Tourists take the lead late on the second thanks to four half-centuries

South Africa have tried to be philosophical about this, but a first innings total of 329, after being 140/0 at later, 203/1 midway through the afternoon on the first day, continued to haunt them as the shadows lengthened at Newlands and Australia took the lead at the end of day two.

Right now the tourists have the upperhand. But if this series has taught us anything, it is not to project too far into the future. In fact don’t project at all. Nevermind one session, one over can change the whole essence of this most compelling of battles.

Mitchell Starc did it at the end of the first day. Simon Harmer followed suit at the end of the first session on Wednesday and then the world’s top-ranked all-rounder - and bowler according to the ICC - picked up two wickets in three balls, 10 minutes before tea.

The Proteas deserve credit for their grittiness. While outwardly calm, they must now be concerned.

They’ll be chasing the game from here on a deteriorating pitch, which Nathan Lyon, so instrumental in turning around Australia’s fortunes on day one, will believe can assist him even more.

Four Australians made fifties; Matt Renshaw after his heroics at no.5 in Durban, got 74 opening the batting here. His partnership with Cameron Green, returning to the starting XI after missing the first two Tests because of an abdominal strain, was worth 126, with Green playing fluently for 65.

He took down Kagiso Rabada after lunch, in an intriguing session, that included a trio of boundaries - two sixes and a four all pull shots - that would’ve caused the Proteas batters to grind their teeth. A lengthy chat between the pair followed that sequence. “It was just about keeping him calm. You can get a bit giddy when hitting boundaries like that. But he was in the right, he’d just hit 16 runs, so it helped lift our run rate in that period.”

The final session saw Alex Carey and Josh Inglis, who only earned a starting place on the morning of the game because of Steve Smith’s late withdrawal, punish a tired Proteas bowling unit. They scored 139 runs in the last 36 overs.

There was no magic with the second new ball for the South Africans, like there was for Starc, who was aided by cloud cover and floodlights on Tuesday.

Jansen and Rabada, sticky with sweat and no doubt stiff from the day’s exertions simply couldn’t create any sense of worry for Carey and Inglis.

Rabada didn’t look himself all day. Perhaps backing up so soon after Gqeberha was too hard following a lengthy period in rehab. It was another reason for the batters to lament their efforts on day one. Rabada will be miffed about succumbing so easily in that post-lunch battle with Green.

He’d spent significant time off the field with what bowling coach, Piet Botha later claimed was stomach cramps. His two spells after tea - including the one with the second new ball - didn’t have the same levels of intensity normally expected from Rabada.

Jansen too had problems with his back, needing to be massaged late in the day, while it didn’t help that Gerald Coetzee, who’s not played much cricket in the last month, was off kilter with both his lengths and especially his lines.

South Africa could not build or sustain a period of pressure. Wiaan Mulder was the most disciplined of the attack, but didn’t threaten and after the double strike in his first over - a thrilling passage of play - Simon Harmer struggled as the Australian batters especially Inglis and Carey swept the ball purely.

South Africa will demand more of themselves on Thursday. This match is not yet gone, and the first session will require them to do their damn jobs, in a way that matches how Australia’s batters did theirs on the second day.