Ryan Rickelton and Wiaan Mulder hit centuries to drag South Africa back into the third Test, leaving Australia 288 to chase for the series.
South Africa are right back in this series. Ryan Rickelton and Wiaan Mulder both hit hundreds on day four in Cape Town, and Australia now have to chase 288 on the final day to take the Test and the series.
The day began with Australia in control. Their four-man attack came in with a combined 1,674 Test wickets and was expected to finish the job. They added only four to that tally by stumps, and a lead of 40 swelled to 287. Calling it an Australian collapse would undersell the way the two South Africans took the game away from them.
Rickelton was the surprise hero. He is a franchise circuit regular who spends most of his year hitting sixes or keeping wicket in T20 cricket, and this series had not been kind to him. Josh Hazlewood dismissed him for none and two in Durban, where he was pinch-hitting as opener, and he managed 31 in Gqeberha. At the start of the day he looked like a white-ball specialist struggling in the longest format. He answered with a century, and Mulder matched it at the other end.
The situation feels familiar to South Africa. They were 40 for four in the first innings at Gqeberha and still won. They were effectively 40 for four again in this third innings, and now they have the same chance to turn it around. Australia have a big target on a final day with a series riding on it, and the hosts will fancy their chances.
