Matt Renshaw provides Australia hope v SA | 06:44
Courtney Walsh in South Africa, Will Faulkner and Dane Heverin from Fox SportsOctober 11th, 2026 2:10 am
Matt Renshaw’s marathon century put Australia forward of the sport on a outstanding second day’s play in the first Test towards South Africa in Durban.
With only the tail for company Renshaw managed to navigate two prolonged periods earlier than lastly being dismissed on the second ball after tea – the final Australian wicket to fall as the tourists had been bowled out for 390.
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Australia batted for 72 overs to sap the life out of the Proteas’ bowling attack that can reside lengthy in the reminiscence, especially if Pat Cummins’ aspect can use their outstanding fight back as a springboard to a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series.
The bowlers will need to back up their heroics with the bat on Sunday when South Africa will start the day 1/27 after Josh Hazlewood struck in his opening over earlier than a run was on the board.
Scroll down for the biggest speaking points from Day Two in Durban!
WRAP: Records shattered as marathon ton, wild stand inspire Aussie ‘restoration for the ages’
Renshaw claws AUS back with gritty ton | 00:48
WHERE MARATHON TON STANDS AMONG FINEST AUSSIE AWAY KNOCKS
The legend of Matt Renshaw’s 190 in the first innings in Durban will grow if Australia can charge to victory to start the series in the coming days.
But the Queenslander’s 397-ball epic will go down as one of the best performances by an Australian batter on international shores in current reminiscence.
Renshaw faced essentially the most balls by an Australian since Usman Khawaja’s 180 off 422 balls in Ahmedabad in 2023.
It was the second highest rating by an Australian in South Africa this century – behind Adam Gilchrist’s 204 not out on the Wanderers in 2002 – but this masterpiece was like few others.
Renshaw scored 174 runs whereas batting with the tail – essentially the most by any Test batter since 2002.
His 190 is also the highest-ever rating by someone batting No.5 or lower in a Test at Kingsmead.
The coastal venue was the positioning of the late Phil Hughes’ twin tons towards the Proteas in 2009 and Renshaw’s knock will surely be viewed in an identical lens to such modern-day classics.
Among the many present Australian squad, only Steve Smith could argue that his twin tons in the first Test of the 2019 Ashes at Edgbaston had been higher away innings than Renshaw’s.
Travis Head’s century in the 2023 World Test Championship remaining doesn’t come into this discussion as it was on impartial territory towards India at The Oval.
While Cameron Inexperienced’s 174 not out towards New Zealand in Wellington might fall into an identical class to Renshaw as Inexperienced also scored plenty of his runs with Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood for company.
Renshaw’s private story only adds to the innings’ legacy.
His century was his second in Test cricket and his first in nine-and-a-half years.
The going was robust for the left-hander in between his large knocks on the SCG and Kingsmead.
Within the first innings in Durban, he made more runs than he had in his previous 16 knocks at Test degree combined.
Only tailenders Alan Connolly and Glenn McGrath had ever achieved that feat for Australia previously.
But even if he fell in-and-out of favour, and type, there was always a belief inside Australian cricket that Renshaw had the sport to be a tremendous international cricketer.
He definitely repaid these peoples’ religion.
‘DART THAT FOUND THE BULLSEYE’: REMARKABLE REINVENTION SET TO CAUSE AUSSIE SELECTION HEADACHE
A decade in the past, Matt Renshaw was nicknamed the ‘Turtle’ for his painfully conservative approach to batting.
Now, the 30-year-old is threatening to change into certainly one of Australia’s most beneficial weapons throughout all three codecs.
And in a outstanding twist, the man as soon as pigeonholed as a conventional Test opener might have discovered his calling in the center order.
When Renshaw burst onto the international scene as a 20-year-old in 2016, his patient approach and reluctance to rotate the strike shortly drew criticism, despite a method that appeared tailored for Test cricket.
But the Queenslander has spent much of the past decade reshaping his sport, most notably towards spin, to change into a much more versatile and attacking prospect.
