Josh Inglis and Alex Carey batted South Africa into submission on Wednesday, stitching together an unbeaten 145-run stand that hauled Australia into the ascendancy on day two of the series-deciding third Test at Newlands. The tourists finished on 330/4, one run ahead with six wickets in hand, and suddenly the Proteas’ first-day dominance feels like a distant memory.
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On a benign batting surface under cloudless Cape Town skies, Australia’s middle order delivered. Inglis remained unbeaten on 85 (111) whilst wicketkeeper Carey compiled a gritty 51 not out as the pair batted through the final session to turn the screws on a wilting South African attack.
Earlier, Matt Renshaw and Cameron Green had contributed a crucial 126-run partnership for the third wicket, ensuring Australia recovered from early strikes to build a platform that Inglis and Carey exploited ruthlessly.
The absence of star batsman Steve Smith through a neck injury might have rattled lesser sides, but Renshaw insisted there’d been no grand discussions about added responsibility. “It was more just how could we stick to our tempo, stick to our plans and try and see where we were going to be tonight,” the left-hander said.
Early wobbles overcome
Renshaw and Travis Head gave Australia their best opening stand of the series, putting on 58 before off-spinner Simon Harmer struck with his first delivery of the match. Head chopped on, ending a promising 41, and Harmer followed up five balls later by having Marnus Labuschagne caught at slip for a golden duck.
At 58/2, South Africa sensed an opening. They didn’t get it.
Renshaw and Green knuckled down, adding 126 in a partnership built on patience and selectivity. Renshaw’s watchful 74 (139) embodied calm accumulation, whilst Green’s more adventurous 65 included two sixes off successive Kagiso Rabada deliveries.
“I was in for probably an hour and a half before Cam came in so I’m at a completely different mindset and tempo compared to when he was coming in,” Renshaw explained. “He’s buzzing around a lot so it’s just about me being the calmer head out there.”
Both fell to left-arm quick Marco Jansen in the space of three deliveries shortly before tea. Renshaw flashed at a lifting delivery and was caught behind following a successful South African review, whilst Green steered Jansen to second slip. The double strike briefly reignited Proteas hopes.
Inglis and Carey shut the door
Inglis, returning from a broken finger that sidelined him for the first two Tests, had other ideas. He counter-attacked brilliantly, stroking fine attacking shots to race to 85 not out and put Australia firmly in control.
“We were under a little bit of pressure having lost two quick wickets and the way that he played was really positive,” Renshaw said.
Carey provided the perfect foil, digging in for an unbeaten half-century as the pair frustrated South Africa through to stumps. The Proteas will rue their collapse from 203 for one on day one, that first-innings dominance has evaporated.
It was a brutal day for the home attack. Jansen reached 100 Test wickets in only his 24th match on the same day the ICC announced he’d climbed to number one in both the bowling and all-rounder rankings. But new-ball partner Rabada endured a torrid time, struggling with stomach cramps according to bowling coach Piet Botha whilst haemorrhaging 81 runs from 18 overs.
Australia hold all the aces heading into day three. With six wickets in hand and a slender lead already banked, they’ll fancy pushing towards 450-plus and putting serious scoreboard pressure on a South African batting order that has looked fragile all series.
