Mitchell Starc’s intense bouncer barrage sparked a cheeky face-pulling exchange from Matthew Breetzke
Breetzke’s fun ended at 43 when he took on a short ball and fell to Pat Cummins
Centurions Ryan Rickelton and Wiaan Mulder still pushed South Africa's target to 288, setting up a thrilling final day
Mitchell Starc tried to rattle Matthew Breetzke on day four of the third Test at Newlands. The South African batter’s reply was to pull a face at him.
The moment came when Starc, coming around the wicket, banged in a bouncer that Breetzke comfortably let go. The batter then stuck his tongue out at the bowler. The bouncer was part of a running exchange, with Starc giving Breetzke some lip and the banter carried on over after over.
It was a light moment in a tense passage of play. Australia have used the short ball relentlessly this series, and South Africa have now lost 16 of their 43 wickets to short deliveries. Starc himself had sent back Marques Ackerman with a searing bouncer the previous evening. Breetzke, who started slowly and took a while to find his first boundary, looked unbothered by the barrage, at least for a while.
The joke did not last. Breetzke made 43 off 121 balls before taking on a short delivery and holing out, giving Pat Cummins his first wicket since the opening Test. The bouncer he had laughed off earlier in the day finally got him, through a different bowler.
His dismissal didn’t derail South Africa, though. Centuries from Ryan Rickelton and Wiaan Mulder put the hosts back in favour and left Australia needing 288 to win. That sets up a tense final day.
