South Africa v Australia - Third Test, Days 3 & 4

Only 54 overs were possible on a rain hit third day, but it was time enough for South Africa to finish off Australia's first innings for 249, with pace, pace and more pace once again proving the tourists' undoing. Border and Benaud batted sensibly in adding 41 for the fifth wicket, but the score became 155-5 when Benaud (17) failed to keep down his hook shot off a Heine bouncer, one of four Australians to go down hooking as the Springboks maintained an unrelenting short pitched attack.

Healy counter-attacked as Border dropped anchor, and their 61 run sixth wicket stand gave Australia renewed hope, but from a score of 216-5 shortly before tea it was the same old story as the tail folded to Heine and Adcock, and a final total of 249 all out gave South Africa an eventual 135 run lead. Healy's defiant 55 made up somewhat for a less than perfect display behind the stumps in South Africa's first innings, but it was Peter Heine who took the plaudits, finishing with his first five wicket haul in ATG cricket on his recall to the side.

More rain on the fourth morning made it difficult for Richards and Goddard to establish any momentum as South Africa attempted to build on their lead, and neither were to make it out of the 20s as Lillee, Davidson and Johnston maintained a good collective line. Davidson struck a crucial blow when he removed Graeme Pollock's leg stump for just 19, Pollock failing for the first time in the series, but Mitchell and Nourse hit back in the evening session, taking the total from 86-3 to 156-4 by the time Nourse departed for an attractive 61-ball 45.

O'Reilly was the bowler to strike, but in a series where the spinners have had hardly a look in it was still proving to be a frustrating return for 'Tiger', his match figures at the end of the day reading a sorry 1-119 from 43 overs. Mitchell moved confidently on to 86* before stumps were drawn with the score on 219-5, and a South African lead of 354 seems to have precluded any chance of an Australian victory on the final day. The only question now is whether Australia will be able to survive tomorrow and at least take some hope of squaring the series going into the final two Tests.

Close of Play, Day 4
SAF 1st Inns 384 (RG Pollock 122, Nourse 111, Richards 43; Lillee 4-84, Davidson 4-84)
AUS 1st Inns 249 (Woodfull 56, Healy 55, Border 40; Heine 5-67)
SAF 2nd Inns 219-5 (Mitchell 86*, Nourse 45)