Durban Test: Oz take big lead over South Africa

They could do it with one ball, which may well be the completion of a hat-trick.

Mitchell Starc targeted Aiden Markram. Bancroft, who top-scored with 53, said conditions would be hard for the South Africans when they eventually start to bat.”The ball is starting to reverse-swing a lot more”, said Bancroft.”For new batters starting their innings that’s very, very hard”.

Australian batsmen have carved out a decent lead on day three of the first Test against South Africa in Durban, but several wickets came from self-inflicted brain fades.

Australia was forced to wait for the one wicket it needs to confirm a commanding win over South Africa in the first test after a unusual end to the fourth day on Sunday.

Australia’s bowler Nathan Lyon, right, reacts after running out South Africa’s batsman AB de Villiers, for a duck.

Warner appeared to give both de Villiers and Aiden Markram a spray, presumably critiquing their running between the wickets after a disgusting mix-up led to the former being dismissed for a duck.

Australian tailender Pat Cummins smacked a couple of boundaries before playing on to left-armer Keshav Mahara.

Marsh, nursing a sore shoulder, and Tim Paine, keeping up to the stumps, combined to end Markram’s remarkable resistance that spanned five and a half hours. However, the master of reverse-swing Starc came to the fore soon after the wicket and cleaned up the tail much like he did in the first innings.

Starc took over three overs later as he removed Vernon Philander on the second ball of the over before taking out Maharaj and Rabada on the fifth and sixth deliveries respectively. It’s got to be fair for the batters.

Paine’s ploy to stand up to Marsh was a masterstroke.

“It was the sort of wicket where once you got in you could develop a plan”.

Chasing a mammoth total of 417, South Africa lost a flurry of wickets in the first session and were in big trouble at 49/4.

Opener Markram’s brilliant knock of 143, nearly outscoring the home side’s entire first innings total, along with useful contributions from Theunis de Bruyn (36) and de Kock (81) provided some stability to the Proteas’ innings.

Of course, Starc and his cronies still had the final say, as their middle session of strife was assuaged by a devastating final session. “It was good to see actually”, he said. “We enjoy it when Starcy is up and about like that”, Paine said.

De Villiers thought about a quick single with Markram on strike, but was sent back as David Warner swooped from backward square leg to run de Villiers out at the non-striker’s end with the help of bowler Lyon.

But the incoming De Kock saw off his bad form and hung in there with the steady Markram and took South Africa to tea with the score at 167/5 at tea. With three days of cricket remaining and a lead of 189 runs in hand, Australins have been in a very strong position at stumps on Day 2 of first Test match.

“I’m sure some guys were worrying, no doubt. Really, really important”, said opener, Bancroft. It certainly mixes the batsmen’s feet up a little bit and makes them play in a certain, different way. “I didn’t even know that happened, I’ve not heard anything like that just yet in the change rooms”, said Markram.