Key events

Jonah Sack drops us a line. “Anyone in the stadium today? I know it’s a weekday but Durban crowds are the absolute worst. I’ve always thought we should keep Tests away from that ground because no one comes! Plus, bad light at the end of the day is guaranteed — why they don’t start earlier in Durbs I’ll never know.”

Well, if they started any earlier then it would be a dawn service. 9:30am is the break of day for Test cricket. Grounds tend to be damp from overnight moisture in the morning, too, that takes some time to dry off. As for the crowd, doesn’t look like many in the stands for a Monday’s play.

Eamonn Maloney on the correspondence: “As I was reading this I was myself making a defenceless attempt at fruit [Ed: see the Maddinson wicket post] trying to understand the modest orchard at our new house (no gardener, me). If any of your readers have any loquat recipes I’d be obligated (that’s what the online plant identifier suggests it is, and it’s going, ahem, bananas).”

The little orange guys? They’re called nespereira in Portuguese. Lots of them on the trees in my yard here. Lovely flavour, tart and light. My only advice is that they do not keep at all, barely for a day, so only pick them as you’re ready to eat them. Cooking, I did try stewing some with a little orange juice, not bad though the texture gets a bit leathery. Not sure if there’s anything more elaborate one can do.

Paul from Leichhardt emails in. “I’m inclined to see Maddinson’s innings not just in personal terms (a slightly crazed hit-and-hope strategy after his travails in the first dig) but also to see it as a pretty gutsy contribution to what the team needs. Given how many overs get lost to bad light in Durban, Australia really need to motor along in their second innings if they’re going to set a decent target and have enough overs left.”

Yep, that’s fair. It could be a bit of both.

Lunch - Australia 174-4 lead by 280 runs

Pretty successful session for Australia despite the wickets, because they need to press on. Maddinson’s innings gave them a good boost in that regard, Smith looked in complete control until he wasn’t, and Labuschagne completed a rare double: making 37 from 58 balls in both innings.

Matt Renshaw during Australia’s second innings. Photograph: Themba Hadebe/AP

36th over, Australia 174-4 (Renshaw 32, Carey 5) How has Renshaw done that? Harmer has bowled that ball a foot outside leg stump, and Renshaw, as a left-hander, has reverse-swept it through cover! I don’t know how he even reached that, let alone got so much leverage to hit it back onto the off side, let alone got such timing that it split the fielders and rolled to the rope. That’s astonishing.

Lovely bowling from Harmer to Carey after that, flight and dip and turn, just misses the outside edge. The umpire’s do a stumping review of their own volition, but Carey’s fine.

35th over, Australia 169-4 (Renshaw 27, Carey 5) Just a couple of singles from Nortje as the grind goes on.

34th over, Australia 167-4 (Renshaw 26, Carey 4) Still not very expansive batting against Harmer, though Renshaw does take off for a kamikaze run, but manages to return to base and land safely when Carey tells him the mission is cancelled.

33rd over, Australia 165-4 (Renshaw 25, Carey 3) Finally a change of pace, literally, as Nortje comes back. He’s still got some pep, gets one ball to zip past Carey’s edge.

32nd over, Australia 163-4 (Renshaw 24, Carey 2) Carey a good option to keep the score moving, backs away and cuts Harmer, but it’s stopped at backward point for one.

31st over, Australia 161-4 (Renshaw 23, Carey 1) Three from Maharaj. Renshaw almost sweeps a ball onto his stumps, a little glove and pad and it rolls back past his heel towards the stumps, has him swivelling around trying to knock it away, but it misses leg stump.

30th over, Australia 157-4 (Renshaw 21, Carey 0) Harmer a quiet one. Carey in the middle. Australia 264 ahead.

29th over, Australia 157-4 (Renshaw 20) Oh no! Markram tries to do a Steve Smith, and he gets flummoxed for his trouble. The pressure to mimic a bit of genius. Renshaw shapes to reverse sweep Maharaj, and Markram things he’ll be clever and jump across towards the off side like Smith did. Instead, Renshaw gets a bit of glove on the ball, underside of his glove, and it rolls very fine through the spot where Markram might have stopped it.

