Australia heading for second Test defeat in South Africa after being forced to follow on – live

53rd over: Australia 156-4 (Head 87, Boland 2) Head has no intention of scoring runs now. Even when Markram throws one up and down the leg side, Head pulls out of an expansive sweep. There’s one more over to come I reckon.

52nd over: Australia 156-4 (Head 87, Boland 2) Harmer is in the zone. Lovely flight and guile. Boland presses and gets a thick edge onto his pad but it shoots over Ackerman who is very close at silly mid-off. It’s also gripping and turning. But Boland survives. Just about, he survives.

51st over: Australia 156-4 (Head 87, Boland 2) Head bunts a flat ball from Markram down the ground for one. To Boland it has more loop and the firm forward press catches a thick outside edge, but its low and wide of the slip so he gets a single off the last ball to keep the strike.

50th over: Australia 154-4 (Head 86, Boland 1) Harmer has catchers at slipm silly mid-off, forward short leg and leg slip for Boland. He’s tossing it up and looking for one that grips and takes an edge off the pad. Boland is watchful, though, and sees out a maiden.

49th over: Australia 154-4 (Head 86, Boland 1) Head won’t protect Boland. Boland won’t protect Head. They exchange runs as Bavuma misfields at cover, letting one go right through his legs and gifting Head two runs. Boland plinks a single to get off the mark.

The umpires consider taking the players off, but Bavuma assures them that he’ll only bowl spin.

So on they go.

48th over: Australia 150-4 (Head 83, Boland 0) South Africa are inching closer and in the fading light Scott Boland walks out to steer his team to the close. Head also has a big job to do.

Harmer bags another one! Big Beau has misread the length and gone back to a ball he should have gone forward to. Beaten in the flight and he gets himself in a tangle. That is plumb in front even though Harmer is coming round the wicket. Webster doesn’t bother reviewing. That is as out as out can be hitting him on the back leg.

The natural light is fading fast as the flood lights come on. Could be spin from here to the close.

47th over: Australia 149-3 (Head 82, Webster 8) Jansen back into the attack and as you’d expect he’s extracting extra bounce off the surface. One leaps up at Head who has to steer it away from his face. He gets some width and cuts hard but just for one as it’s straight to the sweeper in the deep. But there is some encouragement for the bowler as one keeps low and Head takes a wild swish at it, missing by some distance.

46th over: Australia 147-3 (Head 81, Webster 7) When Harmer – back into the attack – slows his pace down he looks a real threat. He tosses one up and gets it to rip past the prodding poke of Head’s bat. Delicious off-spin bowling. Three runs in this comeback over, all to Webster who first flicks for two before bunting to long-on for one.

45th over: Australia 144-3 (Head 81, Webster 4) Head slashes at width, gets a thick edge that screams about a hand’s width away from the diving Bedingham. If there was a second or third slip that might have been that. Instead it goes away for four runs. Earlier, Mulder strayed onto Head’s pads and was tickled fine for another four. Head is approaching a pretty special ton.

44th over: Australia 136-3 (Head 73, Webster 4) Markram continues. Still flat and at the stumps. Head glances fine and picks up four past the keeper and away to the boundary. Then he takes a single to keep the strike. Goes without saying that Australia’s hopes currently rest on Head’s shoulders, knees and toes.

43rd over: Australia 131-3 (Head 67, Webster 4) Mulder into the attack. He’s straight at the stumps. Just two runs, a single apeice.

And here’s reader, Simmi Areff:

Markram to end the game with a three-for before the close. If he can only get one to float up to the batters.

I love the optimism.

42nd over: Australia 129-3 (Head 67, Webster 3) Markram continues. He’s flat and quick through the air. The Aussies have no trouble milking three singles across the set.

41st over: Australia 127-3 (Head 66, Webster 2) A maiden from Rabada to Webster. Not a lot of bounce or zip, but KG is bowling into the breeze and up the hill. Why South Africa’s spearhead is doing that is another matter entirely.

40th over: Australia 127-3 (Head 66, Webster 2) Markram into the attack, giving Harmer a break. Four singles off that set. The Australians will consider this a small reprieve from the pressure.

