Simon Harmer suggests Proteas require a 'spectacular' performance to maintain hopes in Newlands Test

The first day of the third Test between Proteas and Australia at Newlands proved to be tense and exciting, concluding with Australia dismissing Proteas for 329 runs, leaving the match in a highly uncertain state.

Despite Australian captain Pat Cummins unexpectedly deciding that the team would bat first on the relatively flat Newlands pitch, Proteas took full control during the first half of the day thanks to openers Aiden Markram and Marcus Ackermann.

However, Australia demonstrated its usual resilience, provoking a dramatic confrontation. Spinners Nathan Lyon and Cooper Connolly caused a collapse in the middle order, putting South Africa in a difficult position before Marco Jansen and Ryan Rickelton managed to recover their positions.

Ultimately, the decisive word was spoken by left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc, who delivered a destructive spell with the second new ball under fading Cape Town light, ending an exciting day of play.

Five Key Moments of Day One of the Third Test

Pat Cummins surprised many with his pitch selection, opting to start on the flat surface of Newlands, which offered little assistance for his highly valued attacking brand of cricket. The South African openers capitalized on this decision in the first session, reaching 140/0 by lunchtime, marking Proteas's first century in the opening pair in 41 Test matches.

Ackermann and Markram laid a solid foundation, with Ackermann playing fearlessly and freely, reaching a half-century in style and hitting four consecutive boundaries in one over, before falling short of a Test century due to a poor shot when Nathan Lyon removed him from the crease.

Middle Order Collapse Caused Chaos

After South Africa confidently reached 158/0, the team faced a dip in the middle of the match due to some careless batting. Lyon changed the momentum, dismissing Ackermann and bowling Temba Bavuma for zero. Markram and David Bellingham both scored half-centuries before falling to a short ball. Left-arm spinner Cooper Connolly secured his first Test wicket, reducing the hosts' score to 232/6 and giving Australia a chance to participate in the game.

Jansen and Rickelton Conducted a Crucial Rescue Operation

Facing an impending crisis at 232/6, Marco Jansen (52 runs off 66 balls) and Ryan Rickelton (42) launched a counter-attack. Playing aggressively and calmly, the pair formed a vital partnership of 95 runs, pushing South Africa past 300 and regaining control before the second new ball.

When it seemed South Africa was set to bat all day, Mitchell Starc delivered a masterclass, utilizing the second new ball under fading light. The left-arm pacer took four wickets in just 11 deliveries, including dismissing Jansen and tempting Rickelton forward, finishing the spell with figures of 6/72 and dismissing South Africa for 329 runs at the close of the day.

The history of confrontations between the Proteas and Australia at Newlands Stadium is rich with dramatic events, outstanding individual achievements, and several unforgettable turning points. IOL Sport presents an overview of five such bright moments worth revisiting before the decisive series match on Tuesday.

The first significant moment occurred in January 1970 when South Africa managed to defeat Australia for the first time at Newlands. Previously, Australia had won the first six matches between these two teams at this venue, but the subsequent breakthrough by South Africa changed this series. Eddie Barlow scored 127 runs in the first innings, allowing the hosts to secure their first victory over Australia on this ground.

The second instance, in March 2002, was marked by Ricky Ponting's brilliant finish in Shane Warne's 100th match. After losing the previous match at Wanderers, where the Proteas conceded a record 360 runs, the team managed to recover. Thanks to the efforts of Andrew Hall, Paul Adams, and Neil McKenzie, the Proteas showed fight throughout the summer of 2001/2002. However, this proved insufficient as Australia succeeded in chasing down 331 runs on a tense final day. Ponting completed his century without being dismissed, scoring 100 runs, and sealed the victory by hitting a six off Adams.

Shane Warne, playing in his 100th match, also played a key role by taking eight wickets, which helped Australia conclude the series.

The third memorable episode took place in March 2009 when the Proteas managed to score a huge number of runs. Despite the series already being lost, the hosts displayed fighting spirit, accumulating a massive 651 runs. Contributors included AB de Villiers with 163 runs, Ashley Prince with 150 runs, and Jacques Kallis with an incomplete 102 runs. Prince's innings was particularly significant as this aggressive batsman was moved to open batting alongside debutant Imran Khan. Prince publicly expressed dissatisfaction with this change, especially after an argument during a home match against some Proteas teammates. The victory was secured by left-arm spinner Paul Harris, who took six wickets in Australia's second innings, ensuring a dominant win. This innings remains one of the greatest displays of Proteas cricket at Newlands.

In November 2011, Philander inspired the team to an incredible comeback. Australian captain Michael Clarke delivered one of the best innings witnessed by the Newlands crowd, scoring a masterful 151 runs. The value of this achievement increased when South Africa was bowled out for only 96 runs, giving the visitors a comfortable first-innings lead of 188 runs. However, a crazy day then unfolded, forever etched into the legends of the historic ground. Proteas debutant Vernon Philander destroyed the visitors, taking 5 wickets for 15 runs, after which Australia was dismissed for just 47 runs. This initiated one of the most memorable comebacks by the Proteas, as the hosts easily chased down 236 runs.

The last noted moment occurred in March 2018 when South Africa achieved a convincing victory over Australia in the third match. Morne Morkel took 5 wickets for 23 runs in the final innings when the visitors collapsed, scoring only 107 runs while chasing 430. Nevertheless, the match gained notorious fame due to the ball-tampering scandal involving Cameron Bancroft, Steve Smith, and David Warner. It was a huge victory for the Proteas, forever linked to one of cricket's most famous sporting intrigues.

After two intense matches in which both teams suffered serious blows, South Africa and Australia head to Newlands for the final game of the heavy test cycle, which is tied at 1:1.

Australia delivered the first blow in Durban, followed by Themba Bavuma knocking Proteas off their feet with a powerful counter-attacking shot in Gqeberha.

Although the World Cup is not being played in Cape Town, the stakes remain high. A victory would allow South Africa to achieve a second consecutive home series win against their arch-rival and displace Australia from the world number one ranking.

For the Proteas team, which has repeatedly had to defend its status as Test Champions, this prospect is extremely attractive. Even after dethroning Australia in last year's Test World Cup final at Lord's, skeptics continued to label them 'paper champions.'

Nevertheless, fast bowler Ryan Rickelton is not planning to be distracted from the current task. He noted that after winning the World Cup, Bavuma spoke with the team, emphasizing that the goal is to leave a more long-term impression and confirm it by playing against the best teams in the world.

Rickelton added that Australia has long been the best and most powerful team in the world. He believes that even beating them on home soil is a huge achievement. However, speaking about the bigger picture, he mentioned the upcoming summer home tournament, which, if successful, could lead the team to the World Cup final in London in June.

He concluded that while both teams are in a very equal state, acknowledging that Australia holds a significant advantage in world cricket due to recent and past history. Currently, the team is simply fighting for the next day, hoping to have a good week.

The current 1:1 scoreline is reminiscent of the 2018 series, when the teams arrived in Cape Town after battles in Durban and Gqeberha. Rickelton, who did not participate in that confrontation, understands the importance of this familiar situation.

He stated that they are now in a similar 1:1 position before the final match of the series in Cape Town against a strong team, which adds confidence and significance. The team is set for a good performance, and success this week will give a significant boost to the team, coaching staff, and their methods. They are focused on achieving the current objective and maintaining stability in their approach to the games.

The third and final match is scheduled for Tuesday.