thrilling finish on the cards in Cape Town, Mitchell Starc career low average, Josh Inglis century, Nathan Lyon Temba Bavuma wicket, video

The deciding third Test between Australia and South Africa in Cape Town is set for a “photo finish” after a dramatic twist late on day three.

The hosts lead by 40 runs, having lost four wickets in their second innings, as a nail-biting run chase awaits Australia’s batters.

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The visitors will be hoping their target will be as little as possible and one of Australia’s star quicks, in particular, is doing everything in his powers to make that so by reaching a staggering record low with his two early second innings wickets.

While the first half of the day was about Australia’s new-look batting line-up and a gun, who has largely been confined to appearing off Broadway, stepped into the spotlight with a statement century.

It proved that Australia’s way forward may be based around a blend of modern ways and long-standing principles of Test batting.

A rising star also turned heads with a contribution that offered glimpses of why he is so highly fancied by the nation’s selectors.

Scroll down for the biggest talking points from day three in Cape Town!

WRAP: Skipper’s stunning brain fade puts Aussies on top in dramatic late twist after star’s ton

LATE LYON SCALP SETS UP ‘PHOTO FINISH’

A resilient Nathan Lyon has tilted the balance of a tantalising decider to Australia’s advantage by dealing a critical blow to the Proteas shortly before stumps on Day 3.

Temba Bavuma, whose magnificent century in Gqeberha brought the heavyweight battle alive last week, had scraped his way to 35 as the Australian’s threw everything at him.

With eight balls left in the day, the Test seemed evenly balanced after the Proteas had tilted the balance back towards them with a decent first session against the Aussie tail.

But Lyon was rewarded for toiling away and testing the South Africans with every delivery and drew an error from Bavuma who, having played judiciously, lost his way a ball after Australian captain Pat Cummins inserted Travis Head at silly mid-off.

Former Australian opener Simon Katich described it as a “massive” blow to the Proteas hopes, while ex-South African quick Vernon Philander said it was “momental” moment.

But should any of the remaining South Africans manage to produce a big innings, the Australians will still face a nervous run chase to clinch a series win.

“It was a wonderful day of Test cricket. It became a real arm wrestle,” Katich said.

“It has been described as one of the great Tests of this century and one of the great series, so there is still so much to play out, particularly tomorrow and hopefully into Saturday.”

The series of swinging momentum tilted earlier on Thursday as the Proteas fought back into the match by restricting Australia’s first innings advantage to 100 runs.

While the tourists still have the upper-hand, South Africa is fighting tooth and nail and has wildcards including Marco Jansen to come, which means the Test is alive.

South Africa reached stumps holding a 40-run advantage with six wickets in hand on a pitch showing signs of increasing spin, though it still appears decent enough to score on.

After Australia’s 214-run win in Durban and South Africa’s innings triumph in Gqeberha, with both victories secured from initial positions of peril, the decider has tightened up.

That, according to former Australian Test opener Simon Katich, is great for the game.

“This series deserves a photo finish,” Katich said.

Protea Vernon Philander, who routed Australia for 47 in the final innings of a stunner at Newlands back in 2011, believes South Africa need at least 200 runs to set a target.

But he also has no doubt that what has been a good batting wicket will worsen the longer the Test goes and while Australia batted well in the first innings, the top-order is reshuffled and has been anything but consistent despite its strong success rate.

“I think 200 will be the magic number for South Africa. Anything about that will be a bonus. And it is going to be a tough ask,” Philander said on SEN.

“As much as it will be a number, South Africa will feel like they have to bat two sessions tomorrow. But we could not have asked for anything more than what we have ahead of us.

“South Africa will keep all those possibilities in the back of their mind. It has been a hard fought series, so there will be a lot of tired bodies. It will be a massive demand for bowlers to get themselves up again.”

CHAMPION QUICK’S STAGGERING CAREER LOW

If Australia is to win this series, immense credit will go to Mitchell Starc, who proved so decisive at the end of the first innings and then decisive at critical times on Thursday.

Starc, who clinched the last six wickets of the Proteas first innings including the stunning finale where he snared four in six balls, was used more sparingly on Thursday.

He did not look entirely comfortable early on, with former South African fast bowler Vernon Philander pondering whether the Australian “was at full fitness”.

