Second Test, Gqeberha (day three of five)
South Africa 425-9 dec: Bavuma 179, Jansen 85; Boland 5-81
Australia 3-1: Boland 2*; Rabada 1-0
Australia trail by 422 runs
Captain Temba Bavuma dragged South Africa back into their Test series against Australia with a masterful 179 on day three in Gqeberha.
Bavuma, who emerged in the gloom at 12-2 on day one, batted for 552 minutes across three days in making his highest Test score, allowing the Proteas to declare on 425-9 with half an hour to play having been 110-6 earlier on day three.
Kagiso Rabada nicked off Australia opener Nic Maddinson in the first over of Australia's reply to further boost the hosts' cause.
Bavuma's knock was every bit as impressive as Matthew Renshaw's 190 for Australia in their first Test win - arguably more so given the momentum that had built behind Australia since South Africa's batting struggles and the quality of the tourists' attack.
He remained composed in sharing partnerships of 132 with Marco Jansen and 183 with number nine Simon Harmer - the best eighth-wicket partnership in South Africa's Test history.
The century was Bavuma's fifth in Tests - 10 years after his first made him the first Black African to score a Test hundred for the Proteas.
He said it was "definitely" one of his best innings.
"That bowling attack, at least three are in the top 10 of the bowling rankings," he added. "There is a reason why."
More relevant for this series and England's tour to come over Christmas, it was Bavuma's fourth century in 14 Tests as South Africa captain.
He now averages 54.36 as Test skipper, compared with 34.53 across 93 innings before taking the reins. Few can match that improvement.
Should South Africa have declared earlier?
It was Bavuma's dismissal - caught behind off Mitchell Starc - which triggered South Africa's decision to declare with half an hour to go in the day.
They had resisted doing so earlier in the session and when Harmer was bowled by Marnus Labuschagne a ball before the Bavuma wicket.
With the floodlights on and skies dark, conditions were perfect for seam bowling when Australia's reply began. Maddinson was only able to resist four deliveries before nicking to third slip.
The umpires then deemed the light too poor for seam bowling to continue, however, and after three overs of spin with the new ball the players left the field.
Had South Africa declared earlier, Jansen could have bowled in tandem with Rabada in the gloom.
"There was thought of that," Bavuma said. "I was a little hesitant because of the weather.
"If we [had declared] a bit early we would have got one or two more overs. Saying that we got the one we wanted.
"Right now I hope things go our way and we set ourselves to be on the field for the majority of those two days."
After only 42 overs were possible across the first two days, South Africa now have an outside shot at victory over days four and five, ideally by dismissing Australia cheaply and enforcing the follow-on.
"We have given ourselves a chance," Bavuma said.
"There is the other side of the draw but going into [the third Test in] Cape Town whatever the confidence we can get here, being able to put their bowlers on their feet for a considerable amount of time, hopefully that can pay off in the long run."
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