Tough road ahead
A useful knock from Philander extended South Africa's lead past 400 © Getty
Where will Australia go from here? They have barely five days to recover from this before they take the field again for the final Test, where they will be without Steve Smith. And who knows what might transpire in this little period! These are scars that cannot be erased anytime soon. This team has been thoroughly battered on the pitch and off it as well more importantly.
Five for Morne
He is going out with a bang! Morkel polishes off the innings with his fifth wicket and that gives South Africa a huge win. What a comeback this is! After losing the first Test, South Africa have fought back in terrific fashion to take a 2-1 lead in the series. Australia have been totally outplayed! A 322-run margin is just astronomical.
Nine down:
Nathan Lyon is run out at the striker's end after a quick work from Bavuma and de Kock. Australia now nine down for 94.
Morkel helps South Africa close in:
Two in two for Morkel as Mitchell Marsh and Pat Cummins depart. First was a catch to de Villiers as Marsh failed to execute a pull. Cummins then falls to a short delivery, with the ball going off the wrist band of the glove to Elgar. Cummins reviews but to no avail. Starc sticks around for a while with Paine, even copping a blow on his helmet, before handing a catch to Markram at short leg to give Morkel his fourth wicket. Australia are 94 for 8.
Smith departs, Australia in disarray:
That's the last of Smith we'll see for the rest of this series. Morne Morkel bags the wicket, getting him with a short one that Smith edged to Elgar at gully. Australia reduced to 75 for 5.
Maharaj strikes:
Another catch for de Villiers, this time off Usman Khawaja's bat, as he aids Maharaj in picking up his first wicket. A fine catch from Markram at short leg gives the spinner his second wicket as Marsh departs for a golden duck. No hat-trick for Maharaj but a terrific job nevertheless as Australia are reduced to 59 for 4, having lost four wickets for the addition of only two runs.
Warner departs:
Having being at the receiving end of a missed stumping chance, Warner fails to cash in as he fishes at a Rabada delivery outside off to edge the ball to AB de Villiers. Australia slip to 59 for 2 as Steven Smith walks out with boos accompanying him from all around the ground.
Direct hit!
Faf du Plessis does the trick! He helps South Africa get the wicket they badly needed after this stubborn resistance from Warner and Bancroft. This was needless. There was absolutely no necessity for Warner to try and pinch a single after driving one towards cover but Faf picks up the ball quickly and throws it towards the stumps despite being off balance. Bancroft was quite lazy in his attempt to reach the other end and Faf's direct hit catches him well short. The boos ring around Newlands as the batsman walks back to the pavilion. Khawaja is the new man.
Tea - AUS 47/0
They will be pleased with that. Getting through to the session break without losing any wicket would have been Australia's top priority and the openers have managed to do that. Cameron Bancroft and David Warner have added 47 in 16 overs as the players head for Tea. A very interesting final session is on the cards!
The verdict:
The ICC has imposed a one-match ban and a 100 per cent fine on Steven Smith, along with four demerit points to his account. Cameron Bancroft receives three demerit points and has been docked 75 per cent of his match fee follow the ball-tampering controversy.
Is the yellow thingy still there?
If tucking the yellow tape into his trousers wasn't enough, Bancroft's mid-riff region has been targeted again. Rabada's has already struck him twice there with deliveries that has jagged back in, and also struck him once on the elbow off an inside edge. Bancroft, however, manages to put away one confidently through the cover region for the first four of the innings. Australia are 13 for 0.
Meanwhile, here's the latest from Rajasthan Royals:
"We have been made aware of the controversy of ball tampering in the ongoing Australia - South Africa series and await further instructions from BCCI, before we make any announcement. We at Rajasthan Royals will not tolerate any actions that are unfair by definition and bring disrepute to the game of cricket. Our Zero tolerance policy applies to everyone in our team. Please bear with us," said Ranjit Barthakur, Executive Chairman of Rajasthan Royals, in a media release.
