Australia’s hopes raised of series sweep over South Africa

Sydney: Australia had a glimpse of what appeared an unlikely victory and a series clean sweep as it took six of the 20 South African wickets it needs after captain Pat Cummins declared the host’s first innings at 475-4 on the fourth day of the rain-affected third Test.

Cummins took three wickets in a fearsome display of pace bowling under grey skies at the Sydney Crcket Ground, while Josh Hazlewood picked up two and Nathan Lyon claimed another, amongst a clutch of several near misses, as the Proteas finished Saturday at 149-6, trailing Australia by

327 runs.

To win, Australia needs to capture the four remaining South African first-innings wickets and then enforce the follow-on in a bid to bowl the Proteas out a second time all within three sessions on Sunday’s final day.

“Yeah, I think so,” said Hazlewood on Australia’s prospects of engineering an unlikely final-day victory.

“From what we saw today we bowled 50-odd overs and took six wickets.

“And the wicket, I think, after a bit of foot traffic at both ends looked quite nice with Gazza (Lyon) bowling into that rough so I think Ashton (Agar) and Gazza big day tomorrow for them.”

A win for Australia in this third test would confirm its place in the world test championship final to be played at Lord’s in England in June.

After no play on Friday, further rain on Saturday morning meant play could not resume before lunch, effectively forcing Cummins’ hand into

declaring.

That was despite leaving Usman Khawaja stranded on 195 not out to give his bowling attack any hope of bowling South Africa out twice to win the match in only five remaining sessions of play.

“He was fine, all the batters would be fine with a call like that,” said Hazlewood of Khawaja’s reaction to not having the chance to complete his first double century.

“We’re obviously running out of overs as it is and it was sort of being talked about already, so he’s fine with it.”

Australia thought it had made the breakthrough in Hazlewood’s third over when Steve Smith took a spectacular, low one-handed catch at slip from Dean Elgar.

Like the catch claimed by South Africa’s Simon Harmer off Marnus Labuschagne on the first day, the television umpire found that there was inconclusive evidence that a clean catch had been taken and gave Elgar a reprieve.

Hazlewood back in the team after recovering from a side strain that kept him out for the first two tests of the series didn’t have to wait much longer to get his man and had Elgar edging to wicketkeeper Alex Carey when on 13 four overs later.

It continues a lean series for South Africa’s skipper who has averaged 8.8 runs for the series after scores of 3, 2, 26 and 0 in his four previous innings this series.