Australia were in trouble at 124/6 before Renshaw stepped up to lead the recovery. The left-hander registered his first Test century since 2017, combining patience with elegant strokeplay to frustrate the South African bowlers and rebuild the innings.
Renshaw also handled the lower order impressively, forming crucial partnerships with Pat Cummins for the seventh wicket and Nathan Lyon for the ninth. These stands helped Australia move from a vulnerable position to a commanding total.
The Queensland batter remained at the crease until the final Australian wicket fell, finishing on 190, just 10 runs short of a double century. His innings was particularly significant after years of uncertainty surrounding his place in Australia’s Test setup.
South Africa’s Wiaan Mulder led the bowling attack with four wickets, but the hosts struggled to contain Renshaw as he continued to score important runs and guide Australia towards a strong total.
Australia’s innings ended at 390, giving the visitors a solid platform to put pressure on South Africa.
The hosts did not have the smoothest start to their reply, with Josh Hazlewood dismissing Ryan Rickelton early. However, Aiden Markram and David Bedingham responded positively, playing with intent and ensuring South Africa avoided further setbacks before the close of play.
The pair’s unbeaten stand provided some stability after the early wicket and kept the hosts in the contest heading into Day 3.
