Australia strengthened their grip on the Durban Test against South Africa at the end of Day Four, needing just six wickets to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 series. South Africa were set a target of 421 and need another 319 runs to win. Overnight, Aiden Markram and Wiaan Mulder were at the crease for South Africa. if South Africa manage to reach the target, it would be a world record While a successful chase looks highly improbable.
| Team | Score | Opponent | Year | Resuming the day at 33/0 after bad light curtailed play on Day Three, Australia adopted an aggressive approach. Travis Head was the first to depart, scoring 11 off 18 balls before mistiming a shot off Marco Jansen and handing Proteas captain Temba Bavuma a catch at mid-on, leaving Australia at 43/1. Labuschagne soon followed, departing for 37 off 58 balls after edging Keshav Maharaj to South Africa captain Temba Bavuma, leaving Australia at 174/4 at lunch. With the lead comfortably beyond 350, captain Pat Cummins strode out alongside Beau Webster and initiated a brutal late assault. Cummins went on an all-out rampage, smashing an unbeaten 32 off just 12 deliveries, including four towering sixes. The pressure mounted further as Matt Renshaw claimed his maiden Test wicket, dismissing Proteas captain Temba Bavuma for 1 off 18 balls, with Nic Maddinson taking the catch at short leg to leave the hosts at 81/3. Soon after, captain Pat Cummins took a wicket by inducing an edge from Tristan Stubbs (1), which Carey superbly collected behind the stumps to reduce South Africa to 99/4.
