First Test RECAP: Aussies put 390 on the board as Renshaw leads huge recovery

That’ll do for now, folks.

We’ll have another live blog ready to go for day three by about 5pm (AEDT).

Enjoy your Sunday.

Renshaw has brought back into the Test fold as an opener, but his 190-run epic in Durban came at No.5.

Where should he bat going forward?

He played a straight bat to that question when asked at stumps.

“No idea. That’s well above my pay grade,” Renshaw said.

He elaborated when prodded again.

“Wherever is best for the team is the (position) for me. I think I’ve obviously got that strength against spin in that middle order coming in, but it’s one of those (where) I’m not too fussed,” he said.

“It’s a pretty cool opportunity to be playing in the Australian men’s team anyway. So if it’s opening, if it’s batting five, if it’s batting six, if it’s batting four, I’m not too fussed.”

Renshaw’s batting has evolved in a major way since he made his Test debut as a fresh-faced 20-year-old.

The big left-hander accrued runs very slowly back then.

Nowadays, he is capable of being a force across all three formats internationally.

He has also become an exceptional player against spin.

“You think about him as a player over that (last decade). He’s a different player and a more mature player,” Alyssa Healy said on Fox Cricket.

“He went away and worked really hard at his game against spin, and he’s been rewarded this Test match for that, batting at five and when the spinners are starting.

“It’s a great story, and probably a great lesson for all the younger guys out there. It doesn’t have to happen at 21 or 22 – it might take you a while to get going.”

Kerry O’Keeffe added: “He looks as if he’ll serve Australia well in all forms. He could be a three-format star for the next five or six years. He’s 30, and he’ll go to 35 or 36.

“Australia have uncovered one. They knew they had him, they just wanted him at the peak of his powers – and he is at the moment.”

Mark Waugh gave a nod to Australia’s selectors after Matthew Renshaw’s incredible knock.

“I think we’ve got to give the selectors their dues here. We’ve been a bit harsh on them, but they’ve made a great call here,” Waugh, a former national selector, said on Fox Cricket.

“Not only to pick him in the team, but now batting down at five ... His form and confidence levels are at an all-time high. He’s playing beautifully in all formats.”

As the likes of Marco Jansen and Wiaan Mulder ripped through the Aussies on day one, it looked like the South African bowlers were going to enjoy the luxury of a light first-up workload and an early innings break.

Only 42 overs had been bowled when the departure of Beau Webster left the Aussies in trouble at 6-124.

Matthew Renshaw and Pat Cummins had other ideas, and when all was said and done, the Aussies had kept the Proteas in the field for 137.2 overs.

Jansen ended up bowling 31 overs, Anrich Nortje 28 and Mulder 27.

“It was sort of just thinking what we can try and do, trying to just find the right options, find a boundary if we could,” Renshaw said.

“But once they sort of started spreading that field, it was tough. It was almost trying to hit twos.

“But I knew the time that we’re spending out there, ‘Gaz’ (Nathan Lyon) was occasionally getting a nice boundary, that was the benefit for us was just keeping them out in the field, getting their quicks coming back on. We got some overs in their front-line (bowlers) in the first innings of the first game, which is always nice for this coming series.”

Renshaw faced 397 balls in his marathon knock that yielded 190 runs.

Matt Renshaw has admitted he thought he wouldn’t get another chance at Test level after failing to capitalise on a recall in 2023.

Three years on, he has notched a big overseas hundred and dragged Australia out of a huge hole.

“It’s a weird one,” the 30-year-old said at stumps on day two.

“I never thought I’d be here this long.

“I think once it sort of took a few years out of the team, had an opportunity in 2023 and didn’t take it, you probably think that you’re never gonna get this opportunity again.”

Renshaw brought up his ton when he flicked an Anrich Nortje delivery off his pads just before lunch.

The ball raced away for four and he erupted with emotion, peeling off his helmet and raising his hands above his head.

“When I hit the ball [to reach my century], I was screaming at it, ‘Go, go, go’, and it just sort of all hit me at once,” he smiled.

“You add Nathan at the other end and it was pretty emotional.

“So it was pretty special.”

Hello to the early risers!

It’s Zachary Gates clocking on to cover the wash-up of day two of the first Test, after Matthew Renshaw’s gritty 190 lifted Australia to 390 in Durban.

Stay tuned for a series of posts over the next few hours, including a Renshaw press conference.

That’s all from us for now.

We’ll be firing up the blog again in the morning to provide all the press conference content and reactions to day two.

Catch you next time!

It’s stumps in Durban early because of bad light once again.

South Africa finishes the day 1-27 after Ryan Rickelton attempted a wild drive outside off stump from Josh Hazlewood’s bowling. Beau Webster took the catch in the slips.

Aiden Markram finishes 15 not out and David Bedingham has 12.

Earlier there was a review burned from Australia after a big lbw appeal on Aiden Markram.

The umpire said not out as it appeared there was two noises.

Cummins was convinced and reviewed but the umpire was proved right and Markram stayed.

Not much time between innings’.

Josh Hazlewood ran off very quickly and we’re straight into it with Mitchell Starc bowling the first over.

No first ball heroics this time as Aiden Markram forward defends.

Starc getting a little bit of shape early too.