The third and final Test between South Africa and Australia is under way at Newlands in Cape Town. The series is level at 1-1. Australia won the first Test in Durban by 214 runs. The South Africa national cricket team (the Proteas) levelled in Gqeberha with a win by an innings and 31 runs. Play runs from Tuesday 27 to Saturday 31 October, starting at 10:30 SAST each day.
The ICC Test ranking is on the line as well as the series. A South Africa win lifts the Proteas to number one. A draw keeps Australia on top.
Latest: day two, lunch
Australia were 90 for 2 at lunch on day two, 239 runs behind. Travis Head made a quick 41 before Simon Harmer had him chopping on. Marnus Labuschagne then fell for a duck, also to Harmer, who had 2 for 5. Matt Renshaw (27 not out) and Cameron Green (17 not out) took Australia to the break.
Harmer is the danger for Australia over the next three days. The Newlands surface has been slow with spongy bounce, and he has bowled with control on it.
Day one: South Africa 329 all out
Pat Cummins won the toss and chose to field. It backfired for two sessions. Marques Ackerman (95 off 94 balls) and Aiden Markram (78) put on 158 for the first wicket, and South Africa reached 203 for 1.
Then the innings fell apart. South Africa lost five wickets for 29 runs either side of tea, with Temba Bavuma out for a duck. Ryan Rickelton (42) and Marco Jansen (52) rebuilt with 95 for the seventh wicket. Mitchell Starc then took four wickets in six balls with the second new ball. South Africa went from 327 for 6 to 329 all out.
Starc finished with 6 for 72. Nathan Lyon, recalled for this Test, took 2 for 71. Four South Africa batters passed 50 and none reached a century.
Team news
South Africa brought in Gerald Coetzee for Anrich Nortje, who has a groin injury. It is Coetzee's first Test in almost two years.
Australia made four changes. Steve Smith missed out with a neck injury picked up in the second Test. Lyon, Cooper Connolly, Green and Josh Inglis came in. Scott Boland, Nic Maddinson and Beau Webster dropped out.
| Side | XI |
|---|---|
| South Africa | Aiden Markram, Marques Ackerman, David Bedingham, Temba Bavuma (capt), Matthew Breetzke, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Simon Harmer, Gerald Coetzee, Kagiso Rabada |
| Australia | Travis Head, Matt Renshaw, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Josh Inglis, Alex Carey (wk), Cooper Connolly, Pat Cummins (capt), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood |
Daily session times
| Session | SAST |
|---|---|
| First session | 10:30 to 12:30 |
| Lunch | 12:30 to 13:10 |
| Second session | 13:10 to 15:10 |
| Tea | 15:10 to 15:30 |
| Third session | 15:30 to 17:30 |
An extra 30 minutes is available each day to make up lost overs, light and weather permitting.
How to bet it
The match result market has three outcomes in a Test: South Africa, Australia or the draw. Licensed South African bookmakers also price session runs, top batter for each innings and the method of the next dismissal while play is live. Live Test prices move fast after every wicket, so check the price at the moment you bet, not the one you saw at the start of the session. Our cricket betting sites guide ranks the licensed books for in-play cricket, and the Proteas betting guide covers the series markets.
We update this page after each day's play until the Test finishes.
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