Ninety-nine. Australian cricket will not want to remember the number, and South African fans will not let them forget it. A side that came to Gqeberha 1-0 up lost nine wickets for 96 runs on Wednesday and was told to pad up again.
The Proteas Australia day four story belongs to Marco Jansen. His 5 for 33 bowled the visitors out for 99 at Dafabet St George’s Park, a deficit of 326, and South Africa enforced the follow-on. By stumps Australia were 156 for 4, still 170 behind, with Travis Head unbeaten on 87. The Proteas need six wickets on the final day to level the series.
How Proteas Australia day four unfolded
Australia resumed on 3 for 1 and lost the nightwatchman early, Scott Boland caught behind off Jansen. Head followed for 14, given out lbw to Jansen after a review, and Marnus Labuschagne went for 14 too, caught by Simon Harmer in the gully off Anrich Nortje.
Then the floor gave way. Jansen removed Matt Renshaw and Alex Carey inside three balls, Carey for a duck, and when Beau Webster edged to Aiden Markram the five-for was complete. It was the fifth five-wicket haul of Jansen’s Test career.
Steve Smith was the one Australian who stayed. He ground out 28 from 88 balls and, along the way, became the third Australian to reach 11,000 Test runs, after Ricky Ponting and Allan Border. Wiaan Mulder ended the vigil and finished with 2 for 14. Kagiso Rabada, back from injury, took 2 for 33.
With a lead of 326 in hand, the call was easy. Our follow-on explainer sets out how the law works and why captains sometimes say no. Temba Bavuma said yes.
| Day four at a glance | |
|---|---|
| Australia, first innings | 99 all out (resumed on 3/1) |
| South African bowling | Marco Jansen 5/33, Wiaan Mulder 2/14, Kagiso Rabada 2/33 |
| Australian top scorer | Steve Smith 28 (88 balls) |
| Follow-on | Enforced, Australia 326 behind |
| Australia, second innings | 156/4 at stumps, trailing by 170 |
| Not out | Travis Head 87 (138 balls, nine fours), Scott Boland 2 |
| Series | Australia lead 1-0 |
Head refuses to go quietly
The second time round was a different contest. Rabada removed Nic Maddinson for 8, but Head, out cheaply in the morning, came back with intent and reached his half-century from 81 balls. He and Labuschagne added 92, and for a long spell South Africa’s bowlers were the ones being tested.
Harmer broke it. Labuschagne went for 39, caught by Jansen in the deep, and Rabada then bowled Renshaw for 11 to make it 123 for 3. Webster helped Head add 27 before Harmer trapped him lbw shortly before the close, and Boland survived again as nightwatchman, 2 not out.
Head has 87 from 138 balls with nine fours. TimesLIVE reported that Jansen dropped him in the gully on five, and South Africa will hope that does not prove costly.
Two absences shape the final day. Smith had not come out to bat in the second innings by stumps, having needed treatment during his first-innings stay. Nortje left the field during his second spell and was being assessed, so South Africa may be a bowler short.
Our view: this was the day the Proteas turned the Bavuma innings into a winning position. Head showed there is still life in the pitch for batters, though, and South Africa will want him early.
What comes next
Day five is on Thursday. Australia need 170 more just to wipe out the deficit, and Head is the wicket that matters. The day three report has how South Africa built their 425 for 9. After the 214-run defeat in Durban, six more wickets would square the series at 1-1 with one Test to come.