Australia wants 9 wickets to seal a well-known 3-0 collection win, after Josh Hazlewood spearheaded the house assault after lunch and allowed Pat Cummins to implement the follow-on.
South Africa have 47 overs to outlive within the final session and a half.
Australia might be calling on the world class trio of Pat Cummins, Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon.
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3.35PM: SOUTH AFRICA ON VERGE OF BURYING INCREDIBLE STATISTIC
They’ve waited till the final day of the tour, however South Africa have an opportunity to finish one of the outstanding runs within the well-known cricketing historical past of this nation.
With 30 overs remaining within the day, South Africa are in line to safe their first attract a outstanding 47 Tests.
As revealed by our personal Crash Craddock final week, South Africa haven’t performed in a drawn Test since March 2017, after they confronted New Zealand at Seddon Park.
That’s nearly six years of cricket, a interval which has recorded 23 wins and 23 losses. A wonderfully even break up that might, in a matter of hours, be bookended by attracts.
South Africa are 1-48, with Klaasen on 18 and Erwee on 20.
3.10PM: THE EQUATION: WHAT AUSTRALIA NEEDS FOR WIN
32 overs remaining. Australia want 9 extra wickets. It’s that straightforward.
But how a lot fuel is left within the tank? Josh Hazlewood bowled so properly after lunch to offer his captain Pat Cummins the prospect to implement the follow-on, however since then he’s had simply two overs.
Coming again from a sidestrain, has the workload taken its toll on Hazlewood? Or is he being saved for a closing push after tea?
Ashton Agar has bounced again after two costly first overs, however the wickets – and probabilities – haven’t come but. Much will fall on his – and Nathan Lyon’s – shoulders in a gruelling closing session.
“It’s about building some pressure and momentum, hopefully we can create that,” mentioned David Warner to Fox Cricket.
3.00PM: WATCH – ELGAR’S AWFUL END TO HORROR SERIES
2.43PM: WICKET! ELGAR STRANGLED ON LEGSIDE AGAIN
How many occasions has that occurred this collection to Dean Elgar? Strangled down the legside, gloving the Pat Cummins bouncer to Alex Carey.
He goes for 10, and appears genuinely distraught about that. He’d executed properly to get by way of the opening half hour of this innings… after which falls in such smooth style.
His collection common of 9.33 tells a lot of the story. He’s had a horrible summer season.
Less than half an hour to go till tea, too. That’s a irritating dismissal for the Proteas captain. They are 1-27 and nonetheless path by 193 runs.
2.30PM: AUSSIES BURN FIRST REVIEW
That is one evaluate down for Australia, with Pat Cummins chasing Dean Elgar’s scalp.
Cummins by no means seemed tremendous satisfied on that evaluate, and ball-tracker backs up his suspicions by exhibiting the ball crusing excessive of the stumps.
It was Cummins’ first ball of the second innings, with Ashton Agar opening the bowling on the Randwick End.
Elgar stays, on 8.
2.15PM: CUMMINS GETS FUNKY WITH CAPTAINCY
Pat Cummins goes to must get funky along with his captaincy to get essentially the most out of his four-man assault and push Australia to victory.
And he’s pulled his first trick already, opening the bowling with Ashton Agar – alongside Josh Hazlewood.
It’s nearly a masterstroke: two balls in and he has Erwee edging simply in need of Steve Smith at first slip.
But Cummins has to discover a option to preserve himself and Hazlewood contemporary all through the remaining 47 overs. Agar must chime in with overs…. and ideally wickets.
1.57PM: WICKET! LYON ENDS THINGS, PROTEAS TO FOLLOW-ON
And that’s that! Wow. When issues occur, they occur in a rush.
Nathan Lyon has Kagiso Rabada out caught-and-bowled – a superb effort, actually – to shut South Africa’s innings on 255.
That offers Pat Cummins the prospect to implement the follow-on, and he has executed so. Australia’s slim possibilities of victory proceed right here.
Four wickets down, 10 to go.
South Africa have 47 overs to face throughout the remainder of the day – and wish to attain 225 or extra to doubtlessly set Australia a goal to chase.
1.54PM: WICKET! HAZLEWOOD STRIKES AGAIN!
He is just too good. Josh Hazlewood lastly removes Simon Harmer, simply shy of his half-century.
That’s an enormous wicket – with South Africa nonetheless 21 in need of the follow-on mark.
