Middle order batter Ryan Rickelton revealed how he and Wiaan Mulder deliberately structured their innings to absorb Australia’s pressure before gradually turning the momentum South Africa’s way at Newlands on Saturday.

The pair combined for a 154-run sixth-wicket partnership that transformed South Africa from 181/5 into a position where Australia will need 288 runs to win the third Test on the final day.

SA were eventually bowled out for 387 in 134.4 overs, having resumed the day on 140/4 with only a 40-run lead, following Australia’s 429 in their first innings.

Rickelton finished with 101 off 219 balls and Mulder 115 off 221, but their contributions were built around a shared willingness to absorb pressure rather than chase quick runs.

The left hand batter said their approach was to focus on the small moments and trust that the runs would eventually come if they could stay at the crease.

“I think it was really just about trying to win the small moments,” Rickelton said.

“We were effectively 40 for 4 this morning, so we knew they were going to come hard at us and it was about trying to spend time [in the middle].

“It was never about scoring runs or getting too far ahead of ourselves, but rather having our plan and really sticking to it.”

The plan was first tested alongside Matthew Breetzke, with the pair resuming unbeaten and adding 41 before Breetzke fell for 43 off 121 balls, leaving the Proteas on 181/5.

That brought Mulder to the crease and changed the dynamic, but not the underlying approach.

Rickelton and Mulder reached their 50 partnership from 88 balls, 100 from 193 and eventually 150 from 313, with South Africa reaching tea on 294/5.

Rickelton said the two batsmen were also responsible for keeping each other disciplined when the temptation was to attack.

“I felt Wiaan sometimes was starting to breach out of his plan, so just to keep pulling each other in because we knew the longer that we batted, obviously the more frustrated they would get,” he said.

“We knew the way they were going to attack us and found a really good defence in there and were willing to absorb [pressure] for a long period of time.”

That patience eventually created opportunities to score, with Rickelton reaching his century from 218 balls and Mulder bringing up his own hundred from 204.

Rickelton was run out for 101 at 335/6, however, triggering a mini-collapse as Marco Jansen fell without scoring and Simon Harmer for one, leaving SA 344/8.

Mulder continued to carry the innings before falling for 115 with the total on 387, while Kagiso Rabada and Gerald Coetzee helped South Africa squeeze out the final runs.

Rickelton admitted his dismissal was frustrating, particularly because the hosts had been in position to push beyond 300 and potentially 350 with more wickets in hand.

“It was a bit frustrating,” Rickelton said about his run-out.

“I think we were in such a good position to drive home 300, 350, and then obviously that run-out kind of dropped that for us.

“But to still be able to get effectively 290 and ask them to do it on a day five wicket is big.

“Those last 20-30 runs we managed to compile, hopefully, will be enough to take us over the edge, but you can never have too many runs in a day five chase.”

The Herald