Innings Australia 390 (Renshaw 190, Cummins 43, Mulder 4-68, Jansen 3-68) vs South Africa
Matt Renshaw hit a remarkable 190 as Australia built a strong first innings total against a flagging South Africa in the opening Test in Durban.
Australia had their backs to the wall at 124 for 6 in familiar batting woes before Renshaw rescued the innings with his 397-ball effort. Renshaw fell short of a maiden double ton after being dismissed two balls into the final session, caught at slip off the bowling of spinner Simon Harmer. His only other Test century was against Pakistan at the SCG in January 2017 when he made 184.
It's been a tough journey since but Renshaw might have resurrected his Test career after providing a major tonic for Australia's reshuffled batting order.
He reached his century just before the lunch break with a boundary through the leg-side as he raised his arms in delight and took off his helmet, showing off a beaming smile.
Renshaw received strong support from the lower order, marked by an 86-run seventh-wicket partnership with Pat Cummins and a 134-run stand with Nathan Lyon, which set a ninth-wicket record for Australia against South Africa.
Cummins and Lyon faced a combined 190 deliveries - 27 more than Australia's top four batters. Australia boast an unlikely first innings total although batting has become easier on a surface that on day one produced steep bounce and seam movement.
Highly disciplined but also showing a knack of going through the gears, Renshaw became the first Australia batter to face 300 balls in a Test innings since Usman Khawaja scored 232 against Sri Lanka in Galle in early 2025.
Renshaw has relished moving down to No.5 after Nic Maddinson's surprise selection as an opener along with Cameron Green missing the match through injury. He had only filled the position four times previously during the 2023 tour of India with modest results although has enjoyed success with Queensland.
Renshaw had returned to Test cricket after three-and-a-half years as an opener against Bangladesh in August. While Maddinson's selection has initially backfired, Renshaw looked at ease in the middle-order and equally untroubled against the seamers and spinners.
Having dominated much of the shortened first day, South Africa was left frustrated with their attack blunted by Renshaw. Seamers Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen and Anrich Nortje took nine wickets between them but struggled to consistently threaten on day two.
Spin duo Harmer and Keshav Maharaj claimed just one wicket from 48.2 overs, with Renshaw negating their influence although the surface is expected to spin significantly later in the match.
It was a disappointment for the sparse crowd in Durban, with the atmosphere rather subdued for Australia's first Test series in South Africa since the 2018 sandpaper scandal.
Australia resumed their first innings on 187 for 6 after just 65.2 overs were bowled on a truncated opening day due to bad light.
Renshaw and Cummins aimed to build on their unbeaten 63-run partnership. It did not take Renshaw long to reach his fourth Test half-century after edging Nortje through third slip and gully as he celebrated the milestone for the first time since March 2017.
Nortje, who played a starring role on day one after a three-and-a-half year exile from Test cricket, once again unfurled vicious short deliveries but occasionally tried to outfox Cummins by pitching up.
A focused Cummins was unfazed and pounced on a rare overpitched delivery with a beautiful square drive to the boundary. He had a fourth Test half-century in his sights - first since January 2024 - until on 43 he edged a good length delivery from Mulder to second slip.
Renshaw showcased his much improved play against spin, reverse-sweeping Maharaj with good effect to keep the scoreboard ticking over.
Much like Cummins, Mitchell Starc was intent on solid defence but did have a slice of luck when he edged Harmer through the hands of Aiden Markram at first slip as the ball flew to the boundary.
South Africa had no hesitation in taking the second new ball and Mulder capitalised when he clean bowled Starc with a cracker of a delivery that pitched on middle before crashing into the off-stump.
But Renshaw kept South Africa at bay and put the foot down in the back end of the elongated session.
He hogged the strike after lunch as South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma deployed Maharaj and Harmer in tandem. The game went through a lull until the reintroduction of Nortje, who delivered a 143 kph thunderbolt that whacked Renshaw on the grill of the helmet.
But Renshaw gave an immediate thumbs up and continued with his indefatigable effort after receiving medical attention. He reached his 150 with a reverse sweep off Maharaj, quite fittingly given his mastery of the stroke through the innings.
Lyon appeared set to bat through the entire second session before being trapped plumb lbw by a full delivery from Jansen, who was rewarded for a hostile spell before tea.
The session was extended but Josh Hazlewood held firm to further frustrate South Africa.