Australia close on victory against South Africa 1st Test Match – 2018
Cape Town – Australia will need one more wicket on the final day of the first Test at Kingsmead, despite a heroic innings from Proteas opener, Aiden Markram.
Set 417 to win after bowling Australia out for 227 early on the fourth morning, South Africa were in early trouble with the loss of four quick wickets after a relatively solid start.
Markram and Dean Elgar had seen the hosts to 29 in six overs when Mitchell Starc had Elgar caught behind for 9.
Disaster followed with Hashim Amla (8), AB de Villiers (0) and Faf du Plessis (4) falling in quick succession, leaving the Proteas teetering on 49 for 4.
Markram, who was involved in the run-out of De Villiers, put that behind him and together with Theunis de Bruyn (36) began to rebuild the innings.
The pair put on 87 for the sixth wicket before De Bruyn edged Josh Hazlewood behind to leave the Proteas on 136 for 5.
Quinton de Kock come to the wicket and together with Markram, attacked the Australian bowling.
The pair looked largely in control, putting on 147 runs in just 34 overs before Markram fell for 143 (218 balls, 19×4).
It was a special knock played under immense pressure.
His wicket exposed the tail to a reverse swinging older ball and as he did in the first innings, Starc returned to devastate the tail, picking up 3 wickets in his 16th over by removing Vernon Philander (6), Keshav Maharaj (0) and Kagiso Rabada (0).
With one wicket needed and the light poor, Australia were forced to bowl Nathan Lyon and captain Steve Smith to ensure the players stayed on the field.
The umpires eventually offered the light to the batsman with the Proteas on 293 for 9.
Quinton de Kock was 81* with the teams needing to return on the last day to complete a gripping encounter.
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