Next ball, another reverse, this one flat and square and down into the ground! Through square for four. Renshaw hit one of those in the first innings. It doesn’t matter how much anticipation the slip has if you hit your reverse into the ground first. Note to Bavuma and Verreyne.

Labuschagne falls from the last ball of the over.

WICKET! Labuschagne c Bavuma b Maharaj 37, Australia 157-4

Gone in the 30s again! His last six innings read 37, 1, 31, 4, 37, 37. Much better than six ducks, but Labuschagne is trying to do the team thing and keep the score moving, and he tries slamming a cover drive. A bit more air from Maharaj, Labuschagne can’t keep his shot down, and Bavuma takes the catch diving forward.

28th over, Australia 147-3 (Labuschagne 36, Renshaw 11) Australia 251 ahead. How bold will they be with a declaration? The other factor is Labuschagne’s score. He’s been out in the 30s three times in his last six hits. Can he go bigger today?

27th over, Australia 144-3 (Labuschagne 34, Renshaw 10) Again the reverse sweep brings four for the score, but it’s four byes, because Renshaw’s missed shot distracts the keeper. Verreyne is very annoyed with himself for forgetting Keeping 101: assume the batter will miss the ball, then react if they don’t.

26th over, Australia 138-3 (Labuschagne 33, Renshaw 9) Haring singles, four in the over from Harmer, this pair working well.

25th over, Australia 134-3 (Labuschagne 31, Renshaw 7) Off the mark with a boundary, Renshaw, though not one that mirrors the control of his century. Tries a reverse sweep out of the rough, almost misses it, tiny little edge that gets it past the keeper for runs. Singles galore, eight from the over, they’re 240 ahead.

Was Smith declaration batting? We’ve lost overs each day, so if Australia are anticipating getting only two and a bit sessions today and tomorrow, maybe they need to declare by an hour after lunch? Not sure.

24th over, Australia 126-3 (Labuschagne 29, Renshaw 0) So here comes the first-innings hero.

WICKET! Smith c Jansen b Harmer 27, Australia 125-3

Why has he done that? That 50 stand comes up first, as Smith launches Harmer over long on for six! Brave or foolhardy, take your pick, because Jansen is fielding down there, and Jansen with his arms extended must be about ten feet tall. Smith wins the first bet with himself. So why has he decided to roll that dice again? Fifth ball of the over. Mystifying, really. Why does one of the best to play the Test game feel the need to score in sixes like it’s a T20? Who may understand Steve Smith, I suppose. This time the ball goes flatter, wider, and Jansen juggles but takes it well inside the rope.

23rd over, Australia 119-2 (Labuschagne 29, Smith 21) Maharaj a single. The partnership approaches 50, the lead is up to 225.

22nd over, Australia 118-2 (Labuschagne 29, Smith 20) South Africa burn a review, getting eager for a wicket as Harmer hits Labuschagne on the pad, sweeping. “It’s hit him in line, but I don’t know where it’s going,” Harmer tells his captain, which is not a ringing endorsement for a review, and Harmer isn’t pushing for one. The fielders ask themselves if they should take it, shrugging and pointing for 14.9 seconds, then finally say yes. It’s hit in line with middle but it’s turning well past leg stump.

Before that was another nice wristy Labuschagne hockey drive through cover for four.

21st over, Australia 114-2 (Labuschagne 25, Smith 20) Smith is building, with a couple more runs cutting Maharaj.

20th over, Australia 111-2 (Labuschagne 24, Smith 18) Harmer still the one keeping the brakes on, just walking in off a couple of steps and dropping it on the spot, but there’s no threat there as yet. Lyon looked much more dangerous yesterday. A single, and that’s drinks.

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.

Marnus Labuschagne fends off a rising delivery. Photograph: Themba Hadebe/AP

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 amount of work that I’ve put in, I’ve never had any doubt that I’ll get back. I haven’t had any alcohol for a fair while now, but I’m just trying to squeeze as much out of the lemon as possible that I can. I still feel like there’s a lot of decent cricket ahead of me, that’s for sure.

Lyon gestures. Photograph: Themba Hadebe/AP

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.