Having flourished at No.5 throughout days one and two of the First Test in Durham, Renshaw has not only vindicated the selectors’ bold name, but probably opened the door to a prolonged second chapter in Australian colours — even if his move down the order has left a gap elsewhere.
“Let’s face it, towards Bangladesh (in August) he was opening, and now he’s down at number five. That seems to be his spot,” former fast bowler Brendon Julian said on Fox Cricket during the Day 2 lunch break.
Australian nice Mark Waugh added: “I believe we’ve received to present the selectors their dues here. We’ve been a bit harsh on them, but they’ve made an awesome name here.
“Not only to select him in the crew, but now batting down at five … his type and confidence levels are at an all-time high. He’s playing beautifully in all codecs.”
Renshaw’s extraordinary rearguard 190 in Australia’s first innings in Durban was as much a triumph of temperament as it was approach. Against a fiery pace attack spearheaded by Marco Jansen and Anrich Nortje, the left-hander was unbeaten on just 16 when Pat Cummins strode to the crease — Australia reeling at 6/124.
But despite barely getting an opportunity to bat with his aspect’s center order, not as soon as did his readability waiver as the Proteas fast-bowling duo and the hosts’ spin pairing did the whole lot they may to take away him from the crease.
“You concentrate on him as a player over that (final decade). He’s a different player and a more mature player,” former Australian captain Alysa Healy said.
“He went away and labored actually onerous at his sport towards spin, and he’s been rewarded this test match for that. Batting at five and when the spinners are starting.
“It’s an awesome story, and doubtless an awesome lesson for all of the younger guys on the market. It doesn’t should occur at 21 or 22, it’d take you some time to get going.”
Veteran analyst and former Australian spinner Kerry O’Keeffe added: “He appears to be like as if he’ll serve Australia well in all types. He may very well be a three-format star for the next 5 – 6 years. He’s 30, and he’ll go to 35 or 36.
“Australia have uncovered one. They knew they had him, they only wished him on the peak of his powers — and he’s for the time being.”
But for all of the plaudits surrounding Renshaw’s outstanding century, his resurgence has presented Australia’s selectors with an surprising headache.
Batting hero Renshaw cops hit to go | 00:35
Simply where does he bat from here?
Nic Maddinson’s stunning Test recall resulted in a 33-ball duck on day one, and one other failure in the second innings could force the selectors’ hand.
Had Renshaw produced a relatively unremarkable 40, the vacancy on the prime of the order would virtually definitely have been his to fill.
Now, nevertheless, the answer is nowhere close to as simple.
“I suppose the selectors will tick the field and say: ‘We talked in regards to the order, but we predict these guys can bat anywhere’ … you’ve received completely different gamers coming in at completely different spots, Julian said.
Healy added: “George Bailey did say that’s why they brought (Nic) Maddinson into the squad, for that versatility.
“We’ve just received a number of choices, and we’re just beginning to work that out. I believe this has been a real breakthrough innings for (that).”
While questions stay over the make-up of Australia’s batting order, Renshaw’s place in the aspect all of the sudden seems safer than ever.
Julian believes “he’ll bat anywhere”, and O’Keeffe says he “still see him as an opener … but (with) his flexibility, he could bat three.”
But as Waugh cheekily put it, the selectors have “received a dart that’s discovered the bullseye!”
UNSUNG HEROES TURN DISASTER INTO SELFLESS STUNNING FIGHTBACK
For all of the grit and willpower Pat Cummins has shown with the bat throughout his 75-Test career, substantial contributions have been few and much between of late.
In his eight Checks main into Durban, the Australian captain had passed 17 just twice, batting at No.8 in every innings.
So when he strode to the crease with Australia reeling at 6/124 on Friday, his aspect desperately wanted something particular — or, on the very least, someone keen to stay round with Matt Renshaw.
And stick round he did.
Not since Boxing Day all the best way back in 2020 towards India has Cummins faced more balls in a Test innings, permitting Renshaw to slowly but absolutely asset himself towards a tiring South African attack.
