Africa-Press – South-Africa. The opening session of the third day of the World Test Championship final did not go according to plan for South Africa.
The Proteas were hoping to knock over the last two Australian wickets in the first 30 minutes of play, giving themselves a fourth innings target of less than 250.
Instead it was the Australians who got what they wanted — and more, adding 73 runs to their overnight total.
With the prospect of an extended session, Aiden Markram eventually picked up the wicket of Australia’s No 11 Josh Hazlewood, having him caught in the covers by Keshav Maharaj, for 17.
That left the Proteas with a target of 282 to win the World Test Championship.
It ended a partnership of 59 of the 10th wicket between Hazlewood and fellow fast bowler Mitchell Starc, who finished the innings unbeaten on 58.
Australia’s captain Pat Cummins said on Thursday night another “30 to 40 runs” on top of the 144/8 his side had overnight would allow him to set attacking fields when SA batted for the final time.
Kagiso Rabada picked up his ninth wicket of the match in the third over of the morning trapping, Nathan Lyon lbw for two. But try as he — and every other Proteas bowler — might thereafter, there was no breaching the defences of Starc and Hazlewood.
Starc, dropped by Marco Jansen in the last over on Thursday night when he had 14, had shared a vital partnership of 61 for the eight wicket with Alex Carey on Friday.
His 11th Test fifty, brought up with a thick edge that flew over the slips for four, also took Australia’s second innings total past 200.
Starc and Carey had doused the South African flame on Thursday after Australia lost 5/29 in 45 minutes of play, with Lungi Ngidi firing the Proteas back into the contest with three wickets.
Australia’s last three wickets added 134 runs, which in a hitherto low scoring encounter could turn out to be match defining.
The Proteas will take solace from the fact that with the sun beating down on Friday, batting looked easier than it has at any point in the Test match.
The big challenge will be getting through the new ball against Australia’s potent attack. If they can survive without too much damage against that, then against a softer ball they will feel confident of chasing the runs.
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