Renshaw followed his 190 with 82 and a first Test wicket, and South Africa need 319 more in Durban
Australia declared at tea on day four to set South Africa 421 at Kingsmead, then reduced them to 102 for 4 by stumps, with Steve Smith kept off the field after a blow to the head.
Oct 12, 2026
Matt Renshaw batted for almost eight hours for his 190 in the first innings at Kingsmead. On Monday he needed 99 balls for 82, and then took the wicket of South Africa’s captain with his occasional off-spin, his first in Test cricket. Australia declared on 314 for 6 at tea on day four, setting South Africa 421, and by stumps the hosts were 102 for 4, still 319 short with a day to go.
Renshaw goes after it
Australia started the day on 33 without loss and scored at 5.41 an over across their 58-over second innings. Nic Maddinson, out for a 33-ball duck in the first innings, made 48 off 38 before Anrich Nortje bowled him.
Renshaw went to 82 with seven fours and two sixes, and looked set for a second hundred in the match until Keshav Maharaj dived and held on to a juggling return catch, which needed a review before he was given out. Beau Webster finished on 39 not out, and Pat Cummins hit four sixes in 32 not out off 12 balls before calling his batters in.
Smith off the field after a blow to the head
Steve Smith was struck on the side of the helmet by a Nortje bouncer during the morning. He passed an on-field assessment and batted on to 27, but did not take the field when South Africa began their chase and faces further assessment. If he is diagnosed with concussion, the minimum 12-day stand-down would rule him out of the second Test in Gqeberha, which starts on Sunday. Smith has a history here: a Jofra Archer bouncer at Lord’s in the 2019 Ashes concussed him.
Three wickets for 13
South Africa lost Ryan Rickelton early, caught behind off Josh Hazlewood for 2, before Aiden Markram and David Bedingham added 66 for the second wicket. Hazlewood broke the stand when he trapped Bedingham lbw for 46, and the innings slid from there. Temba Bavuma fell for 1, caught by Maddinson off Renshaw, and Tristan Stubbs was caught behind off Cummins for 1. That was three wickets for 13 runs. Markram and Wiaan Mulder then saw out the last eight overs, and Markram goes into the final day on 45 not out.
Bad light took 49 overs out of the first three days, and South Africa’s best hope of a draw on the final day may lie with the Durban weather as much as their batting. Australia need six more wickets to go 1-0 up in the three-match series.