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Australia vs South Africa, day two of the third Test in Cape Town

THE Australian batting attack fell apart as the South Africans took control, enter the saviour Nathan Lyon.

James Matthey and James McKern
13 min read
March 24, 2018 - 8:26AM
Warner involved in another heated clash, this time with a fan.
Warner involved in another heated clash, this time with a fan.

Live: Day two of the second Test

Nathan Lyon helped saved the Australians from an embarrasing position with a glorious innings with the bat.

THE GOAT Nathan Lyon came to the rescue for the Aussies on a hard fought day two at the Newlands Stadium in Cape Town.

Australia fell into a heap and found themselves 136 runs behind when Lyon strolled to the crease and helped restore order to the match.

His career best innings of 47 was the second highest on the Australian scorecard and keeps the tourists in the contest.

Earlier in the day Dean Elgar carried his bat through the South African innings and in doing so he became only the second man in Test history to achieve the feat three times.

South Africa 311

Australia 9/245 after 67 overs — Hazlewood 1, Paine 33

3.00am

Bad light brings early end

Kagiso Rabada took center stage in the match he nearly didn’t appear in, smashing out David Warner’s off stump as South Africa pushed ahead in the third test against Australia on Friday.

Having dramatically overturned a two-test ban in the week before the game, Rabada won his latest tussle with Warner and took 3-81 to help keep Australia to 245-9 in its first innings at Newlands.

That put Australia 66 runs behind South Africa’s 311 in a test where the winner can’t lose the series.

It might have been even better for South Africa if tailender Nathan Lyon hadn’t launched an adventurous counterattack for Australia at the end of the day, when he thumped 47 off 38 balls in a 66-run partnership for the ninth wicket with Tim Paine (33 not out).

Still, on 266-8 overnight and tottering themselves, the South Africans wouldn’t have imagined they’d hold such a solid lead.

Rabada played a major role in that with ball and bat.

First, he was part of a late 50-run stand for South Africa that took the home team past 300. Opener Dean Elgar batted through the innings for his 141 not out and Rabada hung around for 22 useful runs.

Rabada then shared the limelight in South Africa’s bowling effort with Morne Morkel, the retiring fast bowler who took his 300th test wicket on the way to 4-87.

The pair combined to subdue Australia’s batsmen after opener Warner raced to 30 off 14 balls, hitting all of his five fours and a six off Rabada. Fellow opener Cameron Bancroft made a stoical 77.

Rabada, in trouble for his over-the-top celebrations in the second test, one of them screaming in the face of Warner, behaved himself on day two. A member of the crowd didn’t, though, as Warner was confronted and allegedly verbally abused by a spectator as he walked of the field having been sent packing by Rabada.

That Rabada strike to get Warner was the big early blow that set the tone for South Africa.

It came after Warner hit three successive fours off Rabada in one over. In the next, he hooked a huge six over the backward square leg boundary.

The ball needed to be recovered from a roof of one of the stands by a man using a crutch. Warner sliced the next delivery for another four, but was out the ball after when Rabada tightened his line and smashed the off stump out the ground.

Rabada was also in the midst of it for the second wicket to fall, taking the catch at backward square leg that dismissed Usman Khawaja off Morkel.

That run rate was reined in as Rabada and Morkel went to work, while Vernon Philander pitched in with 2-26.

Morkel captured Shaun Marsh caught behind for No. 300 in test cricket and celebrated the milestone excitedly as his international career approaches the end.

He broke out of a team huddle to pump his fists down toward the ground and then looked up at the sky.

He is the fifth South African to reach 300 test wickets after Shaun Pollock, Dale Steyn, Makhaya Ntini and Allan Donald.

Morkel also finally put a stop to Lyon’s antics at the end of the day, which threatened to erase South Africa’s position of dominance. Lyon swung lustily to hit eight fours in his highest score in tests.

— with AP

2.30am

The GOAT sets Test high

Nathan Lyon and Tim Paine have combined for a 66 run partnership to frustrate the locals who had the Aussies on the ropes on day two.

Lyon had been the driving force of the duo and as he edged close to recording his first ever Test half century, he went for one too many big shots.

Trying to loft Morne Morkel into the stands, he sent the ball high into the sky and running back Dean Elgar took a terrific catch.

