Cricket-Australia set South Africa daunting 421 to win first test

Australia’s Matt Renshaw continued ​his red-hot batting form in before his side ​declared on 314-6 at tea on ‌the fourth ​day of the first test on Monday, setting hosts South Africa a victory target of 421. Australia had a 106-run lead after Renshaw scored 190 in ‌the first innings, and the 30-year-old Queenslander continued to dominate the home bowlers at Kingsmead, scoring before a controversial caught and bowled from Keshav Maharaj ended his contribution.

It was the top score for Australia, who looked to accelerate their ‌run accumulation in a bid to give themselves time to put South Africa into bat and chase ‌down the 10 wickets required for victory with one day left Renshaw, who had not made a significant score in his previous 15 test innings, looked disgusted with the manner of his dismissal as Maharaj juggled a caught and bowl which looked to drop to ⁠the ground ​before he claimed a catch. ⁠It was given out after a television review.

Australia resumed on 33-0 and scored 141 runs in a fast-moving first session for the ⁠loss of four wickets and a further 140 in the afternoon. Opener Nic Maddinson, who made a duck in the first innings ​on his return after a decade out of test cricket, played some expansive shots before Anrich ⁠Nortje clean bowled him for 48, and there were useful contributions from Beau Webster, 39 not out, and captain Pat Cummins, who bludgeoned ⁠four ​sixes in his whirlwind 12-ball 32.

Travis Head’s 11 runs at the top of the Australia innings and 37 again from Marnus Labuschagne did not help their individual causes, although Labuschagne’s 53-run partnership with Steve Smith (27) ⁠for the third wicket did accelerate the run rate and put Australia into an advantageous position. South Africa will need ⁠a gutsy batting display ⁠to stave off defeat and keep up Temba Bavuma’s unbeaten 12-test record as captain.

Bad light curtailed play on each of the opening three days and is expected to ‌again bring a ‌premature close on Monday. (Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape ​Town; Editing by Ed Osmond)