South Africa v Australia 3rd Test: Cameron Bancroft stays strong but Aussies face uphill task in Cape Town

THE Aussies are under real pressure in Cape Town after some poor batting and inspired bowling from Morne Morkel on a pitch offering variable bounce handed the hosts a decisive advantage.

Mitchell Marsh hardly troubled the scorebook as the Aussies struggled.

AUSTRALIA has had worse days, Usman Khawaja and Shaun Marsh have played worse shots, and games have been won from worse situations, but none of those observations will give comfort to a team that was 9-245 at the close of play on day two at Cape Town.

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Steve Smith’s side trailed South Africa by 66 when the umpires led them off because of bad light. Tim Paine 33no and Josh Hazlewood 1no will continue on day three.

Making up any gap will be hard with the wicket cracking up and the bounce variable. Last innings run chases at Cape Town are as hard as they get.

Mitchell Marsh hardly troubled the scorebook as the Aussies struggled.

It was a torrid and compelling day of cricket. Unsettling bounce off a length undid Australia’s top order and reverse swing later in the day it quickly accounted for most of the lower order.

Cameron Bancroft’s second half century of the tour indicated a batsman finding his feet at the top level, but it was important for him and his side that he went on to bigger things.

Bancroft (77) was playing the innings of his life, keeping his head in difficult circumstances as David Warner (30), Usman Khawaja (5), Steve Smith (5) and Shaun Marsh (26) lost theirs.

The WA opener battled early, many shots streaking off the inside edge.

He played and missed often, but he didn’t go looking for the ball and most importantly he didn’t panic.

He and Marsh put on 78 together when the more senior batsman was shaken by a Morne Morkel delivery that rose up and slammed into the splice. The older of the Australian brothers flailed wildly at the next ball which was wide and should have been ignored.

It was a terrible piece of cricket from the middle order batsman who should know better.

Cameron Bancroft blossomed after a slow start.

Steve Smith awkwardly deals with a short ball.

Marsh was Morne Morkel’s 300th Test scalp. The South African quick, who is playing in his last series, celebrated the breakthrough and was inundated by team-mates who wanted to join the party.

Wife Roz Kelly and son Ari were at the ground for the milestone moment which comes in his 85th match. Morkel finished the day with 4-87.

That wicket exposed Marsh’s younger brother Mitch and when Bancroft fell with the lunch break close there were two new batsman exposed to a reversing ball that was difficult even when you are set.

It was always a hard day for batsman and that’s what made Shaun Marsh’s dismissal so much worse. The bowler didn’t get him out, he did it himself to a ball even Morkel will admit did not deserve a wicket.

Marsh shot was irresponsible and Khawaja’s not much better.

Khawaja played a loose pull, managing only a top edge to third man when more application was needed.

Smith, who is having a surprisingly thin tour, was surprised by a short ball from the same bowler.

Nathan Lyon gave the Aussies some respectability late on.

Nathan Lyon’s free wheeling 47 gave the innings some respectability, the tail ender stepping away and throwing his arms at everything the South Africans came at him with.

Lyon owes his team-mates after dropping Dean Elgar when the batsman was on 53 on day one. The opener went on to score an undefeated 141 - the third time in his career he has carried his bat.

Lyon’s innings was aided by the fact that Vernon Philander (2-26) had to leave the field after injuring his neck attempting a catch.

Both Morkel and Rabada (3-81) had just bowled a long spell and the South Africans even turned to Temba Bavuma for an over as they attempted to rotate the tired bowlers.

SCOREBOARD

South Africa 311

Dean Elgar not out 141

Aiden Markram c Smith b Hazlewood 0

Hashim Amla c Cummins b Hazlewood 31

AB de Villiers c Warner b Cummins 64

Faf du Plessis c Smith b Cummins 5

Temba Bavuma c Smith b Cummins 1

Quinton de Kock c Paine b Cummins 3

Vernon Philander c Paine b Marsh 8

Keshav Maharaj c Bancroft b Starc 3

Kagiso Rabada c Smith b Lyon 22

Morne Morkel c Smith b Lyon 4

Extras: (13b, 11lb, 3nb, 2w) 29

TOTAL: (all out) 311

Overs: 97.5

Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-92, 3-220, 4-234, 5-236, 6-242, 7-254, 8-257, 9-307, 10-311.

Bowling: Mitchell Starc 21-3-81-1 (2nb), Josh Hazlewood 23-4-59-2, Nathan Lyon 19.5-6-43-2, Pat Cummins 26-6-78-4 (1w), Mitchell Marsh 7-2-26-1 (1w, 1nb), Steve Smith 1-1-0-0.

Australia 9-245

Cameron Bancroft lbw b Philander 77

David Warner b Rabada 30

Usman Khawaja c Rabada b Morkel 5

Steve Smith c Elgar b Morkel 5

Shaun Marsh c de Kock b Morkel 26

Mitchell Marsh c de Kock b Philander 5

Tim Paine not out 33

Pat Cummins c de Villiers b Rabada 4

Mitchell Starc c de Villiers b Rabada 2

Nathan Lyon c Elgar b Morkel 47

Josh Hazlewood not out 1

Extras: (1b, 5lb, 4nb) 10

TOTAL: (for 9 wickets) 245

Overs: 67.

Fall of wickets: 1-43, 2-61, 3-72, 4-150, 5-150, 6-156, 7-173, 8-175, 9-241.

Bowling: Vernon Philander 15-5-26-2 (1nb), Kagiso Rabada 19-1-81-3 (3nb), Morne Morkel 20-6-87-4, Keshav Maharaj 12-3-35-0, Temba Bavuma 1-0-10-0.