Renshaw puts Australia on top in Durban Test on day four

Australia asserted their dominance over South Africa in the Durban Test at the end of Day 4, requiring just six wickets to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 series.

Resuming the morning at 33/0 after bad light brought a premature end to Day 3, Australia set an aggressive tone from the outset. Travis Head was the first to depart for 11 off 18 balls, mistiming an edge off Marco Jansen straight into the hands of Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma at mid-on, leaving Australia at 43/1.

Nic Maddinson provided early impetus, launching a furious counter-attack to race to 48 off 38 deliveries with six boundaries and two sixes. However, just as a maiden Test half-century beckoned, Anrich Nortje broke through his defence with a fiery yorker as Australia went two down for 72.

Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith then joined forces to put the visitors in firm control, constructing a fluid 53-run partnership.

Smith looked in fine touch, stroking three boundaries and clearing the rope off Simon Harmer, before attempting another big shot against the off-spinner and holing out to Marco Jansen in the deep for 27.

Labuschagne followed shortly for 37 off 58 balls, edging Keshav Maharaj to Bavuma with Australia 174/4 at Lunch.

Following the break, first-innings centurion Matt Renshaw anchored the lower order with remarkable composure. Continuing his magnificent match form after scoring 190 in the first innings, Renshaw brought up another fine half-century, compiling 82 off 99 balls with seven fours and two sixes.

His brilliant stay ended when Maharaj produced a sharp reflex caught-and-bowled effort, with the total at 270/6. Alex Carey added a useful 24 before falling to Nortje.

With the lead comfortably beyond 350, captain Pat Cummins strode out alongside Beau Webster and initiated a brutal late assault. Cummins went on an all-out rampage, smashing an unbeaten 32 off just 12 deliveries, including four towering sixes.

Webster provided fluent support at the other end, finishing unbeaten on 39 off 43 balls during an unbroken seventh-wicket stand. When Webster hit a boundary to close out the 58th over, Cummins promptly signalled the declaration at 314/6, with Australia's overall lead standing at 420.

Tasked with a daunting chase of 421 in the final session, South Africa endured a testing evening under intense pressure from the Australian pace attack. Josh Hazlewood struck early when Ryan Rickelton edged his delivery behind to wicketkeeper Carey for two, leaving South Africa reeling at 7/1.

David Bedingham played a fluent knock of 46 off 68 balls, featuring eight boundaries, before he was trapped LBW by Hazlewood.

The pressure mounted further as Renshaw claimed his maiden Test wicket, dismissing Bavuma for one off 18 balls via a catch by Maddinson at short leg, leaving the hosts at 81/3.

Soon after, Cummins got a wicket by inducing an edge from Tristan Stubbs (1), superbly collected by Carey behind the stumps to reduce South Africa to 99/4.

Amidst the tumbling wickets, opener Aiden Markram showed immense resolve, anchoring the innings with an unbeaten 45 off 115 balls. When stumps were called after 41 overs due to fading light, South Africa finished the day at 102/4, still needing 319 runs on the final day with six wickets in hand.