39th over: Australia 123-3 (Head 64, Webster 0) KG bags the breakthrough. Renshaw, who was so good at leaving in Durban, falls shouldering arms. The new man Webster has a heck of a job to do in the fading light.

Renshaw shoulders arms and is bowled! There are two types of leaves and that is a bad one. Off a good length, angling in from round the wicket into the left-hander, a bit of nip makes it go on to hit the stumps off a small deflection off the bad. Rabada roars and the South Africans are one step closer to their target.

38th over: Australia 120-2 (Head 62, Renshaw 10) Renshaw plays a lovely clip off his pads and it canters away for four. He barely touched that but the timing is on point. Three milked singles elsewhere means it’s a handy set for the Aussies.

37th over: Australia 113-2 (Head 60, Renshaw 5) Renshaw plays a contender for shot of the Test by leaning into a full ball and driving Rabada through mid-on for four glorious runs. That should count as 14. But Rabada then drags his length back and finds the edge, but Renshaw’s soft hands means it lands well short of the slips.

36th over: Australia 109-2 (Head 60, Renshaw 1) Streaky from Head. He takes his hand off the bat as he tries to cut behind point, but there’s no control. Was uppish, but not close enough to Rabada hovering behind square and the ball skips away for four. Harmer will take that as a moral victory. Earlier Renshaw got off the mark with a push into the covers.

35th over: Australia 103-2 (Head 55, Renshaw 0) Watchful. That’s the word for the Aussie batters. Just one run to Head who flicks off the back foot to backward square. Renshaw is nice and tight as Rabada keeps it in the channel.

34th over: South Africa 102-2 (Head 54, Renshaw 0) Harmer is in his groove. Lovely flight and a slower pace. He knows what he’s doing. Just the one single to Head down the ground.

Correction from the last over. Head actually scampered a single off the last ball.

33rd over: Australia 101-2 (Head 52, Renshaw 0) Renshaw is the new man as Smith has his neck wrapped up. He’s not batting today unless something serious happens out in the middle. Rabada, back on, bowls a tidy set to Head who takes a single off the last ball. Nice and tight from KG who is targeting the top of off.

WHY DID HE DO THAAAAT?! Oh Marnus, what have you done? Harmer had him pinned on his crease for five balls. Is that what compelled him to try and slog a six over long on? Whatever it was, he couldn’t get all of it and sent it high into the gloomy sky. Jansen had to complete a tough catch over his shoulder, but complete it he did. That’s the breakthrough South Africa were after but that is a self inflicted wound as far as Australia is concerned.

32nd over: Australia 100-2 (Head 52)

31st over: Australia 100-1 (Head 52, Labuschagne 39) Hundred up for Australia as both batters collect a single apiece. Jansen continues back of a length and finds that lift. Credit to these Aussies. They’ve dug in and shown some proper grit.

30th over: Australia 98-1 (Head 51, Labuschagne 38) Head brings up his 50 with an inside edge onto his pad as he tries to sweep Harmer. A reminder that he was dropped in the gully by Jansen on 5.

29th over: Australia 95-1 (Head 49, Labuschagne 37) Jansen’s extra height is generating extra lift from a pitch that has looked pretty dead for a large part of the afternoon. But Head and Labuschagne have managed to negotiate it, trading three singles across the set.

28th over: Australia 92-1 (Head 47, Labuschagne 36) Marnus survives a lbw review! He was stuck lbw but the replays show that Harmer got too much turn on it and it was missing the leg stump. Round the wicket, he lands it on around middle and off and gets it to turn back in. Marnus reviews straight away. Was there bat? No. But was it turning too much and missing leg? Only just.

Good signs though for South Africa as Harmer found both the inside and outside edge – the latter scampering away for four – in that over. The spinner is finding his groove.

27th over: Australia 87-1 (Head 46, Labuschagne 32) Jansen returns and he almost finds the breakthrough; a back of a length banger invites a pull from Marnus but the extra bounce catches a top edge. It flies high in the air but lands well short of the man at deep square leg. Jansen then beats him with an absolute jaffa from around the wicket to the right hander. Good work from the lanky bowler. Just the hint of something going the way of the South Africans.