But when he did bowl, he was brilliant again and managed to dislodge South Africa’s openers Aiden Markram and Marques Ackerman at critical junctures on a tough Test day.

In doing so, the champion bowler saw his Test average drop below 26 for the first time in his career, which is a staggering achievement given his age and maturity.

His dedication to continue honing his craft in his mid-30s has been a factor in this, with the left-arm quick snaring 80 wickets at an average below 18 since turning 35.

It seems incredible given his class, but Australian captain Pat Cummins will be craving a wicket more than at any other stage in his career after his surprising drought continued.

But this is more due to a run of bad luck than a suggestion he is bowling poorly, as evidenced during a fiery spell against his South African counterpart Temba Bavuma.

A week after Bavuma spanked Cummins for four to bring up a century at St George’s Park that turned the second Test the way of the Proteas, the pair went toe to toe again.

Bavuma survived, but only by the skin of his teeth, and it can scarcely be said he had the upper-hand, for the Aussie quick had him hopping and skipping in a great battle.

In the infancy of his fighting innings, Bavuma also survived the closest of LBW calls.

The Proteas skipper was on 21 when a thick edge fell just shy of Matthew Renshaw at first slip, and six runs later survived a rearing delivery that caught his gloves and just cleared Travis Head fielding in close on the leg side for exactly that moment.

But the wicket did not come, with Cummins having now gone 53 overs and 198 runs in the Tests in Gqeberha and at Newlands after starting the series strongly in Durban.

NEW AND OLD WORLDS COLLIDE IN STAR’S MASTERCLASS

After losing 19 wickets on days four and five to lose a Test a match for the first time, Australia was crying out for a old-fashioned, dogged red ball batters.

But Australia’s new-look top order, with a host of a multi-format stars, showed that the new age might be the way forward.

That does not mean all-out attack that dominates modern white-ball cricket, but a top order who can balance defence with attack.

Matt Renshaw’s Test revival was partly sparked by his emergence in international white-ball cricket, while the likes of Travis Head and Cameron Green have regularly juggled formats.

This time around it was Josh Inglis.

The busy right-hander had not played a first class game since a Sheffield Shield outing for Western Australia at the Gabba in March.

But the lay-off from the red ball proved no obstacle to Australia’s white-ball gloveman as he became the first Australian to score multiple international centuries in all three formats.

There is an old adage that runs are runs, and Inglis certainly did not come onto this tour short of them.

Breaking his finger keeping to Mitchell Starc in the first ODI in Durban was a set back, but Steve Smith’s troublesome neck re-opened the door to the baggy green that had temporarily closed.

No.5 is where everyone wants to bat in the Australian team.

In the last two years, Australians have averaged 53.75 when walking to the crease after the fall of the third wicket.

In that time, Head pommeled tons against India in Adelaide and Brisbane, Inglis and Alex Carey made centuries in Sri Lanka, while Green and Renshaw raised the bat against Bangladesh and South Africa respectively.

Simply slotting in to No.5 does not do the trick on its own though, Inglis was ready for this opportunity.

He has been in every Australian Test squad for the last two years but this is only his sixth Test.

Inglis had largely done his work off Broadway with all six of his international centuries coming away from home – in six different countries too.

Last year, he smashed a match-winning century against England in the Champions Trophy in Pakistan and set a then national record with a 43-ball T20 ton against Scotland.

In 2026, Inglis made crucial half-centuries as captain on tough ODI tours of Pakistan and Bangladesh.

He then appeared set to launch in South Africa with another match-winning ODI century in Zimbabwe.

There is no denying Inglis’ ability as a dasher.

He pounces on any width and length against the quicks, but also punches full balls strongly down the ground.

Inglis is also a fantastic player of spin.

He uses his feet nicely and also sweeps beautifully – as shown by his reverse sweep off Simon Harmer to bring up his century.

But Inglis can also defence.

He took his time on day two.

At drinks in the final session, he was on 24 with Carey on 37.

They ended the day 85 not out and 51 not out respectively as the runs flowed for Inglis once he was settled.

It was old-school batting, built in a modern landscape.

