Australia chase 288 in Cape Town after South Africa's fourth-day recovery
South Africa set Australia a target of 288 to win the third Test at Newlands in Cape Town. They were all out for 387 in their second innings, with the last wicket falling in the final over of day four on Friday. The result is still open, and the winner will finish the series top of the ICC Test rankings.
The series is level at 1-1. South Africa levelled it by beating Australia by an innings and 31 runs at St George's Park in Gqeberha, so this match decides it. Australia won the toss and chose to bowl first, and Steve Smith was not playing.
Most of the day's drama came from the batting of Ryan Rickelton and Wiaan Mulder. Rickelton scored 101, his third Test century, and Mulder made 115, his fourth. They put on 154 runs together for South Africa's third wicket. Mulder was the last man out, after he and number 11 Kagiso Rabada added 36 for the final wicket, according to BBC Sport.
South Africa began the day with a lead of 40 runs over Australia. The first session added 62, taking the lead to 102. The Guardian reported that the lead reached 287 by the close. Pat Cummins also ended a long wait for a wicket, removing Matthew Breetzke after 372 balls without taking one.
Australia's first innings had reached 429. Josh Inglis made 102 and Simon Harmer took 4 for 104, dismissing Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Inglis and Alex Carey, according to BBC Sport. Late on day four, Nathan Lyon bowled Harmer with a delivery that turned sharply back into him.
Chasing 288 is a steep task. The fourth innings is the final batting turn of the match, and pitches often wear and spin more as the game goes on. Between 2008 and 2019, Australia lost 14 of their 17 fourth-innings chases of targets between 200 and 350. Since 2023, they have chased down 282 and 279.
The bookmaker-style forecasting service WinViz gave South Africa a 54% chance of victory after they set the target. A successful chase would be the second-highest fourth-innings chase in the 62 previous Tests at Newlands. The highest is Australia's 331 for four wickets against South Africa in 2002, when Ricky Ponting made 100 not out.
Australia have shown they can score quickly under pressure. Travis Head made 123 from 83 balls when Australia chased 205 against England in the first Ashes Test last year. Cape Town's last day will decide whether that kind of innings is needed again. Play is scheduled to resume at 10:30 local time on Saturday.
