Looking at the scorecard one might be forgiven for suspecting that the pitch was a green mamba. Not only was it devoid of any colour save harvest yellow; there was not a serpent to be seen this side of Cricklewood. Already by the second morning conditions had eased. There was no swing to speak of, and less seam movement than before. Bavuma decreed that after the formation stoicism of the first evening they would look for runs today. And they did just that. Bats which yesterday seemed to be groping in the twilight seemed to find the ball more easily. Australia bowled accurately and well, but the score mounted steadily to 94 and relative comfort.
And then there was Cummins. He held one back the merest smidgin; Bavuma lofted the ball somewhat in the region of cover, and the hyperactive Labuschagne hauled it in, appearing from nowhere like the Demon King in a pantomime. Bedingham meanwhile had been the model of studious patience. Verreyne joined him and saw the Proteas safely to lunch at 5/121.
We do not know what was on the lunch menu. It may have been brimstone sandwiches, because Cummins thereafter ascended Olympian heights. At 126 Verreyne was trapped on the crease leg before. Jansen came and went in the flicker of an eyelid, caught and bowled. And Bedingham edged behind to Carey. Suddenly Cummins had five for nothing much. And this on a wicket with only a modicum of seam movement.
How is it done? If bowlers knew the answer to that they would all be enjoying their cricket a good deal more. But this much can be said. Not only does he possess metronomic accuracy and the ability to gouge sideways motion out of a glass runway; he also has minute variations of his release point. Bedingham played the correct line for earlier in the over. But the wicket ball was delivered a little closer to the umpire. The difference would be measured in inches. Yet it made the difference between a defensive block and a fine edge.
While Captain Pat was wreaking havoc at his end, the support staff gave little away save for one wayward over from Webster. Realising that the skipper was on a roll they merely tightened the screws and let him have his head. Maharaj was sufficiently panicked at the idea of Rabada facing the bowling that he attempted a second run more in the realms of fancy than fact, and was beaten home by Head’s sharp throw to Carey. Cummins finished the innings by working Rabada over and having him brilliantly caught in the deep by Webster. The last five wickets fell for twelve runs. Cummins finished with 6/28 and his 300th Test scalp. It was a prodigious performance by a master bowler on a surface which at best might be termed vaguely helpful.
With a goodly lead Labuschagne started brightly. Jansen did not trouble the openers unduly. Rabada however seemed determined to outdo Cummins. His spell before tea was another fast bowling masterclass. In an eerie repeat loop of the first innings he removed Khawaja and Green within three balls, and Australia went to tea on rocky ground. After the break Labuschagne drove lazily at a Jansen half-volley and edged behind. And Smith? There he was, batting in his own serene little bubble of self-absorption. Until, to the entire’s crowd’s stupefied astonishment, Ngidi trapped him in front. Not content with that, he did the same thing to Webster. To crown all, Mulder bowled Head with a superb breakback.
Just allow that to settle in for a moment. The backup seam attack, which had been a broken reed on Day 1, was slicing remorselessly through Australia’s middle order. Ngidi and Mulder were men transformed. It was as if they had beheld Cummins’ genius and told themselves I want some of that. Cummins missed a swipe at Ngidi and was bowled off his pads. At 7/73 the end was nigh. Or so it seemed. Carey and Starc had other ideas. They defended stoutly and took every run on offer. Carey was given out leg before and appealed successfully. And the score mounted. The hundred came up, then the fifty partnership. By the time Carey was finally out to the persevering Rabada the lead had exceeded 200.
It seemed the gods had turned their heads away from Bavuma. Three times Carey edged just in front of Markram at second slip. They advanced to the point where Starc edged to Jansen at suicide gully and the catch went down. At stumps Australia survives: 8/144 with a lead of 218. Carey’s 43 occupied just 50 balls, and brought his side back from the crypt. Tomorrow will see the endgame with the match evenly poised.