It’s an exquisite supply, shaping again in and taking an edge onto the stumps.
It’s Hazlewood’s fourth wicket of the innings and he actually has been Australia’s greatest the previous two days.
Enforcing the follow-on is all of the sudden again in play. Would Cummins contemplate it, after Australia has spent greater than 100 overs within the discipline?
1.45PM: LYON TWICE DENIED BY UMPIRE’S CALL
Nathan Lyon has twice been cruelly denied an LBW – with each occasions a evaluate favouring umpire’s name, which means the not-out selections stood and Simon Harmer survives.
On the primary, balltracker had the ball taking an honest chunk of leg stump – having crushed the bat and hit him in line- however not sufficient to overturn.
The second was a double umpire’s name – hitting simply in keeping with off stump, and simply taking a bit of leg stump.
But once more, Paul Reiffel’s not out name stands, and former Australian nice Mike Hussey thinks that’s an excellent factor.
“I think it’s excellent umpiring by Paul Reiffel,” Hussey mentioned on Fox Cricket.
“With the ball turning that much, it’s gotta be either hitting you just outside the line of the off-stump… or with that amount of turn it’s got to spin past the stumps.”
Australia is searching. But the little issues aren’t fairly working for them proper now. South Africa wants 21 runs to keep away from the observe on.
1.34PM: DROPPED! AGAR SPILLS TOUGH CHANCE
Dropped! That’s the prospect Australia needed. Rabada chips Hazlewood to brief mid-wicket, the place Ashton Agar is patrolling.
It’s a pointy likelihood, and excessive, however for a fielder of Agar’s high quality you count on these ones to stay.
He’s had a tricky time with the ball, however that catch might need ignited one thing inside Agar.
“Ashton Agar would normally catch that,” says Mark Waugh on Fox Cricket.
1.22PM: WICKET! HAZLEWOOD STRIKES AFTER LUNCH
Bang! When all hope is misplaced, you flip to Josh Hazlewood.
The ever reliable Australian seamer strikes in his first over after the lunch break, trapping Keshav Maharaj in entrance and sending him on his approach for 53.
Maharaj requests a evaluate, within the hope he’s snuck his bat in entrance of the pad but it surely’s a fruitless effort – and he will get all three reds.
An important partnership involves an finish for South Africa, simply 23 runs shy of avoiding the follow-on mark.
Can Australia pull one thing out of the hat right here?
1.10PM: LYON’S CHANCE TO ROAR?
The center session is underway, Pat Cummins steaming in for his twenty second over straight after lunch.
Australia’s possibilities of victory quickly declined throughout the primary session, to the purpose the place the draw is now a close to unbackable $1.01 possibility.
One of the larger issues has been the shortage of penetration from Australia’s spinners Nathan Lyon and Ashton Agar – which was hoped to be their ace up the sleeve on a day 5 wicket.
The pair went wicketless by way of the primary session, with Lyon’s SCG struggles coming to the fore once more.
It’s a floor the place he averages greater than 40 for his wickets, one thing which frequently comes as a shock at a gaggle with a popularity for providing help for spinners.
“Ìronically it’s not his favurite ground to bowl at,” mentioned Mike Hussey on Fox Cricket.
“He averages over 40 at the SCG, which is well above his career average.”
12.30PM: LUNCH: GAME SLIPPING AWAY FROM AUSTRALIA
Today promised loads – and there’s nonetheless loads of time for twists and turns with 58 overs remaining within the day – however South Africa have proven some spine for the primary time this summer season.
And that’s pissed off the Australians.
Across two and a half hours of play, Australia have taken only one wicket – by way of part-timer Travis Head – because the Proteas trimmed the follow-on goal runs to only 31.
Head gave Australia some hope, dismissing Marco Jansen for 11, but it surely was the final pleasure Australia loved within the first session.
Spin duo Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer have mixed so as to add 72 for the eighth wicket, with each closing in on half-centuries: Maharaj is 49, and Harmer 45.
Australia had been even charged 5 penalty runs when the helmet behind Alex Carey was struck, suggesting that luck isn’t on their facet at present.
12PM – COULD CUMMINS PULL OUT ALL-TIME CAPTAINCY GAMBLE?
With half an hour till lunch, some nerves may be infiltrating the Australian camp.
Simon Harper has reached his highest Test rating – he’s unbeaten on 40 – and has added 41 for the eighth wicket with Keshav Maharaj.
