The making of Matt Renshaw as a Test cricketer

• Australia leads by 319 runs at stumps on Day 4.
• Matt Renshaw made 82 in the second innings after 190 in the first.
• South Africa are 4/102 with Aiden Markram and Wiaan Mulder in.

Matt Renshaw has well and truly cemented his place in this Australian Test side for the next 12 months and beyond after dominating in Durban.

Another blistering innings from the 30-year-old Queenslander, scoring 82 runs before being caught and bowled by Keshav Maharaj whilst looking to accelerate the lead.

No one else from either side has scored 50 or over in this first Test.

Pat Cummins has been waiting for batters to come into this team and step up, and Renshaw has done just that. Later, he would impact the game with the ball – more on that to come.

“It’s the making of him as a Test cricketer. His next phase in whites has started here,” said Gerard Whateley on SEN Cricket.

“Australia were 6/124 and up the creek – he has singlehandedly won this Test match for Australia. When he looks back hopefully this Test match will be the turning point for the next phase of his career.” – Simon Katich

“It’s one of the finest Australian performances of the modern area.” – Adam Collins

Poised for victory

We finally got a full day’s play – and Australia is poised for victory on day five with the hosts requiring another 319 for victory. But they're already four down.

The clouds stayed away and Australia had three hours in the final session to bowl at South Africa. Ryan Rickelton (2) and David Bedingham (46) were both out inside 23 overs, before Aiden Markram and Temba Bavuma dug in.

Enter Matt Renshaw who struck with the BALL to dismiss Bavuma, before Cummins removed Tristan Stubbs late. Whateley called as Renshaw removed Bavuma: “First with bat, and now with ball – this is YOUR Test match, Matt Renshaw. Durban 2026 will stand as a testament to your ALL-ROUND greatness”.

“He’s bowling like a seasoned off-spinner,” said Katich.

Australia will want early breakthroughs on day five as they look set to take a 1-0 series lead.

Smudge concern - could there be another batting change for the second Test?

Steve Smith was undergoing concussion testing late on day four after a knock from Anrich Nortje’s bowling earlier in the day saw him receive treatment on the field.

If Smith is ruled out of the Second Test, there’ll be more change to come within the Australian batting line-up.

Maddinson maintains, Marnus mirrors

Nic Maddinson should hold his spot for the second Test as Marnus Labuschagne mirrored his first innings start, making 37 yet again.

Given licence to play with freedom, Maddinson reached his highest ever Test score before being bowled by a Nortje beauty for 48. For all the criticism of his selection and his first innings, there was enough there from his second dig to persevere in Gqeberha.

For Marnus, it was 37 from 58 balls in the first innings, 37 from 58 balls in the second innings – lightning indeed did strike twice. He once again looked promising before playing a poor shot just as he was getting going. It looks oh-so-close for the Australian number three, but until he breaks the cycle, questions will continue to be asked.

Captain Cummins made 32 not out from 12 balls as Australia pushed the lead beyond 400. He clubbed four sixes to finish with a strike rate of 266.6 - the highest for an Australian Test innings of 30 or more.

Join Gerard Whateley, Simon Katich, Adam Collins, Vernon Philander from 6pm AEDT and the team for every ball of Day 5 between South Africa and Australia, live from Durban on SEN and the SEN app. SEN – your home of cricket.