Jansen skittles Australia for 99 and forces follow-on in Gqeberha
Australia were bowled out for 99, then forced to follow on. At the end of day four, Head is holding out on 87 and the tourists still trail by 170 runs.
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South Africa put Australia under heavy pressure in Gqeberha on Wednesday 21 October, on day four of the second Test. Marco Jansen took five wickets for 33 runs conceded and the tourists were bowled out for 99. Forced to follow on immediately, they finished the day on 156 for four, still 170 runs behind.
After Temba Bavuma's recovery the day before, the South African bowlers turned a first-innings lead into a chance of victory. The match remains open, however: Travis Head is still at the crease, unbeaten on 87, and Australia still have six wickets in hand to prolong their resistance on Thursday.
Jansen breaks Australia's first innings
Australia had resumed on three for one. Jansen quickly removed Scott Boland, then Head for fourteen. At 22 for three, the tourists were already far from South Africa's total of 425 for nine, at which Bavuma had declared the innings closed.
The left-armer then dismissed Matt Renshaw and Alex Carey in the same spell before lunch. After the break, Beau Webster's dismissal gave him his fifth wicket. Wiaan Mulder and Kagiso Rabada took two wickets each in this first innings, which ended on 99.
Why Australia had to bat again
The deficit was then 326 runs. Bavuma chose to enforce the follow-on: rather than begin their second innings, South Africa asked Australia to go straight back out to bat. The tourists therefore had to wipe out that deficit before they could even make the Proteas bat again.
Rabada struck early again, removing Nic Maddinson for eight. But Head and Marnus Labuschagne dug in together, adding 92 for the second wicket. The partnership slowed South Africa's advance without erasing the deficit.
Head keeps up the resistance for Thursday
Labuschagne eventually fell for 39, bowled by Simon Harmer and caught by Jansen. Rabada then removed Renshaw, before Harmer got rid of Webster. Those two extra wickets left the tourists four down at the close.
Head will resume on Thursday alongside Boland, unbeaten on two. The 170 runs still needed are not a target for victory: they represent the deficit to South Africa's total. For the Proteas, the task on the final day will be to bowl out Australia a second time to turn this favourable position into a win. For Head and his partners, the first job will be to buy time and protect the remaining wickets.