South Africa seize control as captain Bavuma provides the heroics

GQEBERHA, South Africa, Oct 20 : South Africa captain Temba Bavuma led a record-breaking run feast for his side, scoring 179 as the home side turned around their fortunes against Australia before declaring on 425 for nine wickets on the third day of the second test on Tuesday.

Australia lost a wicket in the first over of their reply and were 3-1 at stumps at St George's Park with Travis Head unbeaten on one and nightwatchman Scott Boland on two.

Bavuma produced an impressive knock, full of gritty determination but also some flourishing stroke play, as South Africa moved from a precarious 110-6 in the first session to finish the day with the upper hand.

It was the diminutive skipper’s highest test score and he also featured in two record partnerships, first with Marco Jansen and then Simon Harmer.

With Jansen, he compiled 132 runs to break the previous South Africa record of 89 runs for the seventh wicket in a test at St George’s Park, set against England in 1896, and with Harmer the highest eight-wicket partnership of 183 for South Africa in any test.

Jansen scored 85, Harmer hit his test best of 82 while Boland (5-81) registered the third five-wicket haul of his career and first outside Australia.

Bavuma’s century came up in 226 balls in a patient display while Jansen went about punishing the bowling to see the home side, who lost last week’s first test in Durban by 214 runs, lift themselves out of a potential quagmire.

South Africa resumed on 97-5 after only 43 overs were bowled on the opening two rain-affected days, but sunny conditions and a flat pitch on Tuesday allowed the batsmen to get stuck in and look to make up for lost time.

STILL IN TROUBLE IN MORNING SESSION

But they still looked in trouble when Wiaan Mulder was