he immediately whacks another one! Again width, and he plays the same shot he kept trying in the first innings, except that this time he hits the ball. Top edgy, over the cordon, four.
8th over, Australia 51-1 (Maddinson 33, Labuschagne 1) Junk from Mulder! Short and wide, and Maddinson again hurls the hands and this time slams it through cover, got every piece of that with an angled bat. This is gonna be a fun day on the internet for all of us who said it was madness to pick him, when he nails a ton off 60 balls. He adds a couple more to leg. Flying.
WICKET! Head c Bavuma b Jansen 11, Australia 43-1
7th over, Australia 43-1 (Maddinson 26) Yeeeesh. Travis Head’s stinky run continues. This is another funky dismissal, trying to work Jansen to the leg side and getting a leading edge, and the ball lobs up to the South African captain at mid on! First blow for the hosts, they need a lot more wickets in a hurry though.
That’s the last ball of the over, which almost brought Maddinson’s wicket as well, when he nicked the ball but it bounced through the cordon for four.
6th over Australia 37-0 (Maddinson 21, Head 11): Just two balls remaining from Mulder’s final over of last night. Maddinson picks up where he left off! Hurling the bat at width, and getting something on it to slice it away for four.
And we’re about to get things under way on day four. Mulder has the ball in his hand, Maddinson is on strike. Let’s do this.
One of the aforementioned bowling quartet, Nathan Lyon, says he’s in the best shape of his career at the ripe old age of 38, nearly 39. His secret? Giving up the booze and an intense fitness regime. He’s what he had to say about it, after figures of 2-58 on day three.
The weather looks sunny, fine, humid, 27C, for Durban today. Until the lights go off. Sticky bowling conditions.
Australia’s day in the field was all about The Quartet, those four absurdly credentialled bowlers who are still going strong. Here’s my piece from yesterday.
Preamble
Hello world. It’s day four! Hooray. Well, it’s really kind of day three, because we’ve had about 220 overs rather than the 270 we should have had, given that bad light has called us off early each day. And it probably will again. If only there had been some way of knowing what time the sun goes down in a particular place at a particular time of year. “South African schedulers shocked to discover it is night time!” That’s my newspaper headline.
Anyways, the point of the thing is that we’re a fair way into a match, and we’re hoping there’s time for a conclusion. Australia lead by 139, they’re 33 without loss, and they have a lead to try to grow. South Africa have some good chasing memories from the World Test Championship final, but some bad batting memories from the first innings here. They really need to wrap up Australia for 150ish, I’d say, which is a tough ask but far from impossible.
Away we go. Let’s see what happens.
