Renshaw leads Australia's recovery with career-best 190

On Day 2 of the first Test against South Africa in Durban, Australia fought back strongly, riding on a brilliant rearguard effort from Matt Renshaw. After falling to 124 for 6, Australia posted 390 after Renshaw's career-best Test score of 190. The left-hander added 266 runs with the lower order for the final four wickets to turn the innings around. Bad light again brought an early end to the day's play, with South Africa at 27 for 1 at Stumps, trailing by 363 runs.

Resuming at 187 for 6, Renshaw and Pat Cummins continued their resistance, rotating the strike and finding occasional boundaries, before Wiaan Mulder broke their 96-run stand. The Australian captain departed for 43, poking at a delivery that shaped away to edge to second slip. Mitchell Starc became Mulder's fourth wicket soon after South Africa took the second new ball. With Australia in danger of folding below 250, Renshaw took charge, farming the strike while Nathan Lyon offered stubborn support.

Renshaw was able to find boundaries through the leg side with his wrists, and he hit Anrich Nortje for consecutive fours to bring Australia's total to 250. Renshaw then brought up his second Test century, and first in more than nine years, with a well-timed flick through mid-wicket off Nortje. Australia added 90 runs in the morning session for the loss of two wickets, extending their partnership to 47 at lunch.

Renshaw and Lyon continued to frustrate South Africa as they extended their partnership past 100 in the second session, taking the visitors past 300. Renshaw brought up 150 with a reverse sweep off Keshav Maharaj and continued to find boundaries. Lyon, on the other hand, contributed 27 points on 92 attempts, including five fours. In South Africa, their 134-run partnership was Australia's longest ninth-wicket partnership.

South Africa struggled to find a wicket, even turning to Aiden Markram's part-time off-spin, without success. Marco Jansen eventually ended the stand in the 129th over, trapping Lyon lbw for 27 after the batter was caught in the crease by a full delivery. Lyon reviewed the decision, but ball-tracking confirmed the ball was hitting middle stump. Renshaw, on the other hand, continued his marathon innings by scoring a six and a four off Nortje, surpassing his previous highest Test score. At Tea, he hit 21 fours and a six to maintain his 190-run scoring streak as Australia added 113 runs in the session.

Renshaw could not add to his score as he fell 10 short of a double century, with Australia's innings ending on the second ball after Tea. Renshaw was drawn into chasing a flighted delivery outside off by Simon Harmer, and the batter edged it to Aiden Markram at first slip to end a 397-ball game with 21 fours and a six. Renshaw's stay was the third-longest in terms of balls faced by an Australian in a Test innings against South Africa, while Australia's total of 390 was the highest by a team against South Africa after losing six wickets for fewer than 125 runs.

Josh Hazlewood scored Australia's first run in the third over, when Ryan Rickelton missed a wide delivery to Beau Webster at third slip for a three-ball duck. When Starc thought he had Aiden Markram out lbw, Australia lost a review because replays showed an inside edge. Markram and David Bedingham steadied the innings with a few boundaries but deteriorating light brought the day's play to an abrupt halt.