Inglis’ temperament led former Australian leg spinner Kerry O’Keeffe to suggest that the England-born dynamite is technically compact enough that he “could be a potential three”.

With Smith set to return against New Zealand in Perth on December 9, the only question is whether Inglis will keep the much-wanted No.5 spot in front of his home crowd.

“Inglis auditioned for three, I know he batted five, but he has the compactness of a number three, and given there’s no heir apparent to Marnus, really, I’ve got Inglis there,” O’Keeffe said.

RISING STAR IMPRESSES

When Cooper Connolly came to the crease in Cape Town, Australia were cruising but the challenge confronting him soon became far tougher.

It was not as tough as his debut in Galle when, on a spinning deck, the young West Aussie looked all at sea when making just four runs in a largely forgettable debut.

With Simon Harmer effective yet again, this was a challenge for Connolly given the questions surrounding his ability to play against spin in question.

After coming to the crease at 5-370, the left-hander was clearly nervous early and struggled initially to get his feet moving.

But with wickets falling more quickly than Australia would have liked – a collapse of 6-59 restricted their lead to 100 runs at the change of innings – Connolly found his groove.

An innings of 29 from 83 balls will not create any headlines, but this was a hand that demonstrated patience, an ability to assess the match scenario and adapt, and grit.

Connolly left far more runs out there in order to shield the tail and he was able to farm the strike well, with he and Nathan Lyon extended the South African bowlers for a period.

Former Australian opener Simon Katich said on the Kayo Sports broadcast of the series that he was impressed with how the youngster commanded the innings with the elder bowlers.

“I thought Cooper Connolly handled himself nicely today, batting with the tail,” Katich said.

While Steve Smith will return when fit, and Josh Inglis has guaranteed himself a start against New Zealand with a superb century, Connolly demonstrated his potential.

After taking a wicket in the first innings, he was also introduced into the attack relatively early late on Day 3 as the Australians tried to ask the question of Temba Bavuma, who struggled against spin earlier in his innings in Durban and on Day 1.

There is another factor at play, with Connolly’s youthful enthusiasm around the team and speed in the field something that added a spring into the step of the Aussie team.

“It’s good to have some youth in there, having someone in the squad with some energy that brings a different feel to the squad on and off the field as well,” Head told foxsports.com.au

The only downside was missing out on a run out opportunity for dynamic Proteas opener Marques Ackerman, who batted extremely well when making a second half-century for the game, just before tea.

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT AS KEY SKILL CHANGES GAME

On the extraordinary morning preceding the series-deciding Test in Cape Town, Nathan Lyon was running through every skill set in preparation for a return to the Australian team.

It was an extended warm-up featuring sprints, knee-high strides, some deliveries of off-spin, some in close fielding and, for at least a few minutes, practising high catches in the deep.

Watching the veteran as he positioned himself under the high, arcing ball belted in his direction from about 60 metres away, the New South Welshman never looked like missing.

His feet were nimble and his eyes never left the ball as he worked in both directions. If practice makes perfect, Lyon was ticking every box in a bid to make sure he succeeded.

When it mattered on Thursday, with compulsive hooker David Bedingham unable to restrain himself when tempted by a short ball from Josh Hazlewood, the 38-year-old was ready.

It was not an easy catch, for Lyon was staring into the sun with the mighty Table Mountain as the backdrop which, as Travis Head will attest, can make picking the ball up tricky.

But after making about 20 metres, he was able to snare the catch low to the ground, his hands as safe as they had been a couple of days earlier when warming up.

It continues a trend for Australia in this series, the dolly from Aiden Markram dropped by Head on the opening day aside, for by and large they have fielded extremely well.

Steve Smith was exceptional in the opening Test triumph in Durban with his slips catching, with his sharp reflexes seeing him surpass Joe Root’s record for catches taken by non-keepers. Matt Renshaw, too, has snared a couple of rip-snorters in this series.

But the Aussies’ catching in the deep in this match has been magnificent as well, with Lyon taking a leaf out of Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc’s brilliant catches in the first innings.

And as for the decision by Bedingham, who was snared by Hazlewood in the outer in the first innings, to take the chance to hook so early in his second innings?

“That is not how you want to go out. Leave the short ball especially,” former Protea Vernon Philander said on SEN.