The innings from Lyon saved the Australians from an embarrassing first innings total and brought the deficit to well under the three figure mark.

2.09am

Lyon wagging his tail

Things looked dire for the Australians after Mitchell Starc was sent packing and the scoreboard read 8/175.

Nathan Lyon strolled to the crease and, along with Tim Paine, set about getting the deficit under three figures.

A partnership of 31-runs has frustrated the locals as Lyon has played shots with only one thought in mind; boundaries or bust.

He raced to be 32 from only 23 deliveries and has brought the deficit all the way down to only 94 runs.

The score makes him the second-highest scorer for the Australian innings.

1.23am

Rabada strikes, Cummins gone

It’s going from bad to worse for the Australians as the wickets continue to tumble. The latest to head back to the rooms is Pat Cummins.

A perfect delivery from Kagiso Rabada squared Cummins up and the slight reverse movement caught the outside edge and sent a simple catch to the slip cordon.

The Aussies still trail by 138 runs and now sit squarely behind the eight ball.

12.45am

Runs at a premium

After losing two wickets in the final 15-minutes before the Tea break, the Aussies have gone into their shells.

Tim Paine and Mitch Marsh have tried to bunker down and do their best to fight off the South African onslaught.

The runs have really dried up and to make matters worse for the tourists, the ball is starting to show real signs of reverse swing.

Unfortunately Marsh couldn’t outlast the marvellous bowling of Vernon Philander as he was forced to play at a ball that moved in the air towards him before drifting away late and catching the edge.

All of the momentum is with the South Africans and with plenty of cricket still to be played on day two, they could even spend some time with the bat.

12.15am

‘Fragile’ Aussies tumble

Cameron Bancroft and Shaun Marsh set about resurrecting the Australian innings after a top order crumble left the tourists at 3/72.

They dug in and kept the scoreboard ticking over as they gallantly put on a partnership of 78-runs to take the Aussies to 3/150.

Then the game swung in a matter of moments.

Morne Morkel lured Shaun Marsh into a wild shot that saw him send an edge through to the keeper Quinton de Kock.

It was then Vernon Philander who removed the critical wicket of Bancroft with a perfect delivery that clattered into his pads and left him trapped plumb in front.

Still trailing by 161 runs, the Aussies are in desperate need of a Mitch Marsh and Tim Paine partnership.

The series sits firmly in the favour of the locals right now with a huge third session coming up.

11.55pm

Morkel gets wicket number 300

Morne Morkel has continued his charge as the chief destroyer with the ball as he lured Shaun Marsh into a slashing shot wide outside of off-stump.

The wild shot snapped a much needed partnership for the Aussies, but gives Morkel his 300th Test wicket.

He’s claimed three of the four wickets to fall on day two for the locals after earlier claiming Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith.

11.35pm

Warne praises battling Bancroft

Cameron Bancroft was feeling the heat from the outside world after several lacklustre displays with the bat in hand.

He’s so far in this innings proved those doubters wrong with a masterful knock.

Along with Shaun Marsh, the duo have steadied the ship for the Aussies and are beginning to get under the skin of the South Africans.

Bancroft is continuing to tick the scoreboard over at an impressive rate as he’s pushed on to 73.

Shane Warne spoke glowingly of the under-fire opener who has shown a level head while his teammates played loose shots.

“As good as I’ve seen Bancroft play, right now in this innings it’s been his best,” Warne said.

At the other end of the wicket Marsh has shown his class by not being sucked into any wild shots and has been happy to take a backseat to the Bancroft show.

11.01pm

Australia bring up the 100

A fast start by the Australian batting attack has come at a cost with the loss of three early wickets. David Warner was the first to depart, before Usman Khawaja joined him not long after. Steve Smith was the third to fall after being caught in the gully.

A current partnership of 35-runs between Cameron Bancroft and Shaun Marsh has settled the Aussie innings.

Bancroft brought up his third Test half-century with a cracking shot through the cover-point region. He’s played an important role so far and the Aussies will be hoping he can reach three figures.

10.25pm

Morkel gets Smith after lunch

A disasterous moment for the Aussies as skipper Steve Smith is sent packing just after the lunch break by towering quick Morne Morkel.

