Central Plains FFA Chapter

10/31 06:16 CDT Australia collapses to 60-7 in pursuit of 288 as South Africa closes in on victory in 3rd test Australia collapses to 60-7 in pursuit of 288 as South Africa closes in on victory in 3rd test CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) --- Kagiso Rabada and Simon Harmer shared six wickets as Australia collapsed to 60-7 at lunch in its second innings of the third test against South Africa at Newlands on Saturday. Chasing 288 to win the test and the series, Australia suffered a harrowing morning session against both pace and spin. Rabada took 3-14 in five overs, while Harmer picked 3-5 in eight overs. South Africa scored 329 and 387 in its two innings, while Australia scored 429 in its first innings and took a 100-run lead. The three-test series is pegged at 1-1. Australia won the first test in Durban by 214 runs, and South Africa won the second test in Gqeberha by an innings and 31 runs. Day five began with Australia getting off to a poor start in pursuit of the target --- Rabada got in-form Matt Renshaw out for a golden duck, caught behind down leg side. Three balls later, Rabada struck for a second time as Marnus Labuschagne (4) was out lbw shouldering arms. Australia was 5-2 after the first over. Travis Head hit 14 and was next out, caught at gully off Rabada in the seventh over, with the score reading 22-3. First innings' centurion Josh Inglis (4) was run out going for a non-existent run at Cameron Green's call. Australia's second innings was in complete disarray as Harmer had Alex Carey (2) caught at backward point with Marco Jansen taking another good catch. Two balls later, Cooper Connolly was caught behind for a two-ball duck, leaving the visitors 42-6. Harmer struck again before lunch, with Mitchell Starc caught at short leg as the ball looped up off his pads. Starc faced 25 balls without opening his account, even as Green was unbeaten on 25 runs off 73 balls at the other end. Australia's previous fourth innings' lowest total against South Africa was 107 --- also at Cape Town, back in 2018, when it lost by 322 runs. ___ See AP's full cricket coverage here