Lyon’s final over of day three saw Temba Bavuma’s wicket fall in the last minutes, the bowler’s 7th dismissal of the captain in this Test, trimming the deficit to a slender 40‑run edge.
The wicket came after a lethal delivery that slipped between bat and pad, and Lyon’s 4‑over spell has now yielded 8 wickets in the match. Starc’s 2/29 and Harmer’s 4/104 have also tightened the screws.
South Africa's chase began disastrously, with Starc snaring Aiden Markram in the third over and Bedingham falling to a top‑edge in the tea interval. Ackerman’s 95 and 62 kept hopes alive until Starc’s 62 erased the momentum.
Australia’s first‑innings dominance was underlined by Josh Inglis’s 132‑run century, the second overseas, propelling the hosts to 429 after an 185‑run partnership with Alex Carey. The bowlers’ figures—Harmer 4/104, Jansen 3/60—stopped the visitors from gaining a real platform.
With only two wickets in hand, Australia is now on the brink of sealing the series. The pitch is expected to harden further, making day four a true battleground for the 1‑1 tie.