South Africa vs Australia 2018: 2nd Test, day 3, 5 things we learnt from the day

An eye-catching 22nd century by AB de Villiers and a lightning spell of fast bowling from Kagiso Rabada meant that South Africa tightened their grip on the second Test on day 3 at Port Elizabeth.

De Villiers and Vernon Philander fought to take South Africa to a good lead and Keshav Maharaj joined in as they led by 139 runs when Lungi Ngidi was run-out to leave De Villiers stranded.

Rabada then turned on the heat with a terrific opening spell that accounted for David Warner and Keshav Maharaj dismissed his bunny, Steven Smith, to push Australia back. Although Usman Khawaja and Mitchell Marsh resuscitated a broken innings, Rabada burst through late in the day to dismiss Khawaja and tilt the game firmly in South Africa's direction.

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#5 De Villiers stamps down class with stunning ton

De Villiers played out of skin to take South Africa to a huge lead

AB de Villiers showed how much Test cricket had missed him for a year as marched strongly against Australia's incisive bowling attack and punished them stroke by stroke. None of the bowlers were spared as he found an able ally in Vernon Philander, and later Keshav Maharaj. He smashed his way to a valiant ton as Australia looked on helplessly.

The visitors had come out on day 3 expecting to clean up the Proteas for a below-par lead but De Villiers squashed all such beliefs with some extravagant stroke play. He compiled his 22nd Test hundred, and probably his best ever, as he continued to be Australia's nemesis in Test cricket. He has six tons against them now in this format, the most by any South African.

#4 Philander-Maharaj find their fight

Keshav Maharaj scored a quickfire 30 from 25 balls

South Africa's biggest issue after Durban was that their last five wickets had folded for 12 and 15 runs across either innings. At Port Elizabeth, with AB de Villiers running havoc, Philander and Maharaj stepped up to the task of supporting their main man. Philander played out 85 balls for his valuable 36 while Maharaj counter-attacked.

The contrasting approach of the two tailenders had Australia scratching their heads in frustration. Maharaj was on the move from the word go and luck favoured him when Khawaja stepped over the line while taking a catch. That didn't deter his approach, though, and his quickfire half-century stand with de Villiers pushed Australia onto the back-foot further.

#3 Rabada turns up the heat

With little antics, Rabada scythed through the Aussies again

Having destroyed them in the first innings, Kagiso Rabada returned with fury and unleashed all of it on Australia again in a sensational opening burst of seven overs. Up on pace and rhythm, Rabada was steaming in with venom and cleaned up David Warner with a rip-roaring inswinger.

Shaun Marsh was next, as he nicked Rabada behind right when the Aussies had lost Steven Smith to Maharaj and were staring down the barrel. Usman Khawaja and Mitchell Marsh rebuilt but before Australia could feel a touch secure about their lead, Rabada ran in and trapped Khawaja in front late in the day.

#2 Smith has no clue against Maharaj

Smith has had little to celebrate this series

Finally, there seems to be an evident chink in Steven Smith's armoury - left-arm spin. Ravindra Jadeja and Rangana Herath had tasted success against the Aussie skipper and Keshav Maharaj had dismissed him as his very first wicket in Perth two years back but such was Smith's prowess in between all this that the weakness never really surfaced.

When Maharaj dismissed him at Durban, there were whispers about Smith's weakness against spin bowling. It gained momentum when the innocuous Dean Elgar trapped him in front in the second innings. At Port Elizabeth yet again Maharaj found his way past Smith as the Aussie skipper continued to have a mediocre series.

#1 Usman Khawaja-Mitchell Marsh resurrect a broken ship

Usman Khawaja composed a fighting half-century

It seemed like the Proteas were all over the Aussies on day 3 before Usman Khawaja garnered his inner fighting spirit and grit his way to a fabulous half-century alongside Mitchell Marsh. Smith's failure and Shaun Marsh's dismissal immediately after tea had derailed Australia but Khawaja and the younger Marsh came to their rescue.

While the southpaw was watchful at the start, he soon gathered momentum and started to punish the bad balls knowing well that the relentless Proteas bowlers would eventually get to him. Marsh accompanied him in his venture and the duo put on a stand of 87 that was broken by a determined Rabada when he trapped the Aussie No. 3 in front of the sticks.