Tea Australia 575 for 8 dec (Warner 200, Carey 111, Smith 85, Green 51*, Head 51) lead South Africa 189 by 386 runs
They kept South Africa’s bowlers in the field for a total of 145 overs and more than five sessions in the hope of adequately grinding down their morale and being able to push for an innings win.
South Africa’s only consolation may be that temperatures were much lower than they were on the second day thanks to morning showers and overhead cloud. There was no assistance provided from either though as the pitch displayed even bounce and the only way for South Africa to make things happen was through express pace.
Pat Cummins found the boundary when he steered a wide Nortje ball through point and then nicked off against Kagiso Rabada. South Africa were convinced of the edge but needed to confirm it on review.
Those openings gave South Africa an opportunity to drill through Australia, but Carey and Green were solid in counterattack and defence respectively. Carey was strong on the drive and drilled Lungi Ngidi for three successive fours including the one that brought up his fifty while Green was content with biding his time as he tried to protect his finger from any further blows.
Carey brought up the Australian 500 with a top-edge off a hook shot from a Rabada bouncer and his own hundred when he ran three off Jansen. He was the first Australian wicketkeeper to score a century in nine years, since Brad Haddin in 2013. He eventually fell to a short ball from Jansen which ballooned in the air.
By then, Green had faced 164 balls and if there was any pain, he wasn’t showing it. He’d also started to play some shots and took on the short ball. He reached fifty off 170 balls with a cut over point.
To add insult to injury, Mitchell Starc, also tucked into the bouncer and top-edged Nortje over square leg to six. In the next over, Starc was hit on the helmet and was undergoing his concussions check when Cummins called the batters in. Australia will be without Starc and Green in the attack, and will have to rely on three specialist bowlers and some part-timers to dismiss South Africa for a second time.
