On the final day of the third Test between South Africa and Australia at Newlands in Cape Town, Australia struggled significantly, reducing their chances of victory to almost nil as they lost wickets at a rapid pace. Australia entered the day needing to chase down a target of 288 runs for victory but quickly found themselves in dire straits at 60 for 7 at lunch, trailing by 228 runs.
Australia’s batting lineup faced considerable pressure from South African bowlers, particularly spinner Simon Harmer, who made an impactful contribution by claiming several key wickets. Harmer dismissed Mitchell Starc for a duck, striking with his third delivery of the 26th over, which caused Starc to misjudge a delivery that deflected off his pad into the air, leading to a catch at short leg.
Earlier, Harmer had also taken the wickets of Cooper Connolly and Alex Carey, the latter playing a soft shot that handed Harmer his second wicket of the match, pushing Australia deeper into trouble at 42 for 5. Following this, a run-out involving Josh Inglis, after a miscommunication with Cameron Green, left the team further exposed.
Kagiso Rabada, South Africa’s pace spearhead, turned the screws on the Australian batting order, producing remarkable seam movement on a pitch that had begun to show signs of wear. He captured the vital wicket of Travis Head, who was caught at gully while attempting to drive, dismissing him for 14. Rabada achieved a personal milestone in the match by taking his career tally to 350 Test wickets.
Despite the bleak situation, Cameron Green demonstrated some resistance, reaching 25 runs before the team’s batting collapsed around him. The Australian side received severe criticism back home for their performance, which some are describing as a capitulation. The final session of the match will see Australia needing a monumental recovery if they have any hope of salvaging a draw, with only a few wickets remaining.
The day’s events have positioned South Africa to potentially clinch the series if they can continue this dominant form. Captain Dean Elgar expressed confidence in his team’s quality to finish strong, having regained composure after a shaky start earlier in the series.
Play will resume soon, with all eyes on whether Australia can muster a fightback to avoid defeat, or if South Africa will seal a historic win.
