Matt Renshaw scored a career-best 190 to haul Australia from 124 for 6 to 390 all out on day two of the first Test against South Africa in Durban, leaving the Proteas 27 for 1 overnight.
The Queenslander’s first Test century in almost a decade flipped Australia’s position from dire to dominant at Kingsmead, cricket.com.au‘s Josh Schonafinger reported from the ground, with support from the ICC and BBC Sport.
Career-best 190 from 397 balls
Renshaw finished on 190 from 397 balls, eclipsing his previous best of 184 at the SCG in January 2017, cricket.com.au said. Only Usman Khawaja, with 180 from 422 deliveries in Ahmedabad in 2023, has faced more balls in an overseas Australian innings in the past 20 years than Renshaw’s 397, Schonafinger wrote.
Australia resumed day two on 187 for 6 with Renshaw on 46 and Pat Cummins on 33, the ICC reported. Cummins made 43 before edging Wiaan Mulder to Aiden Markram at second slip, and Mitchell Starc was bowled by Mulder for six, leaving Australia 230 for 8.
Record ninth-wicket stand with Lyon
Renshaw then farmed the strike with Nathan Lyon (27 from 92 balls) in a 134-run ninth-wicket partnership — the highest for that wicket at Kingsmead and Australia’s best ninth-wicket stand against South Africa, according to cricket.com.au and the ICC. Lyon lasted 190 minutes, the fourth-longest innings by an Australian No.10, Schonafinger wrote.
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Simon Harmer finally dismissed Renshaw in the first over after tea, the left-hander edging to Markram at first slip 10 runs short of a maiden double century, cricket.com.au reported. Mulder finished with 4 for 68.
Hazlewood strikes before bad light
Josh Hazlewood had Ryan Rickelton caught at third slip by Beau Webster for a duck as South Africa replied, before bad light ended play at 4:25pm local time with the hosts 27 for 1, Markram unbeaten on 15 and David Bedingham on 12, trailing by 363, the ICC and cricket.com.au said.
“I never thought I’d be (back) here,” Renshaw said after play, per cricket.com.au. “Once you have a few years out of the team … You probably think that you’re never going to get this opportunity again. It was pretty emotional, pretty special.”
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Day three: South Africa two down
Day three began with South Africa still chasing Australia’s 390. According to the Sydney Morning Herald live blog (updated Sunday evening AEDT), Mitchell Starc had Markram caught in the slips by Renshaw, leaving South Africa 86 for 2 with Bedingham unbeaten on 48 and Temba Bavuma yet to score. Play continues; the day is not yet complete.
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