Bavuma plots South Africa's recovery with marathon 179
The South Africa captain scored his highest Test score as the hosts recovered from a precarious position of 110/6 to declare at 425
179 runs. 338 balls. 547 minutes. That's nine hours and seven minutes of Temba Bavuma standing up against Australia to plot his team's stunning recovery in Gqeberha. South Africa began on Day 3 in a precarious position of 97 for 5 and stuttered further at 110 for 6. But then came two exceptional backs-to-the-wall partnerships, both helmed by the South African captain that took them past safety and into a position of strength.
First, Marco Jansen joined his skipper and played a contrasting knock that saw him nearly get his maiden Test century. He scored a 100-ball 85 with nine fours and three sixes, counter-punching against Australia's attack and being the fire to Bavuma's ice through a session and a half. Bavuma, who later admitted it was still a tough pitch to bat on, played a big role in keeping the Aussies on the park for nearly the entire day.
On the final day in Durban, South Africa needed the showers that just didn't arrive. On Day 3 in Gqeberha, Australia would've perhaps known what that felt like to an extent, as runs and defiance came, but wickets didn't.
Bavuma watched on mostly as Jansen made quick runs in their alliance worth 132 off 185 deliveries. Scott Boland broke the partnership with Jansen's wicket but that led to further show of fortitude from the current holders of the WTC mace. Simon Harmer batted for longer - 277 balls - in Bavuma's company during which the latter got to his 100 and 150 to a rousing applause from the dressing room.
Harmer was astute in his footwork and calculated with his shots too, moving along to a half-century without breaking too much sweat. He batted 157 balls, but he too fell agonisingly short of a first Test century - departing for 82. These two gargantuan stands however, pushed South Africa past 400.
Mitchell Starc then had Bavuma caught behind on 179 which prompted the South African captain to declare the innings on 425 for 9. Kagiso Rabada, who'd just walked out after Harmer's dismissal, had to rush back and return to bowl the first over.
But the champion bowler that he is - a Rolls Royce, per Shukri Conrad, he dismissed Nic Maddinson for a duck on the fourth ball of the innings. Australia closed out the day on 3 for 1, staring at a mountain of runs that looked unlikely at the start of the day.
Brief scores: South Africa 425/9 decl. (Temba Bavuma 179, Marco Jansen 85, Simon Harmer 82; Scott Boland 5-81, Mitchell Starc 3-89) lead Australia 3/1 (Kagiso Rabada 1-0) by 422 runs
