SA vs AUS 1st Test, Durban: Australia close in on win as Markram leads South Africa's last-day resistance

Key takeaways

• Australia set South Africa a record target of 421 in the first Test at Kingsmead, Durban.
• South Africa reached 166 for 6 at lunch on day five (AP and ESPNcricinfo). ESPNcricinfo's live scoreboard later showed 201 for 8, still 220 short.
• Aiden Markram made his 14th Test fifty and was 69 not out off 200 balls at lunch.
• Matt Renshaw, who scored 190 and 82 with the bat, has taken his first Test wickets with part-time off-spin.
• Josh Hazlewood had three wickets in the innings. A result was still pending at the time of writing.

The score

How day five went

South Africa started the day on 102 for 4. According to ESPNcricinfo, Markram and Wiaan Mulder added 69 for the fifth wicket with solid defence and slowed Australia down for most of the morning.

The stand ended when Mulder, after a 110-ball vigil, was caught down the leg side off Hazlewood. Soon after, Kyle Verreynne edged Renshaw to Steven Smith at slip. ESPNcricinfo said Smith was fielding after passing concussion tests.

AP reported that Australia needed six wickets at the start of the day and took two in the morning session.

Renshaw's big match

ESPNcricinfo described Renshaw's Test as remarkable. Before this match he had bowled only 30 Test deliveries without a wicket. Here he scored 190 and 82, removed South Africa captain Temba Bavuma late on day four, and had figures of 2 for 27 from 12 overs by lunch on day five.

Why the chase was always uphill

• No team has chased 421 or more to win a Test. ESPNcricinfo noted the target was a world record.
• South Africa's realistic aim was a draw. There has not been a drawn Test in South Africa since August 2016, when rain hit a Durban Test against New Zealand.
• Bad light ended each of the first three days early, so the weather could still play a part.

What happens next

• Australia need two more wickets to go 1-0 up in the series. South Africa must survive the rest of the final day to draw.
• TalkEmber will update this post with the final result.