South Africa vs Australia Live Cricket Score, 3rd Test, Day 4: Australia close in on series win

Catch live updates of Day four of the third Test between South Africa and Australia here.

Mitchell Johnson blew the South African top order with twin strikes © Getty Images

Mar 4, 2014

Catch live scorecard of South Africa (SA) vs Australia (Aus) here

(With the series levelled 1-1 the third Test of the contest is expected to be a humdinger. All the good work done by Mitchell Johnson in the first Test had been equalled by Dale Steyn in the second. Catch live cricket scores of the match in our live blog below)

Even the enticing full tosses are blocked to safety. There is only one thought running on the minds of the South African batsmen.

The batsmen are looking to block everything that comes their way. There is not much happening at the moment after all the adrenaline rush earlier in the day.

South Africa’s dependable duo has dropped anchor and are waiting for the bad deliveries, which is likely to be more in number given that Nathan Lyon and James Pattinson are in action

The legendary duo of Amla and du Plessis consolidate at the crease and South Africa need these batsmen to play out of their skins.

Play resumes after tea and de villiers smacks Johnson to the fence

South Africa are falling like nine pins and thats Tea. Brilliant bolwling by Mitchell Johnson to clean up Dean Elgar, who had no chance.

OUT!D Elgar

Graeme Smith makes the walk back to the pavilion for one final time. One of the all time greats. Mitchell Johnson gets the priced scalp to leave South Africa tottering at 12/2.

OUT!G Smith

First of all a guard of honour for Graeme Smith and Alviro Petersen, who was looking in good nick is trapped plumb in front to leave South Africa in trouble.

OUT!A Petersen 8(9)

Michael Clarke calls his troops off the field to set a herculean task of chasing 511 in four and a half sessions.

David Warner’s belligerent knock comes to an end. Will Michael Clarke declare?no he is not for the moment at least. But David Warner take a bow!

OUT!D Warner 145(156)

New batsman Steve Smith joins the party, piling on the misery while David Warner looks for the perfect chance to knock one out of the ground.

Michael Clarke can’t build on his first innings hundred and miscues a full toss straight to mid on. The Australian captain is out for a golden duck

OUT!M Clarke

South Africa apply the brakes yet again. There was no need for for Watson to reach out to that delivery and scoops a low full toss to JP Duminy’s hands

OUT!S Watson 25(17)

Shane Watson has looked in a destructive mood since coming on, slamming a couple of sixes, one even clearing the ground. Warner has gone back to slog mode after bringing up his century and the duo are simply toying with the spinners.

Warner has brought up his second hundred of the match and is looking good for more. He becomes the 15th Australian batsman to bring up this phenomenal feat.

Doolan hooks a short delivery from Morne Morkel straight to fine leg, Kyle Abbott

OUT!A Doolan 37(87)

Welcome back!Play has resumed for the second session of Day 4

Read the full lunch report here

It lunch on Day 4 and Australia are in the drivers seat. Warner is biuding his time at the crease and Doolan has settled in. Its going to be a humongous task for South Africa for the rest of the match

Doolan has settled in well and Warner has significantly slowed down. The spinners are being blunted by the Australian duo. The plan looks like batting it out till tea.

David Warner still looks impregnable, even his mishits find the gaps and has significantly slowed down after the earlier fireworks.

Australia’s run flow has dried down since Doolan has come to the crease. Did Clarke miss a trick by not promoting Watson? Either way, things are looking rosy for the visitors and have a substantial lead in the game.

A superb throw from Dale Steyn in the deep provided the breakthrough the hosts so craved. Rogers should have tried harder to ground the bat on time

OUT!C Rogers 38(66)

This is brutal stuff from David Warner. No batsman has treated Dale Steyn in this manner. A straight six back over the pacer spearhead head was an absolute treat to watch, Steyn follows it with some wayward stuff for Warner to take 17 of the over.

This is easy picking for Australia and David Warner brings up a quickfire half-century. Rogers is joining the act too and is growing in confidence.

Australia are in cruise control at the moments and everything that the South Africans try is leaking runs. In other matters, JP Duminy did not completer his hat-trick and Dale Steyn is into the attack

TRENDING NOW

Australia have made a blistering start on Day four, David Warner blazed away late on day three and now Rogers is joining the act. Its going to be a long day for the hosts.

Hello and welcome to the live updates of the fouthvday’s play of the third Test between South Africa and Australia at Cape Town. Australia were 27/0 at stumps, leading by 234. Australia hold all the aces in the third Test match in Cape Town against hosts South Africa, after some fantastic bowling from the Australian pacers coupled with poor batting by the proteas. Catch live scorecard of South Africa (SA) vs Australia (Aus) here