Quick hits: Renshaw floored by miracle grab as Bavuma's six stops traffic

Matt Renshaw has been shocked by his own miracle grab, while Temba Bavuma's soaring six has stopped the Gqeberha traffic on a day when a soggy outfield threatened to ruin it all.

Here are the quick hits from day two of the second Test between Australia and South Africa.

1. A soggy outfield almost ruins it all

Things did not look good as the scheduled start of play approached on day two. Dark skies and pouring rain meant a delay was inevitable.

But within two hours, the rain had ceased, and another hour after that, the sun was beating down in Gqeberha.

The St George's outfield, however, just wasn't playing ball. Three surface inspections came and went, with the umpires and ground staff determining the soggy turf too treacherous for play on each occasion.

The two areas of particular concern, both deep in the outfield, were simply refusing to drain.

It was Test cricket at its exasperating, excruciating worst, and the threat of an entirely lost day loomed on the horizon.

But five hours after the scheduled start of play, and more than three since the last downfall, the officials finally determined the field fit for purpose.

By the time the Australian bowlers were going through their warm-ups, it was a glorious day in the Eastern Cape.

2. Hazlewood the latest to succumb to sickness

But when the Australians finally got on the field for a 30-over evening session, they were without one of their most dangerous weapons.

Josh Hazlewood was battling sickness and nowhere to be seen at St George's Park, leaving just the — admittedly serviceable — trio of Pat Cummins, Mitch Starc and Scott Boland for the South African batters to contend with.

A day earlier umpire Chris Gaffaney was forced to withdraw from the Test with a bout of food poisoning, no doubt leaving those in attendance wondering if there might be a dish to avoid at the St George's canteen.

Hazlewood is expected to return on day three.

3. Carey poised for 200

It was typically outstanding stuff from Boland as day two belatedly began.

The Victorian had Temba Bavuma swinging and missing dramatically with the first ball of the afternoon. He only had to wait until his second set of the day to claim his third wicket of the match, luring Marques Ackerman into a drive and nicking off the debutant for six.

Meanwhile, behind the stumps, Alex Carey was nearing a major milestone.

And when Mitchell Starc had Matthew Breetzke edging through to the Australian wicketkeeper only moments later, Carey was one take away from becoming the fifth Australian gloveman to take 200 catches in Test cricket after Adam Gilchrist, Ian Healy, Rod Marsh and Brad Haddin.

Carey will hope to join that group on day three.

4. Bavuma interrupts traffic with massive six

It was an absolutely massive six, and it came from absolutely nowhere.

Bavuma had been so composed and diligent in steadying ship after the losses of Ackerman and Breetzke, and looked set to defend his way to stumps.

But the South Africa captain absolutely exploded in hooking Cummins over the backward square leg boundary.

The ball sailed over the rope, out of the stadium and then rolled onto the road, where a security guard was forced to weave through the Gqeberha traffic to collect it.

5. Renshaw stunned by own miracle grab

With only a matter of minutes remaining in the day's play, Australia was pushing for the one final wicket that would put them well on top in the game.

Shadows were lengthening, light was fading quickly, and Marnus Labuschagne had just put down a relatively simple catch at leg slip.

Visibility clearly wasn't great but, somehow, Matt Renshaw produced something remarkable.

It was definitely Carey's catch, but the Australian wicketkeeper was rooted to the spot as Ryan Rickleton edged towards the men behind the wicket.

The ball looked destined to fly between the keeper and slip, but there he was, Renshaw, diving at full stretch and managing to get his right hand between ball and turf.

The Queenslander looked absolutely stunned to have taken the catch that had South Africa rocking at 5-97 at stumps.