Record-breaking Renshaw puts Australia on top in Durban

DURBAN: Matt Renshaw struck a career-best 190 to guide ​Australia to 390 all out on day two of the first Test against South Africa at Kingsmead on ‌Saturday, as the home side reached 27 for one in reply before play was ended prematurely by bad light.

Aiden Markram (15 not out) and David Bedingham (12 not out) will resume on the third morning for South Africa, who were frustrated by the record-breaking innings of Renshaw.

The day belonged to Renshaw as he shared a record ninth-wicket stand of 134 ⁠for Australia against South Africa with Nathan Lyon (27), also the highest partnership for that wicket in Durban.

“There was a lot ​of thinking today while batting,” Renshaw said. “How many balls can I face? How do I get off strike when I need ​to? It was thinking what we can try and do, trying to find the right options, find a boundary if we could.

“Keeping them out in the field, getting their quicks coming back on. I saw (Marco) Jansen bowled 30-odd (overs), (Anrich) Nortje 30-odd, so they’ve got some overs into the frontline bowlers ​in the first innings of the first game.”

His score is the highest by a number five batter in Tests at Kingsmead, ​but he was out soon after tea when he edged spinner Simon Harmer to Markram at slip.

Australia were in trouble early in Renshaw’s ‌innings as ⁠they slipped to 124 for six on day one.

Early trouble

But Renshaw flipped the script after putting on 86 for the seventh wicket with skipper Pat Cummins (43).

Australia started the second day on 187 for six and frustrated the home side before Wiaan Mulder (4-68) had Cummins caught by Markram at second slip.

Mitchell Starc (6) followed quickly after being bowled by Mulder, and at it looked as though ​South Africa would run through ​the lower order.

Australia fight back in first test before bad light ends opening day’s play

Lyon was circumspect, ⁠however, and Renshaw rotated the strike superbly to make sure he had most of the strike and continued to accumulate runs rather than attack the bowling.

Lyon fell LBW to Marco Jansen (3-68).

Renshaw’s 190 ​has come off 397 balls, a classic Test innings of patience and waiting for the ​bad ball.

He ⁠was struck in the helmet by speedster Anrich Nortje, but he soon settled again and his second Test century came nine years after his first, 185 against Pakistan in 2017.

Renshaw had made single-figure scores in 11 of his previous 13 Test innings.

“He played beautifully ⁠throughout the ​innings, played what was in front of him and left well,” Mulder ​said. “The partnerships built around him and he played the situation as well as anyone could have at this level.

“It is a good cricket wicket and will ​get a bit up and down as the game goes on and spin more.”