Australia tighten grip in Durban Test after restricting South Africa to 284, take 139-run lead after Day 3

Australian players have refreshments during a drinks break on the third day of the first cricket test match between South Africa and Australia, in Durban, South Africa, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. (AP Photo) Pat Cummins claimed three wickets as Australia built a 139-run lead over South Africa at stumps on Day 3 of the first Test in Durban on Sunday.Australia’s bowlers shared the wickets as South Africa were dismissed for 284 in their first innings. Cummins finished with figures of 3/54, while Mitchell Starc (2/63), Josh Hazlewood (2/54) and Nathan Lyon (2/58) took two wickets each.Australia posted 390 in their first innings, with Matt Renshaw scoring a career-best 190 to help the visitors recover from 124/6.Australia started their second innings and reached 33/0 in 5.4 overs before bad light forced another premature end to the day. Almost 13 overs were lost, with Nic Maddinson not out on 17 and Travis Head on 10 at the crease.David Bedingham top scored for South Africa with 49 off 73 balls. The hosts struggled to 197/8 before Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer added 52 runs for the ninth wicket to limit the damage. Maharaj made 34 while Harmer remained unbeaten on 35.South Africa are the reigning Test world champions having beaten Australia in the 2025 final. This is Australia’s first tour of the country since the 2018 ball-tampering scandal.Cummins leads Australia’s bowling effortSouth Africa resumed on Day 3 at 27/1 and reached 115/4 by lunch. Aiden Markram and Bedingham added 57 runs to their overnight partnership before Starc dismissed Markram for 37 in the 21st over, with the opener causing the ball to slip.South Africa scored 59 runs for the loss of one wicket in the first hour. In the next section, skipper Temba Bavuma dropped three in a turnover attempt against Lyon. Steve Smith took the catch.Cummins then dismissed Bedingham, who knocked the ball to slip, where Smith took another catch and dived to his left.After lunch, Cummins struck again to remove Wiaan Mulder in 30 balls off 50, including three fours and a six. Mulder added 56 runs with Tristan Stubbs before his dismissal.Stubbs followed soon after for 32, caught at square leg by Cummins. Lyon then had Kyle Verreynn caught at slip for 13 as South Africa slipped to 197/7.Marco Jansen hit six fours in a 20-ball 26 before he was caught off Hazlewood, leaving South Africa on 238/8 at tea.Maharaj and Harmer kept the innings going and a ninth-wicket partnership took South Africa past the follow-on boundary. Their number reached 52 before the Old Man dismissed the Maharaja.