Renshaw's 190 puts Australia in control of first Test in Durban
Matt Renshaw scored a career-best 190 to put Australia in control of the first Test against South Africa in Durban on day two of the five-day match. His unbeaten knock at stumps helped drag Australia from a precarious position and left the visitors well placed as the Proteas began their response.
Renshaw's century was his first in Tests for nine years and 280 days and came off 397 deliveries, the highest score of his career. The 30-year-old, who was born in Middlesbrough and was a childhood friend of England captain Joe Root, has had an intermittent international career; he made 184 in his fourth Test against Pakistan in January 2017 after debuting at 20 and averaged 19.41 across 10 Tests before being recalled earlier this year.
Australia were bowled out for 390, Renshaw 190 and captain Pat Cummins 43, with Marco Jansen's teammate Mulder taking 4-68. South Africa reached 27-1 in reply, Aiden Markram not out on 15, while Josh Hazlewood had taken 1-9.
Renshaw ground out his innings after a day one in which he struck just three boundaries and attacked only 14.2% of deliveries while compiling his first 50, the lowest attacking rate among Australia’s top order. He spent long periods leaving or defending deliveries and scored mainly square or behind the wicket as he rebuilt the innings.
Former Australia batter Simon Katich praised the knock on SEN Radio, saying: "I like him as a player," and adding, "When he first came in, I liked him as a player, even though others thought he was too defensive. "I think that is what this team has needed and been crying out for."
Renshaw extended an 86-run stand with Cummins in the morning session and then controlled a 134-run partnership with number 10 Nathan Lyon, protecting Lyon from the pace of Anrich Nortje and increasingly finding boundaries as the stand progressed. He added a further 21 with number 11 Josh Hazlewood before being dismissed in the first over after tea.
South Africa's reply was briefly interrupted by bad light after Ryan Rickelton had been dismissed for a three-ball duck in the 8.4 overs before play was halted. The pitch flattened out on day two but is expected to take turn later in the Test.
This series repeats last year's World Test Championship final, which South Africa won, and is the third match in a possible 21 Tests for Australia before the end of the Ashes next summer. Renshaw, recalled in August in place of Jake Weatherald as an opener and moved down to number five for this Test when Cameron Green was ruled out, appears to have secured his immediate future, but his innings does not resolve all questions over Australia's top-order composition ahead of Green's anticipated return and after Nic Maddinson made a 33-ball duck on day one.
Australia remain well placed to press for a win in this first Test on a pitch that turned flatter on day two but is expected to offer more turn later in the match.
