South Africa 329 & 140-4: Ackerman 62; Starc 2-29
Australia 429: Inglis 102; Harmer 4-104
South Africa lead by 40 runs
Batters carelessly gifting wickets to Australia...
asserted
Batters → gift → Australia
This time it was not England helping their opponents, although they will have taken note with a tour of South Africa to come this winter.
asserted
they → help → Africa
South Africa's attempt to fight back in the decisive third Test against Australia was hurt by two poor strokes on day three.
asserted
attempt → fight → day
Having taken the last six Australian wickets for 99 runs in the morning despite Josh Inglis' second Test century, the Proteas began their second innings facing a deficit of exactly 100.
asserted
Proteas → take → 100
They needed runs from their experienced opener and number three.
asserted
They → need → opener
Neither Aiden Markram nor David Bedingham could deliver.
uncertain
Markram → deliver → ?
By the end, even captain Temba Bavuma had been tempted into a wild swipe to fall for 35.
asserted
Bavuma → tempt → 35
Australia are closing in.
asserted
Australia → close → ?
Weakness exposed by Australia
In isolation, Markram's drive off Mitchell Starc straight into the hands of mid-off for one appeared the most egregious.
asserted
drive → expose → one
The ball was the fullest of the six balls Markram faced but not there for him to play his trademark shot.
asserted
him → face → shot
Fielder Travis Head did not have to move.
asserted
Head → have → ?
Worse, though, was the dismissal of Bedingham, who showed he had not learned from the first innings.
asserted
he → show → innings
Then, the right-hander top-edged a pull to Josh Hazlewood off the bowling of Starc.
asserted
hander → edge → Starc
This time he repeated the shot, with Hazlewood the wicket-taking bowler.
asserted
Hazlewood → repeat → shot
"That is just absolutely soft from David Bedingham," said former South Africa bowler Vernon Philander.
asserted
Philander → say → Bedingham
"He knew they were going to target him in that zone.
asserted
they → know → zone
For the second time in the Test, he has fallen to the same ploy.
asserted
he → fall → ploy
"
Given the prized position in South Africa's batting order on the back of strong domestic form for Durham in the County Championship and twin hundreds for Western Province in September, this score of 11 followed contributions of 49, 46 and 50 in his other four innings.
asserted
score → give → innings
He has got in but has not made a match-winning contribution.
asserted
He → get → contribution
Batting in the key position of first drop, some would say that is more infuriating than not getting in at all.
asserted
that → bat → drop
His dismissal, again like in the first innings, came shortly after being hit by a bouncer, with Starc clattering one into his chest on this occasion.
asserted
Starc → come → occasion
When, after starting with two balls on a good length, Hazlewood went short again, Bedingham's eyes lit up.
asserted
eyes → start → length
Ollie Robinson, Jofra Archer and co should have been taking note.
asserted
Robinson → take → note
It was the fifth time he has been dismissed pulling in his 18 Tests.
asserted
he → dismiss → Tests
On average he gets out playing that shot once every 13 deliveries.
asserted
he → get → shot
"He never looks in the right position to play the pull or hook shot," former South Africa captain Graeme Smith said.
asserted
Smith → look → shot
"You think about best pullers in the game they have a strong base.
asserted
they → think → base
He is pirouetting on one leg.
asserted
He → pirouette → leg
[South Africa great] Hashim Amla just put the pull shot away for a phase.
asserted
Amla → put → phase
"That is what a player like Bedingham needs to think about."
asserted
player → need → Bedingham
Cummins tweak brings Bavuma wicket
Bavuma, in contrast, dug in for 115 balls in which he hit only one boundary.
As he had in his 179 in the second-Test win in Gqeberha which set up this grand Cape Town finale, he showed his side the way in a partnership lasting 17.3 overs with Matthew Breetzke after opener Marques Ackerman had briskly made 65 before being bounced out by Starc.
But with four minutes to go in the day, Australia captain Pat Cummins tweaked his field for spinner Nathan Lyon.
asserted
Cummins → bring → Lyon
Bavuma had pushed and driven outside off stump to that point but, with a silly point now in place, he was dragged from his crease and tried to force through mid-wicket.
asserted
he → push → wicket
Australia's celebrations suggested they believe that was the crucial wicket.
uncertain
that → suggest → ?
The vicious turn Lyon found means any chase over 200 would not be straightforward for Australia.
asserted
chase → find → Australia
South Africa's spinner Simon Harmer dismissed Inglis and Alex Carey (80) earlier in the day on his way to figures of 4-104.
asserted
Harmer → dismiss → 4
The Proteas have Breetzke and Ryan Rickelton at the crease - and Test triple-centurion Wiaan Mulder to come, before in-form all-rounder Marco Jansen and the tail.
asserted
Proteas → have → Jansen
This still appears a tall order, however.
asserted
This → appear → ?
As on day one and two, Australia have held firm and their opponents faltered.
asserted
opponents → hold → day
England know that feeling too.
asserted
England → know → feeling
The Aporia
