Tea South Africa 71 for 3 (Bavuma 28*, Zondo 5*, Hazlewood 1-11) trail Australia 475 for 4 dec (Khawaja 195*, Smith 104, Labuschagne 79, Head 70, Nortje 2-55) by 404 runs
South Africa would be eyeing the follow-on target as they looked to stave off a whitewash with 126 overs still remaining in the match.
Their top-order crumbled against a returning Hazlewood and Cummins, who conjured rearing bounce from the surface.
Having been preferred over Scott Boland, Hazlewood repaid the faith of the selectors on his return after suffering a side strain against West Indies in the opening Test of the home season. He troubled Elgar in particular with vicious short-pitched deliveries, and eventually hit his glove to be caught behind.
Elgar has only mustered 46 runs in five innings during a wretched series. He had survived a contentious low catch at slip after edging Hazlewood to Steven Smith, who flung out his right hand in a spectacular effort, but it was given not out on the soft signal.
Initial replays seemingly showed the ball going straight into a full-flung Smith’s right hand. But further replays cast doubt over whether some of the ball brushed the turf and it was enough for third umpire Richard Kettleborough to uphold the not-out decision.
It was consistent with Kettleborough’s decision-making – on day one, when Marnus Labuschagne edged to first slip where Simon Harmer claimed a low catch but replays proved inconclusive, Kettleborough had decided in favour of the batter too.
Kettleborough had another tough decision to make when Australia reviewed after Heinrich Klaasen was given not out on an lbw shout from Hazlewood. Replays could not determine whether the ball hit Klaasen’s pad or bat and he survived momentarily.
Cummins eventually picked up Klassen, whose only previous Test match was against India in 2019, with a nasty short delivery that was gloved to wicketkeeper Alex Carey.
After coming into the attack in the eighth over, Lyon menaced from the get-go, and bowled opener Sarel Erwee, who didn’t play a shot in a terrible misjudgement.
Ashton Agar came on before tea but failed to threaten in his first Test match since 2017, and his first in Australia.
Australia’s lively bowling lit up the third Test, which had frustratingly ground to a halt after four straight sessions were washed out.
Matthew Renshaw was on 5 in his first Test match since 2018, after having tested positive for Covid-19 before play on day one. He returned negative rapid antigen tests yesterday and this morning.
There was a pre-match ceremony dedicated to Glenn McGrath’s late wife, Jane, who died of breast cancer in 2008. It is traditionally held on day three but was moved because of the weather, and players from both teams were presented with pink caps.
Tristan Lavalette is a journalist based in Perth