A riveting series which has frequently changed hands is set to be decided on the very last day, after Ryan Rickelton and Wiaan Mulder headlined South Africa’s stellar batting fightback on Day 4 of the Cape Town Test.

Towards the evening, cameras showed a padded-up Marco Jansen sitting in wait, having watched Rickelton and Mulder defy Australia for the better part of the day. Jansen wouldn’t have minded staying put: the ball jumped and stayed low, turned sharply over visible patches, but the duo fought through it all, persevering unseparated until a run-out broke their stand after 318 balls.

South Africa began the day four down and effectively 40 runs ahead, with Rickelton having joined Matthew Breetzke late the previous evening. The pitch had dried up for Nathan Lyon to play a crucial role. The off-spinner took the first over.

For South Africa, Rickelton, a left-hander was crucial in tackling Lyon. For right-handers, Lyon found turn and bite on rough patches outside the off stump. Rickelton smartly used his crease and stride to smother his turn.

Mitchell Starc, meanwhile, had a mini play with Breetzke, testing him with short balls early. With spin a clear factor, Cooper Connolly also got his overs in, but it was ultimately Pat Cummins who found the prize, claiming his first wicket after 372 balls. Breetzke fell to their plan, pulling one on his hips to Starc at deep backward square. He walked back shaking his head, clearing displeased at the stroke.

The average turn recorded before Lunch was higher than any other session across the Test, prompting all of Connolly, Head, Renshaw and Labuschagne to lend Lyon a hand in widening the spin attack.

Australia’s best form of attack before the second new-ball was smothered by Rickelton and Mulder, who went into a protective shell. The first session yielded just 62 runs in 28 overs.

With Lyon unable to break through, Australia turned to Starc to shake things up with the second new ball. But he couldn’t conjure the magic of Day 1: unlike the overcast skies then, the sun shone brightly, allowing little assistance for swing. It didn’t take him too long to drag his lengths back.

The second session yielded 92 runs in 28 overs as the momentum slowly shifted towards the hosts.

Mulder eventually worked his way to a fifty, his first since that triple-century against Zimbabwe. Soon after, Rickelton reached his century, but the celebrations were short-lived. After a painstaking, potentially match-defining partnership worth 154 runs, Rickelton fell to a mix-up, run-out for 101.

It gave Australia an opening. South Africa had often lost wickets in bursts, and even with their sizeable lead, ran the risk of trailing off quickly. But Mulder continued to watchfully march along. When Jansen fell to a loose stroke, a swivel-pulling to deep square leg, and Simon Harmer was knocked over by Lyon, South Africa’s firm grip got a hit on the knuckles.

Mulder smacked a four off Lyon to take the lead past 250, but three balls later, Gerald Coetzee departed to another mix-up in the middle.

With Kagiso Rabada for company, and looking to attack, Mulder managed to extend the lead further and get to his century. With shadows lengthening, he heaved a six off Cummins, and slog-swept another off Lyon in quick succession. On 115, he was finally caught in the deep, having firmly put South Africa in prime position with a lead of 287.

It set up an exciting final day that could still go anywhere, about to cap off a series full of twists and turns.

Brief scores: South Africa 329 & 387 (Wiaan Mulder 115, Ryan Rickelton 101; Mitchell Starc 3-65, Pat Cummins 2-71) lead Australia 429 by 287 runs.