“They may’ve been bowled out for 170, they actually could’ve,” Waugh said at lunch on Day 2.
“I assumed (Temba) Bavuma received it unsuitable. He took (Anrich) Nortje off when Cummins got here into bat, which was the unsuitable move. But, credit score to Pat Cummins.”
The skipper’s invaluable 43 featured six boundaries, with Cummins cleverly exploiting the width offered by South Africa’s quicks, notably Nortje.
“They received a lot proper South Africa, but they gave him width outside off stump, and that is his zone. Ahead of point, and thru a vacant third man,” Kerry O’Keeffe said.
“He should’ve hit five boundaries by way of that space, so they only didn’t fairly get it proper with him. They tried to pepper him with bouncers, but when they tried to bowl him out, they gave him width.”
But Cummins wasn’t the one unlikely hero to emerge from Australia’s lower order.
After the captain’s eventual dismissal, No.10 Nathan Lyon produced an equally cussed display, grinding out a gutsy 27 from 92 deliveries to additional frustrate the Proteas.
His ninth-wicket partnership with Renshaw yielded a outstanding 134 runs, the second-highest stand for that wicket in Australia’s Test history, and the very best since Syd Gregory and Jack Blackham combined for 154 back in 1894.
Not since March 2023 had Lyon faced more deliveries in a Test innings, with the veteran spinner delivering when his country wanted him most.
And whereas Renshaw will deservedly dominate the headlines for his extraordinary century, the contributions of Cummins and Lyon had been every bit as essential in reworking Australia’s innings from a potential disaster into a formidable fightback.
Having fought their manner off the ropes to a place of strength, there was one other vital profit to Australia’s prolonged first innings in Durban.
It made the Proteas work especially onerous in the heat whereas shielding Australia’s fast bowlers from having to bowl by way of what was a torrid time for the aspect in the field.
As Renshaw faced his three hundredth supply in the innings, the temperature was 29C and the humidity was sitting close to 80 per cent, which was sapping for anyone not in the shade.
But the Proteas didn’t do themselves any favours both as they wilted in the sunshine.
Temba Bavuma’s file as skipper is phenomenal, with the Proteas having received 11 of their 12 Checks in his tenure in charge including the 2025 World Test Championship Last at Lord’s.
There may be some rust in his captaincy, for it was notable that during Renshaw’s partnerships with the tail, there was an absence of urgency to make shifts in the field late in overs.
Time and again the South African fielders failed to come in closer to the ring on the fourth, fifth and remaining deliveries of overs, which meant Renshaw was capable of shield his partners.
From having the foot on the throat of the Australians on Friday, they now face a big job to stay with the tourists in a shocking flip in fortunes.
The peril that comes with fixturing a series in Durban in early October struck for the second straight day when bad gentle stopped play with greater than 30 minutes left to play.
After greater than 90 minutes was lost on the opening day, match officials opted to extend the first and second periods by 15 minutes on Friday in a bid to make up for lost time.
The second session was prolonged one other 30 minutes after Nathan Lyon fell on the point of the cut-off, with South Africa opting to make use of the allotted further half-hour in what proved a fruitless bid to bowl Australia out.
But on a day where 98 overs was the target, the fading gentle curtailed play after 80 overs with play effectively known as to a halt at 4.25pm, ostensibly robbing followers of 18 overs.
Former South African opener Dean Elgar had feared that bad gentle could prove the Man of the Match at some stage during the series and it stays a risk it could happen here.
It was difficult to decipher much from Australia’s 9 overs in the field apart from what was already patently clear – that they’d prove a handful for the South African batters.
While first over specialist Mitchell Starc missed out this time, Josh Hazlewood was capable of snare Ryan Rickleton for a duck in the second over.
Each Starc and Hazlewood bowled 4 over spells and captain Pat Cummins was 4 balls into his first over when the light was offered to Aiden Markram and David Bedingham.
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