And simply as essential, for South Africa, because the pair not shedding their wicket is that they’ve chipped away at that follow-on mark fairly comfortably, scoring at practically three runs an over.
With lunch in sight, the Proteas are 7-208 and wish an additional 67 runs to keep away from the follow-on.
If they hit that mark, it may take the air out of this contest – barring the boldest of captaincy strikes from Pat Cummins. He may declare Australia’s innings on 0/0 and set South Africa a sub-200 goal.
That would do Warney proud on the ‘you’ve received to be keen to lose if you wish to win’ perspective.
11.40AM – AGAR’S CRUCIAL DAY WITH INDIA TOUR IN PLAY
– BEN HORNE
Ashton Agar wants wickets on day 5 of the Sydney Test.
As Fox Cricket’s spin guru Kerry O’Keeffe mentioned on commentary, selections are about to be made for subsequent month’s heavy-duty tour of India and Agar wants outcomes.
So far within the first innings, captain Pat Cummins has scarcely used Agar, bowling the left-armer simply 11 overs when Nathan Lyon has taken the majority of the work with 32 overs.
Even part-timer Travis Head has bowled 5 overs of spin.
Agar has an enormous alternative to take wickets, not solely to spearhead Australia to a final day victory towards South Africa, however enhance his personal confidence forward of the largest tour of his profession.It’s been practically six years since Agar’s final Test match and as a result of his white ball profession he hasn’t performed a lot first-class cricket.
Agar wants to start out beating the skin edge because the day goes on.
Australia have missed a few powerful probabilities on day 5 – with Marnus Labuschagne placing down a really low proportion likelihood at brief leg off Head and an over later Head dropping a flying return catch alternative off his personal bowling.
In between, Alex Carey dropped one off Head, but it surely wasn’t clear whether or not the small spike on snicko was bat or pad.
11.25AM: NEW BALL TAKEN, CRUCIAL PERIOD UPCOMING
For the primary time this collection, Australia have taken the second new ball. And the subsequent half hour feels prefer it may resolve the day.
Cummins and Hazlewood seemed excellent yesterday with the brand new rock, and if they will run by way of the tail earlier than lunch then it’s sport on so far as the victory hunt is worried.
But if Harmer and Maharaj get by way of the worst of it, it’ll be give the vacationers the largest raise they’ve had all summer season.
WATCH: TRAVIS HEAD’S CRUCIAL BREAKTHROUGH
11.10AM: HEAD BOWLING GRENADES, CATCHES GOING DOWN
Travis Head alomst has a second – and he has Simon Harper in all kinds.
Harmer whips an unattainable likelihood to Marnus Labuschagne at bat-pad – hitting him on the fleshy a part of his proper hand, up onto the thigh and nearly giving him sufficient time to recuperate.
It would’ve been an all-time catch, however no cube.
The very subsequent ball, Head beats the bat and it seemed like there may’ve been the faintest of tickles on snicko, however Alex Carey can’t maintain onto it.
Head has became a significant gamechanger right here – and he nearly snaffles a return catch off Keshav Maharaj.
He will get a hand to a pointy drive, but it surely bursts by way of his fingers.
That’s three probabilities – all within the ‘fairly tough’ class of probabilities, at the very least – which have gone down prior to now two Travis Head overs.
10.57AM: WICKET! HEAD GETS THE BREAKTHROUGH!
Pat Cummins has the midas contact once more – after a flat morning, he turns to Travis Head and the part-timer delivers instantly.
In his first over, Head removes Marco Jansen with a skiddy supply that takes a faint contact and is properly caught by Alex Carey.
Jansen goes for 11, absorbing a formidable 78 balls. Could that breathe a little bit of life into the Australian assault? Six overs to go earlier than the brand new ball.
South Africa are 7-167. 13 wickets to go for Australia, at present.
10.30AM: THE CRUCIAL NUMBERS AUSTRALIA MUST ZERO IN ON
A quiet begin to the morning. Some determined shouts from the gang, each within the stands and the gang across the bat, from some narrorw misses off Nathan Lyon’s bowling.
Lyon began at present on the Randwick End, the place he’s more likely to function for a lot of the day you’d think about. Pat Cummins began on the Paddington/Members’ End, however has simply been changed by Josh Hazlewood.
Those two might be rotated repeatedly at present in a bid to maintain them contemporary, regardless of Hazlewood’s willingness to bowl himself into the bottom for the ultimate time this summer season.
