Ryan Rickelton and Wiaan Mulder both scored centuries on Friday as South were dismissed for 387 in their second innings on day four to set Australia a target of 288 on the final day of the third and deciding Dafabet test match at YesPlay Newlands in Cape Town.
Rickelton (101), along with Mulder (115), added 154 runs for the sixth wicket to get South Africa out of trouble and into a position where the match and series are poised on a knife-edge.
"It's been a pretty attritional day for us. An outstanding partnership between Rickleton and Mulder and it's heading up for a last great day in this test series," said Australian bowling coach, James Franklin.
"It's been a special series that has ebbed and flowed throughout, it's been a cracking series and hopefully it comes down to a really good day for South Africa tomorrow," said Rickelton after the day's play.
Rickleton struck 12 boundaries in his 219-ball knock - his third test century and second at Newlands (his highest of 257 also coming under the shadow of Table Mountain) and fourth in four First Class innings while Mulder brought up his third test century from 204 balls with 10 fours and four sixes.
Ryan Rickel𝐓𝐎𝐍 1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ He stands up for South Africa with an impressive knock 🇿🇦🏏 📺 Stream #SAvAUS on DStv: https://t.co/rM90YyQxaw https://t.co/pWLdg1S0J1
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) October 30, 2026
However, disaster struck when Rickelton came charging down the pitch only to be sent back by Mulder and was found short of his ground as Josh Inglis whipped the ball in to bowler Marnus Labuschagne (4-0-18-0) to knock the bails off.
"It's flat!" joked Rickelton. "It's a special place, lovely wicket to bat on. It's not just the ground itself but the essence of Cape Town I really enjoy."
"It was very special until he ran me out, and then I was quite peed off! But it was special, we have played a lot of cricket together over the years and we know each other's games pretty well."
This opened the gates for Australia as Marco Jansen came in and looked aggressive but his aggression got the better of him and he pulled Mitchell Starc (24-2-65-3) straight down the throat of Nathan Lyon on the square-leg fence without scoring.
Simon Harmer (1) then shouldered arms to a delivery outside off-stump from Lyon (44-10-101-2) and the ball turned prodigiously and cannoned into middle stump before Gerald Coetzee (1) was also needlessly run out by Labuschagne with a direct hit.
"We've seen that through this test match that when one wicket falls, another one falls very quickly and obviously in that last hour we got five," said Franklin.
Mulder continued to play with absolute patience and responsibility, controlling the final partnership with Kagiso Rabada (2 not out), turning down easy singles to protect his partner while working his way to a century, although at times he wielded the willow smashing Pat Cummins and Lyon for sixes.
Mulder's maturity in managing the match situation brought about 36 valuable runs for the 10th wicket, in which Rabada scored just two.
It was utter joy - and relief - for Mulder as he leapt into the air and enjoyed the adulation that the Newlands faithful showed.
A 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐓𝐇 Test Century for Wiaan Mulder 🇿🇦💥 He brings Newlands to its feet 👏 📺 Stream #SAvAUS on DStv: https://t.co/rM90YyQxaw https://t.co/7hkIcSqCYV
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) October 30, 2026
Despite reaching his century, Mulder still played with concise responsibility, taking singles when needed and protecting Rabada as much as possible.
Mulder was finally the last man out, pulling Cummins with the fourth ball of the final over of the day down towards long-on where Starc took a comfortable catch.
"It was massive - really, really big. It was a bit frustrating that we were in such a good position to drive home 300-350 then obviously that run out dropped that for us but to get effectively 290 on a day 5 wicket, psychologically takes it out of you so those extra runs will hopefully take us over the line," added Rickleton.
The Proteas had begun the day in a perilous position of 140-4 with Matthew Breetzke (43) and Rickelton at the crease.
Rickelton and Breetzke brought up the 50-run stand for the fifth wicket but then Breetzke played straight into the Australian hands by pulling Cummins (24.4-5-71-2) straight to Starc at fine leg, slashing the air with his bat as he walked off.