A useful knock from Philander extended South Africa's lead past 400 ©AFP
Australia need 430 to win:
Morne Morkel managed a six off Lyono before getting out to a short delivery from Hazlewood. South Africa are bowled out for 373 in their second innings, setting Australia a hefty target of 430.
Another for Lyon:
A mis-timed slog by Keshav Maharaj lands in the hands of Pat Cummins at mid-on. South Africa are 362 for 9 with Philander three away from a half-century. Will he get there?
Wicket No. 300 for Lyon:
Attempting a big hit after coming down the track, Rabada is out stumped off Lyon. The wicket is Lyon's 300th in his career, making his the fifth offspinner with 300 or more wickets.
Lead crosses 400:
After four quiet overs at the start of the post-lunch session, Rabada gets going with three fours in an over off Starc to extend South Africa's lead past 400. The hosts are 353 for 7, leading by 409.
Day 4, Lunch:
Two wickets for Australia in the session but South Africa still in firm control of the Test, having extended the lead to 389 with three wickets left. How many more will they get? Join us for the second session to find out.
De Kock departs:
Looking to loft one straight down the ground, de Kock edges a Cummins delivery to the 'keeper to depart for 65. South Africa are 324 for 7, leading by 380.
Philander makes merry:
Philander has continued to tee off against Starc, scoring a hat-trick of boundaries in one over. The partnership has now crossed 50 as South Africa move to 322 for 6, leading by 378.
Lead crosses 350:
Philander has decided to take the attack to Starc as he top edges one for a six. Hazlewood tries to take the catch in the deep but steps on the boundary rope. A boundary follows as Philander manages to tickle one fine. At the end of the first hour, South Africa move to 297 for 6, having extended the lead to 353.
Fifty for de Kock after de Villiers departs:
Josh Hazlewood picks up his 150th Test wicket, dismissing de Villiers for 63. No celebrations from Australia despite the big wicket as de Villiers pokes at a delivery outside off and edges it to Shaun Marsh at first slip. In the very next over, de Kock brings up his half-century, flicking a Starc delivery wide of mid-on for a four.
In no hurry:
After managing four fours between them in the first three overs of the day, de Villiers and de Kock have slowed down, happy to play dot deliveries and deal in singles. South Africa are 263 for 5, leading by 319.
Meanwhile, Smith's IPL captaincy appears bleak
Now for some cricket,as the Australian players walk in, accompanied by boos from all round the ground. A positive start for South Africa as Quinton de Kock begins with two boundaries off Mitchell Marsh in the first over while AB de Villiers too manages a four off Nathan Lyon as South Africa's lead crosses 300.
Just in:
A media release from Cricket Australia states that captain Steven Smith and vice-captain David Warner will stand down from their positions for the remainder of this Test. Tim Paine will step in as acting captain for the rest of the third Test.
Cameron Bancroft was caught on camera inserting a yellow tape into his trousers after having hidden it between his fingers while attempting to scruff up one side of the ball ©Getty
Prelude:
Hello and welcome to the Live Blog of Day 4 of the third Test between South Africa and Australia at Newlands, Cape Town. Aiden Markram and AB de Villiers's fine half-centuries put South Africa in command. However, those efforts were overshadowed by yet another controversy as the series took an ugly turn. Cameron Bancroft, the Australia opener, confessed that he tried to alter the condition of the ball, an act that was approved by the leadership group of the Australian team. Here's a blow-by-blow account of what transpired.
While the repercussions are still being felt following what skipper Smith termed as "a big error in judgement", Australia's already-battered reputation has hit a nadir. "We're in the middle of a great series and for something like this to overshadow the great cricket that's been played and not have a single cricket question in here, that's not what I'm about and not what the team's about. We'll move past this. It's a big error in judgement but we'll learn from it and move past it," Smith said at the press conference after the third day's play.
Despite all the apologies and confessions, being termed cheats isn't going to do Australia any good and whether they fight back in this Test or not, the damage has been done. These are dark times for Australian cricket and the players will face a lot of embarrassment when they take the field on Day 4. However, the match isn't over. Let's wait and see how that pans out while we'll keep you updated on the tampering saga.