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Australia’s first-innings total of 243 in Port Elizabeth was well below par, but it would have been a lot worse without Tim Paine.
Paine, having formed a couple of key partnerships in the recent Ashes, scored 36 and proved the man for a collapse again.
The keeper guided Australia from 8-182 to a total of 243, adding 61 runs with the help of tailenders Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood.
Paine, promoted up the order one spot because of Mitch Marsh’s stomach bug, entered the fray following Steve Smith’s dismissal.
Lyon was full of praise for Paine’s composure during a game-changing burst from Kagiso Rabada.
“He’s provided a lot of calmness around batting with the tail. I know personally I like batting with him, he seems to not make you so nervous,” Lyon said.
“Especially as a bowler who can’t hold it.
“You’ve just got to try and enjoy the challenge of facing the best bowlers in the world and I was certainly enjoying that out there today. Credit has to go to Tim.
“He played a massive role to get the score from 170 to 240 … it’s given us a sniff.”
David Warner, who top-scored with 63, described Paine’s knock as “fantastic”.
Warner and Paine were both bowled by recalled paceman Lungi Ngidi.
“It was a special delivery that got him (Warner) out and I think that’s the type of balls you need to get top players out,” Vernon Philander said.
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