However, Mulder, sometimes suspect against the short ball, played well with Rickelton as South Africa added 92 runs in the middle session as South Africa went to tea with their total on 294-5.
Despite the loss of five wickets in the final session, South Africa added 93 runs and set Australia, what would be, the second-highest successful run chase at Newlands.
"I think it was just about winning the small moments. We knew effectively we were 40 for four and they would come hard at us, so it was just about trying to spend time at the wicket, not scoring runs or getting too far ahead of ourselves," said Rickelton.
AUSTRALIA DOMINATE FIRST THREE DAYS
Cummins had won the toss on the first morning and asked South Africa to bat first, and the decision looked to backfire as South Africa posted an opening stand of 158 between Aiden Markram (78) and Marques Ackerman (95).
Despite David Bedingham (50) and Jansen (52) notching up half centuries and a 41 from Rickelton, Starc (16.3-2-72-6) blew the South African lower order away with the new ball under cloudy skies.
Starc's spell of 6-12 in six and a half overs had South Africa losing six wickets for 93 runs.
Lyon (2-72), Cooper Connolly (1-41) and Hazlewood (1-59) all contributed to South Africa's downfall.
"We thought there might have been a little bit more in the pitch on day one but 140 at lunch was a little bit of a 'take a breath' moment, but we reassessed and picked up 10 wickets," quipped Franklin.
Having begun the second day with an opening stand of 58 between Travis Head (41) and Matt Renshaw (74), Simon Harmer (37-6-104-4) struck twice before lunch, removing Head and Labuschagne (0) to leave the visitors on 90-2 at lunch.
South Africa again only tasted success twice in the middle session, as Jansen (18-5-55-2) had Renshaw caught behind and then Cameron Green (65) caught in the slips by Harmer.
The evening session belonged solely to Australia as Josh Inglis (102) and Alex Carey (80) added 145 unbeaten runs for the fifth wicket to put their side one run in the lead by the close.
Carey had struck four boundaries in his 126 deliveries to head off unbeaten on 51 while Inglis was more aggressive, striking nine fours and two sixes from 111 balls to end the day on 85.
The Proteas did exceptionally well on day three, taking six wickets for 59 runs to dismiss Australia for 429 in their first innings, a lead of 100 on the Proteas first effort of 329 all out.
Australia had begun the third day in a commanding position (330-4).
Inglis and Carey had already notched up 145 runs for the fifth wicket by the close on day two but managed to add a further 46 runs before Simon Harmer (37-6-104-4) struck, removing both Inglis and Carey to end the 191-run stand for the fifth wicket.
Rabada (23-1-98-1), who had suffered with stomach cramps on day two, had Cummins trapped in front before Coetzee (19-4-70-1) had Starc (11) edging behind to Rickelton.
Mulder (21-5-63-1) did well to have Lyon (1) edging to Harmer at first slip before Jansen (22.1-7-60-3), the world's No 1 test allrounder, ended the innings when he took a catch off his own bowling to see the end of Connolly (29).
In response, the Proteas lost the early wickets of Markram (1) and Bedingham (11) before Ackerman (62) and Temba Bavuma (35) added 64 runs for the third wicket before a snorter from Starc (14-2-34-2) had Ackerman gloving to Cameron Green at first slip.
Then heartbreak for the home side as Bavuma was castled by Lyon (27-7-57-1) going for a big shot over mid-wicket to leave the hosts 140-4 at the close.
SOUTH AFRICA: Aiden Markram, Marques Ackerman, David Bedingham, Temba Bavuma (capt), Matthew Breetzke, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Simon Harmer, Gerald Coetzee, Kagiso Rabada.
AUSTRALIA: Travis Head, Matthew Renshaw, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Josh Inglis, Alex Carey (wk), Cooper Connolly, Pat Cummins (capt), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.
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