Smith breaks record as Labuschagne protests third umpire call

Steve Smith of Australia took three brilliant slip catches during day three of the Test against South Africa, surpassing England's Joe Root as the most prolific Test fielder. The first catch came when Smith anticipated Temba Bavuma's reverse sweep and snared the ball early. A second diving catch above his head and in front of Matt Renshaw followed, with Smith then securing a third reflex catch after seeing Kyle Verreynne shape to reverse sweep.

Smith now has 222 catches in 126 Tests, surpassing Root's 220 in 169 matches. With 12 more Tests remaining, Smith has the chance to widen his lead. Meanwhile, Marnus Labuschagne was visibly upset after his catch of Wiaan Mulder was overturned by the third umpire. The decision came after a delay and review, with officials concluding the ball had touched grass.

Mitch Starc faced early difficulties due to pitch maintenance, calling for adjustments to the bowling area. After initial struggles, he regained his rhythm and dismissed David Bedingham with a sharp delivery. South Africa's Tristan Stubbs failed to replicate the form of Matt Renshaw, falling to Josh Hazlewood after a deceptive bouncer from Pat Cummins.

Nic Maddinson ended the day with a strong performance, scoring 17 runs off 19 deliveries. After a duck in the first innings, he hit a six off Wiaan Mulder and a boundary through backward point. The innings ended prematurely due to bad light, with Ryan Rickleton losing the ball in dim conditions.