Proteas tickled pink with day-night Test

“It’s pretty disappointing to lose the test match but it’s hard to look past the fact that we’ve played great cricket”, said South Africa captain Faf du Plessis, who has overseen a third successive series triumph for the Proteas in Australia. Overall, this is Australia’s 51st win over South Africa.

“I thought we responded really well”, said Smith, who was out for 40, two runs shy of victory.

South Africa headed for dinner break at 100 for 2 post the decent lead of 124 built by Australia.

After a string of calamitous batting collapses in Perth and Hobart, the Australian team was overhauled with Renshaw, Handscomb and Nic Maddinson thrust into the worldwide arena. Even South Africa’s most experienced batsman, Hashim Amla had no answers to Hazlewood and was dismissed by him 5 times in the series.

In return, Australia scored 283, thanks to Usman Khawaja’s ton, followed by Steven Smith, Peter Handscomb and Mitchell Starc’s fifties.

Australia made 383 in reply to South Africa’s first innings 259-9 declared.

“You don’t grow overnight, I think it’s a good opportunity for this side to play together, I guess improve and know each other’s games and get better as a team”, Smith added.

It was an encouraging first Test for two of the young newcomers, with opener Renshaw showing plenty of application in his knocks of 19 and 34.

Du Plessis said Sunday: “Obviously there were a lot of questions asked”.

Peter Handscomb of Australia and Matthew Renshaw of Australia celebrate winning the match during day four of the Third Test match between Australia and South Africa. Vernon Philander put on 34 for the eighth wicket with Cook before Starc, using the new ball to great effect, swung a fullish delivery back in and trapped Philander lbw for 17.

“From a personal note, to overcome everything that happened and to score a hundred in that first innings is something I’ll remember forever”.

Quinton de Kock, who dominated in the first two Tests, was initially adjudged not out when Jackson Bird appealed for lbw, but Australia sought a review and replays showed the ball hitting de Kock’s front pad, pitching on middle and leg stump.

Renshaw’s dour style was also in evidence during the first evening of the day-night Test when he survived 12 overs against a strong South African bowling attack with a new pink ball – key at a time when it was sorely needed by his transitional side.

The Australians will now play three limited-overs internationals against New Zealand then host Pakistan in a three-test series which starts December 15 with a day-night match in Brisbane.

Cricket Australia is still keen to host a day-night Ashes Test, with chief executive James Sutherland believing it will bring more eyeballs to the sport’s most storied rivalry.

Once the risky Quinton de Kock was removed for 5 early on the fourth day, South Africa, who conceded a 124-run first innings lead, was always under pressure to build a defendable target.