There are two numbers Australia must have on its thoughts: the primary is 4, the variety of wickets they should finish South Africa’s first innings.
The second is 275 – if South Africa passes that, and Australia are required to bat once more, it will nearly actually kill off the sport.
But at 6-160, it’s gradual occurring all fronts proper now.
However South Africa are approaching their longest innings of the tour – 67 overs down. They made it to the 69th over twice on the MCG.
10AM: BRUTAL HISTORY FACING AUSTRALIA IN VICTORY HUNT
Play is underway on the SCG – an honest smattering of followers are in already this morning, benefiting from the gold-coin donation entry price.
It guarantees to be a memorable day if Australia can pull off an unlikely victory and take 14 wickets on Day 5.
But can they do it? There are indicators that time to each sure and no.
Recent historical past on the SCG would counsel… most likely not. Australia has been on this place earlier than, and been near victory coming into the ultimate day, solely to fall agonisingly brief.
Think England final yr. And India two years in the past.
However this South African staff just isn’t Engand – and positively not India 2021.
On steadiness, Australia have simply sufficient overs of their locker at present to get the job executed towards Proteas batting ineup that hasn’t come near batting out a day this summer season.
9.30AM: SUMMER’S BIGGEST BARGAIN
Don’t look now, however it’s formally SUNNY on the SCG. It appears to be like an absolute peach of a day, with 98 overs to be bowled and an enchanting day of cricket upcoming.
Australia wants 14 wickets to seal a well-known 3-0 collection win, and it’s not out of the query in any respect – with the world class trio of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon bowling fantastically late on Saturday.
And the very best bit for Sydney sports activities followers?
It’s a gold coin donation entry. So for $2 (or $1, I suppose) you possibly can watch a number of the biggest cricketers on the planet chase a victory that appeared unattainable after practically two days of play had been misplaced to run.
We’ll take you thru each little bit of the rollercoaster at present, the place South Africa resume on 6-149 with Simon Harmer on 6 and Marco Jansen on 10.
BIASED RULE THAT DENIED SMITH CLASSIC CATCH
– BY DAANYAL SAEED
Josh Hazlewood has referred to as for cricket to abolish the ‘soft signal’ which is inflicting mass confusion and controversy after two hairline third Test selections.
Hazlewood enticed South African captain Dean Elgar to edge to second slip early within the Proteas’ first innings, with Steve Smith diving low to his proper and cradling the ball with fingers touching the turf.
With the SCG crowd breaking into rapturous applause, Smith’s response mentioned he wasn’t satisfied in any respect.
The incident was a duplicate of Simon Harmer’s effort within the first innings off Marnus Labuschagne.
Hazlewood mentioned he thought-about each had been truthful catches, but each got not out, with Kettleborough backing the on-field ‘soft signal’ to disclaim Smith what would have been considered one of his biggest catches ever.
“I think you should probably take the soft call completely out of it,” mentioned the 31-year-old Hazlewood.
“Obviously the two umpires aren’t sure on the field and I guess they should just go straight to the third umpire when they’re uncertain – you make the call.
“They’re sort of biased by that decision on-field and can’t find a lot to overturn it.”
Despite Smith’s fingers clearly nestling beneath the ball and the 33-year-old rolling upwards and away from the turf, spectators on the Sydney Cricket Ground had been satisfied he had taken a clear catch.
Front-on digital camera angles appeared as if the ball had kissed the turf while in Smith’s grasp on the apex of the dive, utilizing the bottom to stabilise the ball in his hand.
Former New Zealand wicketkeeper Ian Smith mentioned on Fox Cricket he thought-about it a good catch, however former ICC Umpire of the Year Simon Taufel mentioned he thought the proper resolution had been made.
“When the fielder first touches the ball, they have to have complete control over the ball and their movement, and the ball can not touch the ground,” he defined.
“I’m very happy Richard (Kettleborough) has made that call.”
Taufel made a degree of noting the smooth sign course of, which doesn’t require a 3rd umpire to have conclusive proof to overturn, in distinction to being required to take action for an on-field resolution.
“We must remember this soft signal process has been tweaked a little bit. This decision was entirely in the hands of the third umpire.”
It would show to not value the Australians too dearly, with Elgar gloving a catch off Hazlewood moments later and departing for 15, having solely added 9 runs to his tally.
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Originally revealed as third Test Australia v South Africa: Follow all of the day 5 motion from the SCG
