Australia lead South Africa by 139 as bad light ends Durban day three

Australia ended day three of the first Test against South Africa with a 139-run lead after bad light stopped play in Durban on Sunday. ABC Sport reported that the tourists were 33 without loss in their second innings, with Nic Maddinson unbeaten on 17 and Travis Head on 10.

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South Africa had been dismissed for 284, conceding a first-innings deficit of 106. Pat Cummins took three wickets and Steve Smith held five catches. Beau Webster removed Anrich Nortje to finish the innings, after South Africa's final two partnerships added 52 and 35 runs.

Maddinson hit two boundaries in the opening over of Australia's reply and later struck a six before the umpires halted play after 5.4 overs. According to ABC, it was the third successive day to end early because of poor light, with 61 overs lost across the match so far.

Australia's position followed a substantial first-innings recovery built around Matt Renshaw's career-best 190. The ICC reported that the visitors made 390 after having slipped to 124 for six. Renshaw resumed the second day on 46, reached his hundred before lunch and remained at the crease until the first over after tea.

Nathan Lyon provided crucial support with 27 from 92 deliveries in a ninth-wicket partnership of 134. The ICC identified that stand as a record for the wicket in Durban and Australia's second-highest ninth-wicket partnership. Renshaw was eventually caught by Aiden Markram off Simon Harmer, leaving South Africa to begin their reply late on day two.

The innings also ended Renshaw's long wait for a second Test century. BBC Sport reported that his previous hundred came against Pakistan in January 2017, when he scored 184 in his fourth Test. His Durban effort surpassed that mark and occupied 397 balls.

The Durban match is the opening fixture in a three-Test series within the 2025-27 World Test Championship. The ICC lists the remaining matches for October 18-22 in Gqeberha and October 27-31 in Cape Town.