Australia vs South Africa Test LIVE: Cricket scores, third Test in Cape Town day three, Josh Inglis, Alex Carey, scorecard, news, videos, highlights

Nathan Lyon knocked over South African captain Temba Bavuma with five minutes left in day three in a remarkable twist to put Australia on top in the deciding third Test in Cape Town.

The hosts reached stumps at 4/140 with a lead of 40 runs after Bavuma’s stumps were rattled when he attempted to swipe Lyon across the line out of the footmarks.

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Lyon, and even part-time spinner Matt Renshaw, extracted big spin from outside the right-hander’s off stump in the final session of day three at Newlands.

Bavuma had been very watchful up to the point of his dismissal, but a brain fade sent him on his way for 35 from 115 balls in a massive boost to Australia’s chance of winning the Test match and the series.

It left Matthew Breetzke (19*) and Ryan Rickleton (8*) at the crease with plenty of work to do on day four after Mitchell Starc removed Aiden Markram (1) and Marques Ackerman (62), while Josh Hazlewood got David Bedingham (11).

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Australian captain Pat Cummins was locked in an engrossing battle with his opposite number Bavuma - but his wicketless stretch, which dates back to the first Test in Durban, painstakingly continued.

The tussle began with Cummins burning a review when ball-tracking showed the delivery that nipped back and crashed into Bavuma’s back pad was bouncing over the top of middle stump.

In a tight spell, Cummins also had a Bavuma edge fall just short of Renshaw at slip, while a nasty bouncer caught Bavuma’s glove but ballooned over leg gully.

The short ball did the trick for Starc, however, as he shook up Ackerman, who scored 95 in the first innings, with a vicious bouncer.

Ackerman again scored freely, hitting eight boundaries in his 80-ball knock, but the set batter could do nothing about a Starc short ball that was on the money and created the only wicket of the final session.

There was confusion after the ball ended up in the hands of Cameron Green at gully as the Kookaburra had clearly ricocheted off the grill of Ackerman’s helmet.

The left-hander in his second Test was rattled and unsure what had happened.

So much so that the 15-second timer just ran out before he could call for a review.

Thankfully, any potential issue was avoided as replays showed Ackerman got plenty of bat on it, but it was an unusual situation as he was hesitant to go.

It appeared as if he thought he had reviewed in time and Travis Head left the Australian huddle to check that his opposing opener was okay.

Ackerman was then given his marching orders, but briefly stopped near the boundary and out the front of the dressing room, seemingly hoping to be called back and given the chance to review.

The 30-year-old was Starc’s second victim.

Travis Head redeemed himself by hanging on to an important catch at mid off to remove Aiden Markram for one after dropping a sitter off Markram’s bat, and off Starc’s bowling, on day one.

While David Bedingham fell for a short ball plan as he top edged a pull shot to Lyon at deep square leg, who turned to the dream to show them the ball safely in his hands, off the bowling of Josh Hazlewood.

Ackerman should have been on is way before tea too as he was given two lives.

He could have been run out as Bavuma called him through for a tight single to get off the mark first ball but Inglis missed after cutting across from point.

The pair had a significant mix up again in the final over before tea.

It was Ackerman who dropped it into the off side and tried to call his captain through for a quick single this time, but Bavuma sent him back.

Cooper Connolly had him dead to rights but his shy at the stumps missed to give the hosts a reprieve.

Australia also wasted one of its reviews in its bid to remove Ackerman.

Lyon had a big lbw shout in the penultimate over before the tea break, but the impact was outside the line of off stump.

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Earlier in the day, Australia boasted a first innings lead of 100 runs after the tourists were bowled out for 429 during the second session.

Josh Inglis’ second Test century and Alex Carey’s 80 led the way for Australia as they added 99 runs to their overnight total, but lost six wickets.

Connolly dug in with the tail for a patient 29 from 83 balls to frustrate the South Africans before being the final wicket to fall.

The youngster in his second Test put on 23 with Nathan Lyon (1) in a gutsy effort that included being struck on the helmet by Marco Jansen.

But once he only had Josh Hazlewood (4*) for company, Connolly chased quick runs and smacked one back at Jansen to fall caught and bowled.

Australia started the day leading by one run and Inglis and Carey continued to control proceedings for most of the first hour.

Inglis (102) brought up the milestone with a stunning reverse sweep for four off Simon Harmer’s first ball of the day, but the spinner ended Inglis’ vital 185-run partnership with Carey on the last ball of the same over.

Inglis, who batted at No.5 and was recalled for his first Test since the Adelaide Oval last summer, prodded at a Harmer delivery outside off stump and was caught behind by wicketkeeper Ryan Rickelton.

It ended the 31-year-old West Australian’s 135-ball masterclass on the same exact same as debut ton in Sri Lanka last year - although that came from a record 90 deliveries.

Inglis started the day 85 not out and moved into the 90s with a classy push to the mid on boundary that was aided by a poor effort in the field from Gerald Coetzee.

Carey, who hit seven boundaries, did most of the attacking as Inglis was content to pick up singles and bide his time on his way to a second Test ton in just his sixth outing in the baggy green.

He worked his way to 97 and then seized his momentum with a cracking reverse sweep off Harmer to raise the bat.

“You could just see how much it meant to him,” former Australian opener David Warner said on Kayo Sports at the drinks break.

“He’s been in and out, a few injuries over the last couple of years. He looks so comfortable. He would have liked to go on with it.”

Harmer struck again on the stroke of drinks as Carey tentatively poked at a full ball and nicked to Markram at first slip to end his 168-ball stay.

“That was lazy, nothing shot, just poking outside off stump,” Warner said.

Australia lost a third wicket in quick succession, for just ten runs, when Kagiso Rabada wrapped a jumping Cummins on the pads to dismiss him lbw for a duck.

Cummins reviewed, but could not be saved as umpire’s call for ball-tracking with the ball clipping the top of leg stump sending him on his way.

Starc stuck around for 11 before he edged behind Coetzee to give the fast bowler his first wicket in his Test return.

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SA v Aus: 3rd Test, Day 2 Highlights | 15:37

Australia: Travis Head, Matt Renshaw, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Josh Inglis, Alex Carey (wk), Cooper Connolly, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.

South Africa: Aiden Markram, Marques Ackerman, David Bedingham, Temba Bavuma (c), Matthew Breetzke, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Simon Harmer, Gerald Coetzee, Kagiso Rabada.