Australia have made a nightmare start to day five against South Africa, with Matt Renshaw and Marnus Labuschagne falling to Kagiso Rabada in the opening over. Live updates below!

Chasing 288 for victory after Proteas pair Ryan Rickelton and Wiaan Mulder’s fourth-day centuries, the visitors’ run chase couldn’t have got off to a worse start.

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Off just the third ball of the innings, Renshaw strangled Rabada down the leg side to be gleefully pouched by a diving Rickelton, with former great Graeme Smith describing the dismissal as “the worst way to get out”.

MATCH CENTRE: Live scores from the second Test

With his Test future on the line, Labuschagne squirted a first ball full toss through point for four, but fatefully padded up to the last ball of the over – a vicious nip-backer from the South African star that pinned him on the back pad.

A desperate review would find the ball had just done enough to clip the off-stump, upholding Richard Kettleborough’s on-field call and removing Labuschagne for four.

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Following on from his first-innings duck, the dismissal will heap further pressure on the out of form No.3, with his chances of holding his spot for the summer’s Tests against New Zealand now appearing remote.

There was nearly a third wicket in the fourth over of the morning, with Cameron Green narrowly avoiding dragging Marco Jansen on.

Just one team – a Ricky Ponting-inspired Australian line-up in 2002 – has successfully chased more in the fourth innings at Newlands.

But Pat Cummins’ men have aced similar efforts before, with two-wicket and four-wicket wins at Edgbaston during the 2023 Ashes and Christchurch against New Zealand in 2024 respectively offering plenty of cause for hope.

A win would keep the Aussies clear atop the World Test Championship rankings, while defeat would see them slump to third, behind both the Proteas and New Zealand.

A draw keeps them in second spot ahead of a bumper window featuring four Tests against the Black Caps and a five-Test tour of India, to go with the 150th anniversary Test against England in March next year.

Commentator Adam Collins, meanwhile, has cheekily suggested the unlikeliest result of all.



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