A short delivery caught Smith quicker than he expected and he sent an edge flying through to the gully where the catch was claimed by Dean Elgar.

The wicket takes Morkel to 299 in Test cricket.

Shaun Marsh joins Bancroft at the crease and will need to help dig Australia out of an early hole.

9.30pm

Lunch

What a first session day two has brought us. Four wickets fell and over 100 runs were scored between the two sides.

Nathan Lyon cleaned up the South African tail with two wickets in his first over after finally being brought into the attack.

Then it was the David Warner show as he went after the bowling of Kagiso Rabada for a quick fire 30 runs.

Rabada struck back to send Warner packing and while the celebrations were tame, there was still controversy.

Warner clashed with a fan on his way up the race and into the dressing rooms, an incident that will surely come under the microscope.

Khawaja strolled to the crease with the heat increasing on his place in the side and he did himself no favours by falling for only five runs after playing a bizarre shot.

A lofted pull picked out Rabada in the deep and the dismissal sent social media into a spiral.

Steve Smith and Cam Bancroft remain at the crease as the Aussies will look to close the gap on the locals first innings total.

9.07pm

Warner involved in another spat

After being dismissed by Kagiso Rabada, David Warner made his way towards the sheds and as he got close to the gate leading to the stairs, a fan was waiting.

Clapping as Warner drew closer, the fan clearly had some choice words to say to the Australian opener which didn’t sit kindly with him.

Turning back to face the fan, Warner exchanged a few words before security stepped in and poorly attempted to stem the flow of chatter.

As Warner made his way up the race, the fan kept up alongside him and the men continued chatting all the way up the stairs.

Australian security officer Frank Dimasi then stepped out of the dressing room and jumped the fence before having a conversation with the fan.

Warner has been at the centre of controversy throughout the series following his run-in with Quinton de Kock, during the first Test, after the South African hurled “vile and disgusting” remarks in his direction about his wife Candice.

A series that has often lost the shine behind the constant string of controversies could again see another chapter being written.

8.59pm

Rabada wins the war

Kagiso Rabada was getting sent to all parts of Newlands stadium by David Warner who dispatched him for 22 runs from five deliveries.

The very next ball though Rabada had his revenge as he went straight through Warner and sent his off-stump flying through the air.

Usman Khawaja now comes to the crease and will be hoping to pile on the runs to fight off the doubts surrounding his place in the team.

8.51pm

Warner going after Rabada

David Warner wasn’t in the mood to let Kagiso Rabada get settled and into a devastating rhythm like he did in the second Test.

In his second over, Warner picked him apart for three straight boundaries. The first two were picture perfect cover drives before he flicked one off of his pads through the leg side.

Warner has quickly raced to 20 runs from 11 deliveries.

8.16pm

Lyon cleans up tail in first over

Skipper Steve Smith will be kicking himself he didn’t bring the GOAT into the bowling attack earlier as Nathan Lyon needed only five bowls to wrap up the South African innings.

Lyon had Kagiso Rabada with his very first delivery as he tempted him with a floated delivery outside off-stump that turned just enough to find the edge.

Out came Morne Morkel who did manage to send one ball back over the head of Lyon for four, before he too sent a faint edge through to the safe hands of Smith at slip.

The two catches to end the innings made it five in total for Smith, the equal-most by a non-wicketkeeper in a Test innings.

Dean Elgar carried his bat throughout the innings for South Africa in a dazzling display of batting prowess.

It makes it the third time in his Test career he has batted throughout an innings and makes him one of only batsman in Test history to achieve the feat.

Pat Cummins was the pick of the bowlers for the Aussies as he finished the first innings with 4/78. Lyon and Josh Hazlewood both ended with two wickets each.

8pm

Proteas frustrate Aussies

Dean Elgar and Kagiso Rabada frustrated the Aussie attack in the opening half-hour.

Rabada was gaining in confidence, moving to 20 with a straight drive for four while Elgar was displaying the same resistance he displayed to blunt the visitors’ bowlers for the entirety of day one.

6pm

Aussies make good on sledging prediction

Cameron Bancroft predicted Australia would sledge Vernon Philander for his tweeting habits and the Aussies made good on that promise on day one.

