Monday morning, and the Durban sky matters almost as much as the Proteas’ bowlers. Welcome to Fluit’s Five: Kingsmead day four leads, with Australia well in front and every grey cloud over the Indian Ocean suddenly worth a second look. Football is back tomorrow night too. Coffee first.
1. The Big One: Fluit’s Five Kingsmead day four and the sum Australia must solve
Australia walk out today 139 runs ahead without having lost a second-innings wicket, Nic Maddinson and Travis Head already settled after their quick start on Sunday evening. On paper, that is control. In practice, the clock is the complication.
Australia have a judgement call to make: how many more runs are enough, and how many overs will their attack need to bowl South Africa out a second time? Declare too late and a draw creeps in. Declare too early and the Proteas get a target to chase. For Temba Bavuma’s side the brief is blunt: strike in the first hour, and keep that lead within reach. Our first Test preview set out what this series is worth.
2. The Matchday Move: the Premiership is back on Tuesday
No rest for the finalists. Three days after Moses Mabhida, the Betway Premiership returns on Tuesday 13 October with four matches, all at 19:30 SAST. Mamelodi Sundowns, the new MTN8 champions, travel to Richards Bay at Princess Magogo Stadium. Orlando Pirates, beaten in Saturday’s final, host TS Galaxy at Orlando Stadium. Kaizer Chiefs welcome Stellenbosch to FNB Stadium, and Durban City take on AmaZulu at Chatsworth Stadium.
Which dressing room bounces back faster, the one with the trophy or the one with the hangover? Our full Tuesday guide follows; for now, the PSL fixture list.
3. The Talking Point: should anyone cheer for bad light?
Bad light has ended all three days in Durban early, and the Associated Press counted nearly 13 overs lost on Sunday alone. So here is the awkward question for Proteas fans: if the weather saves this Test, do we celebrate?
Our view: a draw handed over by the clouds still counts, and with two Tests still to come it would send South Africa to Gqeberha level. But nobody should mistake it for a fightback. The batting needs fixing either way, and grey skies will not do that for them. Take the escape, or want it won on the field? The ABC’s read on Australia’s race against time.
4. The Stat That Matters: 220, and the man who went past it
Two hundred and twenty. That was Joe Root’s record for the most Test catches by a fielder who is not a wicketkeeper, until Sunday. Steve Smith went past it with a diving catch at first slip to remove David Bedingham off Pat Cummins, as Cricket Australia’s own site and agency reports confirm. The ABC counted four Smith catches on the day.
Why it matters this morning: whenever the Proteas bat again, the cordon is where Australia expect to win this match. Against this slip fielder, a thin edge is not bad luck. It is a wicket. Cricket Australia on Smith’s record day.
5. The One to Watch: Wiaan Mulder
If the Proteas need one player for every job today, look at Wiaan Mulder. He was the pick of the attack in Australia’s first innings with 4-68, and on Sunday he made 30, sharing a stand of 56 with Tristan Stubbs before a short ball from Cummins ended his stay.
Today he matters with the ball first. Maddinson and Head will want quick runs, and the seamer who took four wickets in the first innings is the obvious man to slow them down. If South Africa bat again later, Mulder’s calm in the middle order will be needed too. How day one went, with Mulder among the wickets.
So, the braai question for tonight: would you take a light-shortened draw at Kingsmead and regroup in Gqeberha, or would anything short of a fight to the final over feel like a let-down? Make your case, then check back tonight for our day-four report.