Stumps were called early again on Day 3 because of bad light. Australia had a great day and are now in a strong position. They have a lead of 139 runs with two days left in the match and all 10 wickets still in hand. The visitors are now in control of the game.
South Africa had the chance to bat long and bat deep in the first innings. They had lost Ryan Rickelton on Day 2 for a duck but after him as many as seven batters got at least 25 runs next to their name but no one managed to get a fifty. The highest score was from David Bedingham, who made 49. The final two wickets added 87 runs to take the Proteas to 284 before they were bowled out.
Pat Cummins led the way with a three-wicket haul. Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon all chipped in with two wickets each, while Beau Webster picked up the final wicket as Australia took a 106-run first innings lead. Travis Head and Nic Maddinson then added 33 runs without any hiccup to end the day on a high for the visitors.
Session Breakdown Day 3
Session Breakdown – Day 3
| Session | Overs | Runs | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Session | 29.2 | 88 | 3 |
| 2nd Session | 29 | 123 | 4 |
| 3rd Session | 16.4 | 79 | 1 |
Day 3 Total: 75 overs, 290 runs, 8 wickets