Philander claimed a tweet sent from his account likening Steve Smith to a diving football player and accusing the skipper of being at fault for his collision with Kagiso Rabada in Port Elizabeth was the result of hackers, but that excuse didn’t wash with the tourists.

When Philander was batting wicketkeeper Tim Paine was heard saying: “Switch the phone off next time Vernon,” while others reportedly got in on the action too.

6pm

Rabada overshadows centurion

Rabada toughed it out to remain unbeaten at stumps.
Rabada toughed it out to remain unbeaten at stumps.

Dean Elgar raised his bat after reaching triple figures but the biggest roar of the day was saved for Kagiso Rabada, who finished day one unbeaten on six.

Cleared to play this Test after a successful appeal had his suspension for shouldering Steve Smith overturned, the crowd was thrilled to see South Africa’s star quick in action — even if it was with the bat rather than the ball.

Fans in Cape Town rose as one as he made his way to the middle and roared every time he connected.

“He got a standing applause when he walked out to bat and every time he hit the ball the crowd erupted,” former Australian batsman Adam Voges told ESPN Cricinfo.

“To see the whole crowd on their feet when Rabada walked out — we knew something special was going to happen and we’ll see how he responds in the rest of the Test.”

5pm

AB’s chilling prediction for Aussies

De Villiers had a chilling prediction for Australia.
De Villiers had a chilling prediction for Australia.

Centurion Dean Elgar insists the pitch in Cape Town is no batsman’s paradise, while AB de Villiers says it reminds him of the surface at the same venue on which pure chaos unfolded in 2011.

South Africa will resume at 8-266 on day two of the third Test, having been in the box seat to post a far more imposing first-innings total after marching to 2-220.

Australia are well placed to bat themselves into a decent position, but as some members of the current side know all too well, Test cricket is a funny beast. Australia rolled the Proteas for 96 at Newlands in 2011, claiming a first- innings lead of 188 runs, then watched in disbelief as they were skittled for 47.

It remains Australia’s lowest Test total since 1902. The hosts won the game by eight wickets.

“It reminds me quite a bit, and I’m not saying it’s going to happen, of that wicket,” de Villiers told SuperSport, having scored 64 and looked well set to produce his second century of the four-Test series.

“That funny Test.

“I’m not saying it’s going to be wickets galore in the next couple of innings, but it played similar to that first innings. Michael Clarke made it look quite easy and then it just started going a little bit around.

“Just when you feel in you can get out, just like myself.” Elgar, who finished 121 not out after watching a collapse of 6-37 from the non- striker’s end, suggested de Villiers makes any pitch look docile with the ease at which he scores runs.

“But the wicket is by no means flat,” the opener said.

“It was tough out there, especially when you’re a new batter in. “This wicket has shown characteristics that batting might be tough and get tougher as the Test goes on.

“Which is perfect for us, because our bowling unit can really exploit the conditions.” Elgar was full of praise for Pat Cummins, who swung momentum Australia’s way by snaring 4-7 late on day one at Newlands.

“We tried to handle him as best we could. I also thought he was quite a big threat throughout the whole day but he really hit his straps (in that last spell),” Elgar said.

“He’s ultimately brought Australia back into this game.”

— Rob Forsaith, AAP

5pm

Cummins laughs off possible controversy

Pat Cummins roared to life late in the day.
Pat Cummins roared to life late in the day.

Australian fast bowler Pat Cummins laughed off an incident captured on television which appeared to show him stopping the ball with the spikes of his shoes during the third Test against South Africa on Thursday.

The incident happened shortly before tea at Newlands when Cummins was bowling to opener Dean Elgar but drew no action from the umpires, who inspected the ball and allowed play to continue with it.

“It was a mistake,” said Cummins. “I looked straight back and the umpire (Richard Illingworth) started to giggle. It was very unintentional.” Cummins finished the first day with 4-64 as the home side reached 266 for eight at stumps.

The ongoing series has been dogged by controversy with Australia’s David Warner and South African wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock squaring up in the first match.

Then, in the second Test at Port Elizabeth, Proteas fast bowler Kagiso Rabada was banned for shoulder-charging Australian skipper Steve Smith.

Rabada appealed the decision and has been allowed to play at Cape Town.

— AFP

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