Tea Australia 231 for 2 (Warner 135*, Smith 60*, Rabada 1-61) lead South Africa 189 by 42 runs
All those half-chances meant nothing as Warner reached 8000 Test runs when he ran four for the third time in the innings after driving Maharaj, brought on in the 32nd over, through the covers. So far, Warner has also run seven threes, eight twos and 46 singles in an impressive display of batting fitness as he battled his way back to form.
The afternoon heat meant South Africa had to use Maharaj at one end and rotate the quicks from the other. Smith liked the idea and hit the first six of the innings, over long-on, in Maharaj’s first over after lunch.
Nortje was the first seamer asked to have a burst. He kept his pace up at around the 151kph mark, and even reached 155kph with one delivery. But even at that speed, neither the bouncer nor the yorker could find its way through. Rabada was brought on next, and after his expensive morning spell, and Warner pulled his first ball to fine leg to bring up his century, off 144 balls, and celebrated with a fist pump and a leap. Rabada kept going for four overs, and thought he had Smith in his final one, but had overstepped on the delivery. Smith appeared to get glove on the attempted pull.
Ngidi took over and remained the bowler with the most control, before Jansen’s turn came. He offered width to allow Smith to cut him past point and bring up fifty off 108 balls.