Bavuma anchors South Africa's recovery with a brilliant 179

547 minutes, 179 runs, 338 balls, and That's nine hours and seven minutes of Temba Bavuma standing up against Australia to plot his team's stunning recovery in Gqeberha. On Day 3, South Africa started in a precarious position of 97/5 and continued to stumble to 110/6. But then came two exceptional backs-to-the-wall partnerships, both helmed by the South African captain that took them past safety and into a position of strength.

First, Marco Jansen joined his skipper and played a contrasting knock that saw him nearly get his maiden Test century. In a session and a half, he was the spark that kept Bavuma's ice from melting, scoring a 100-ball 85 with nine fours and three sixes. He also counterpunched Australia's attack. Bavuma, who later admitted it was still a tough pitch to bat on, played a big role in keeping the Aussies on the park for nearly the entire day.

On the final day in Durban, South Africa needed the showers that just didn't arrive. On Day 3 in Gqeberha, Australia would've perhaps known what that felt like to an extent, as runs and defiance came, but wickets didn't.

Bavuma watched on mostly as Jansen made quick runs in their alliance worth 132 off 185 deliveries. With Jansen's wicket, Scott Boland ended the partnership, but the WTC mace's current holders showed even more tenacity. Simon Harmer batted for longer - 277 balls - in Bavuma's company during which the latter got to his 100 and 150 to a rousing applause from the dressing room.

Harmer was astute in his footwork and calculated with his shots too, moving along to a half-century without breaking too much sweat. He batted 157 balls, but he too fell agonisingly short of a first Test century - departing for 82. However, these two enormous stands increased South Africa's total to 400.

The South African captain declared the innings on 425/9 after Mitchell Starc caught Bavuma behind on 179. Kagiso Rabada, who'd just walked out after Harmer's dismissal, had to rush back and return to bowl the first over.

But the champion bowler that he is - a Rolls Royce, per Shukri Conrad, he dismissed Nic Maddinson for a duck on the fourth ball of the innings. On 4/1, Australia finished the day facing a mountain of runs that seemed unlikely at first.