26th over: Australia 85-1 (Head 45, Labuschagne 31) There’s a huge appeal for lbw, but surely Harmer knew that it was sliding down leg on the angle to Head. Better from Harmer who finds a bit of purchase and coughs up just one run.

25th over: Australia 84-1 (Head 45, Labuschagne 30) This has the feel of the middle overs of a ODI. Mulder continues with the keeper up and both batters are comfortable knocking him about for ones and two. Head punches the last ball on the up through extra cover, that is a great shot. It deserves four but the sweeping fielder makes good ground and keeps it down to two. Still, that’s seven off the over and the partnership is up to 76.

24th over: Australia 77-1 (Head 42, Labuschagne 26) This partnership is up to 69 now and they don’t look like going out. Harmer is mixing his pace and flight up, but both batters have him covered as they collect four run runs around the ground. South Africa bowling more in hope than to a plan now. But they are still in control. They have to stay patient.

23rd over: Australia 73-1 (Head 41, Labuschagne 23) Lots of ooooohs from Mulder from the last ball of the over, but I’m not sure why. Labuschagne had that covered. Not sure where a wicket is coming from. Both batters looking set.

22nd over: Australia 70-1 (Head 38, Labuschagne 22) A hint of extra turn from Harmer. He finds a thick outside edge of Head’s swishing bat with a bit of flight, but it flies away past slip for four. Head will keep the strike after driving to the cover sweeper.

21st over: Australia 65-1 (Head, 34, Labuschagne 22) Two cracking strokes. First a swivel pull from Marnus who bangs a half-tracker from Mulder behind square. Then a flowing drive wide of mid-off from Head that is the shot of the innings from me. Things are starting to drift a little for the Saffas.

20th over: Australia 54-1 (Head 29, Labuschagne 17) Harmer is a bit flat and quick for my liking. I’d also like an extra fielder catching, perhaps. Both sides waiting for the other to blink. Just two runs off this set.

19th over: Australia 52-1 (Head 28, Labuschagne 16) There’s a review for caught behind as Head swishes at Mulder’s width, but you could drive a London bus between the bat and the ball. Perhaps a sign of Bavuma’s desperation. Was it a mistake to make them follow on? Still too soon to judge I think. It’s a tidy over. Just the one run to Head. Rickelton is up to the stumps, which I like.

18th over: Australia 51-1 (Head 27, Labuschagne 16) Head cuts hard at Markram’s first ball but there’s cover down in the deep. Labuschagne can’t work a gap for the remainder five balls so it’s just the one off the first over after tea.

Aiden Markram will get us going again after the break.

Steve Smith is not padded up. He has had an issue with his neck. Renshaw in next then. South Africa will be desperate to force Smith to come out this evening.

Before I nip off for a cuppa, let’s hear from reader, Guy Honrsby:

What a day this has been Daniel. Sure, as an England fan, I’m absolutely not impartial, but I think I’ve earned the joy of watching Australia folding for less than 100 after 40+ years of mostly demoralising outcomes at the hands of the visitors. It’s so life-affirming seeing KG Rabada back bowling, but a crying shame that his partnership with Nortje lasted so few overs. Harmer will be key here to tie up an end, and Australia will want to put pressure on him but it feels too early to risk that yet. There’s still so long in the game left, but it’ll test this depleted attack. I’d not be surprised to see Australia pile on the runs, but who knows? What a glorious game this is!

Just the one wicket for South Africa this session, but they’re still in control of this match.

Harmer bowls the last over before the break. Head gets low and nails a slow sweep for four before taking one down to deep point.

The Australians have brought up their 50, but they’re still a long way behind. Head will resume on 26 with Labuschagne alongside him on 16.

16th over: Australia 45-1 (Head 21, Labuschagne 16) Rabada continues. Just the one off it but not very threatening. Games within games.

15th over: Australia 44-1 (Head 20, Labuschagne 16) Oh, was that a chance at short leg? It was. Beddingham got his fingers on the Labuschagne clip, but couldn’t get them around the ball. Smiles from Harmer but he’ll know that was close. Three singles off the over.

