Second Test RECAP: Boland survives ‘vultures’ as Proteas head to final day hunting victory
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That’ll do us
Thanks for keeping up this evening and morning!
We’ll be back tomorrow to cover what should be a thrilling final day.
Stumps on day four
That’s it!
It’s stumps with Australia trailing by 170 runs at 4-156. Scott Boland did his job brilliantly and is 2 off 24 balls while Travis Head has 87 off 138.
What a thrilling final day we have ahead. This is proper Test match cricket.
Checking the light again
The light meter was out again with the umpires.
They’re still going out there six fielders around the bat for Scott Boland.
“Perhaps you might call it a pack of wild dogs ... generally we call them vultures,” Pommie Mbangwa said on SuperSport.
Scott Boland is surrounded. Fox Cricket
Hunting for another wicket
How’s the field for Scott Boland?
They started with a short leg, silly mid-off, slip and leg slip for the nightwatchman.
“They’re all around him, the vultures,” caller Pommie Mbangwa said on SuperSport.
South Africa’s field to Scott Boland. Fox Cricket
Aiden Markram is bowling now after a check of the light meter.
Webster’s absolutely plumb
Oh Simon Harmer has removed Beau Webster with a beauty!
This Nathan Lyon non-selection is looking pretty bad now.
Harmer’s delivery straightened beautifully and hit Webster on the pads right in front. He didn’t even bother reviewing.
He’s gone for 8 and now Scott Boland is out there as a nightwatchman. He’ll have around seven overs to survive here.
Do they just pack it up now?
Matt Renshaw’s out, are we calling it at 1-1 now heading to Cape Town?
Beau Webster is out there too with no sign of Steve Smith.
Kagiso Rabada was the man to dismiss Renshaw with an absolute beauty from around the wicket.
Renshaw shouldered arms to the ball and would’ve been gone lbw if it didn’t go on to hit the stumps.
The addition of Rabada to this side has been telling.
The madness behind Marnus’ shot
Mark Nicholas believes there’ll be deep regret for Marnus Labuschagne after his brain fade.
“I think he’d have to be critical of himself for the choice of shot because you’re hitting into the wind,” he said on SuperSport.
“It’s the one area where that’s exactly where the wind is coming from so you’re giving yourself the least chance of clearing the man.
“I think he’ll hate himself for that.”
What was that?
Well Marnus Labuschagne would like his time again.
He’s had a brain fade and tried to hit Simon Harmer out of the ground towards mid-wicket.
Instead he’s been caught by no one else but Marco Jansen.
Labuschagne raises his head to the sky after it in disappointment.
The right-hander has been told to have more intent at the crease but not sure if that was the moment for it.
Matt Renshaw has no come out to the crease amid Smith’s injury struggles.
Marnus Labuschagne reacts to his dismissal. Fox Cricket
Head brings up a milestone
Travis Head has made his 50 off 81 balls.
It’s come after a big appeal for lbw from Simon Harmer. Head suggested to the umpire he’d hit and the umpire believed him.
His acknowledgement of the 50 was just a hand to the air, nothing outrageous.
The finger’s gone up … but there’s a review
Marnus Labuschagne has been given out lbw!
He’s reviewed it but it doesn’t look good for him. This was coming after a lot of plays and misses and inside edges.
Now we have ball tracking and Marnus has survived! It’s been judged to have just missed leg stump by millimetres.
“Absolute relief,” Pommie Mbangwa said on SuperSport.
Marnus Labuschagne’s review. Fox Cricket
Marnus was shown on the big screen throwing his head back in relief when the review was finalised too.
