SA lead by 102 runs at lunch

The Proteas’ quest to set Australia a tricky target in the final innings of the third Test were hampered by the loss of Matthew Breetzke’s wicket on the fourth morning at Newlands.

The Proteas reached 202/5 at lunch, their lead 102 runs, with Ryan Rickelton unbeaten on 39 and Wiaan Mulder, who engaged in a verbal battle with Mitchell Starc in the last over before the interval, on 5.

It was a tense end to the session in what continues to be an absorbing series-decider, which should hopefully attract more people to Newlands, bathed in sunshine, later on Friday.

The prospect of the second new ball, which is due in five overs, adds another layer of intrigue to the contest.

Breetzke had shown terrific discipline over the course of 170 minutes at the crease, surviving through a bruising final hour on the third evening, when even his captain briefly lost control.

On Friday he defended stoutly, and presented with opportunities to cut a drive, he did so calmly. But as SA were starting to gain a greater foot hold, Breetzke like so many other Proteas in this series, fell for Australia’s short-ball plan, giving Pat Cummins his first wicket in 374 balls.

It was sloppy from Breetzke, who’d made 43, and faced 121 balls, and worked incredibly hard, to help build a partnership worth 50 runs.

Rickelton, who’d defended carefully for the majority of the session, started to open up in the half an hour leading up to lunch, hitting two lovely straight drives off Nathan Lyon and Cummins.

There was a tense exchange between Mulder and Starc in the last over after Mulder had delayed the delivery of the fourth ball in the over; first because something was caught in his eye and the second time when Starc’s towel fell out of his packet.

The Australian quick was then annoyed that in attempting to set off for a single, he felt Mulder was running down the pitch. Mulder disagreed, but it didn’t get fiery enough for the umpires to step in.

The mistakes of day one continue to haunt the Proteas. Their second innings still demands that they find the runs they left on the table on Tuesday, if they are to get their noses in front. Everyone in the home camp has spoken about “leaving runs out there,” and Australia’s disciplined approach in their first innings, which saw them take a 100-run lead, has been the major difference in the game.

The fact that Aiden Markram, David Bedingham, Temba Bavuma and on Friday Breetzke, all got out in ways that could be deemed soft, will only add to the host’s frustrations.