14th over: Australia 41-1 (Head 18, Labuschagne 15) These Aussies are staying patient. Marnus is forcing KG to bowl at him. When he gets what he wants, he clips a couple down to fine leg. Earlier in the set, Head collected a single through point. South Africa have to stay equally patient for this wicket.

13th over: Australia 38-1 (Head 17, Labuschagne 13) Spin now as Harmer replaces Mulder. He’ll be expected to hold an end as the three seamers rotate. Bavuma will want him to bowl all day if he can. There’s just a run off Head, and then a quarter of a chance at short leg as Labuschagne flicks a ball straight to the man under the lid, but that would have been the greatest catch you’d ever seen if he pulled it off.

12th over: Australia 37-1 (Head 16, Labuschagne 13) Head launches into a bit of width from the returning Rabada and heaves him over cover for four. Swashbuckling, is the word that springs to mind. Two singles elsewhere means it’s another productive over for Australia. More to the point, they’re looking comfortable out there.

11th over: Australia 31-1 (Head 11, Labuschagne 12) They could have had the wicket of Head. They should have had the wicket of head. You’d back Jansen to take that catch in the gully. Instead it’s four runs down to deep third and frustration for the South Africans. Head then clips two down to fine leg when Mulder gets too straight.

Oh how costly will that be? Short and wide, he chucks his hands at it and it flies with a thick edge towards gully where it bursts through Jansen’s hands. Mulder, the bowler, can only look on with frustration.

10th over: Australia 25-1 (Head 5, Labuschagne 12) Just the one off this Jansenover, a single to Head. Australia are bedding in. Watchful. Nothing loose. They’re looking to play the long game here. A reminder that a draw in this match will mean they can’t lose the series.

9th over: Australia 24-1 (Head 4, Labuschagne 12) Mulder continues. There’s a catcher at short extra cover for Head, but he pings a single off the back foot down to the sweeper at deep point. That brings Labuschagne on strike and he’s moving across his pads, bringing ooohs from the South Africans when he’s defending. A ball later he clips a lovely clip through midwicket for four. Mulder over corrects and it’s short and wide and Marnus scythes it through point. Good from the Aussies. The pitch, which got the heavy roller treatment between innings, is looking a little flatter than it did earlier.

8th over: Australia 15-1 (Head 3, Labuschagne 4) Something has flown into Marnus’ eye and he needs some attention. Maybe that’s why he misses out on a half volley, scuffing his drive off Jansen. But he does pick up two through backward square leg.

7th over: Australia 13-1 (Head 3, Labuschagne 2) Change of bowling a Mulder comes into the attack. Reminder that Nortje is injured so a big shift is needed from the medium-pacer. He starts with a maiden to Head.

Here’s some correspondence from Will Ellen:

“If any Test series deserves 5 tests its surely Australia South Africa. Your almost guaranteed a brilliant contest. Both sides sheer bloodyminded determination, ability, and pride in performance means contests are rarely just one way traffic. Folding is simply not in their natures. If the Aussies went 2-0 down you just know they’d fight back to make it 2-2, and vice versa.

“Brave decision to enforce the follow on here with a bowler down..”

6th over: Australia 13-1 (Head 3, Labuschagne 2) Head gets up the other end where he’d want to be. Jansen then shifts to round the wicket to Marnus, looking to angle it into his stumps. But Marnus is tidy and keeps him out.

5th over: Australia 13-1 (Head 3, Labuschagne 2) A maiden from KG to Marnus including one ball that almost, almost, comes back off a length to bowl him as he shoulders arms. To repeat a cliche, there are two types of leaves.

4th over: Australia 11-1 (Head 1, Labuschagne 2) Head won’t just let the South Africans bowl at him. Off the first ball of this Jansen over, he goes after a short one with a mighty swing of his bat, but the pull shot finds nothing but air. A couple of deliveries later he creams a drive off the front foot but finds the fielder at mid-off. Jansen gets one to spit off a length before Head drops into the covers to scamper a single off the last ball.