Talking points from day one of the second Test in South Africa
TENSIONS were at boiling point and consequences were high for mouthy players on day one, especially for one South African gun.
KAGISO Rabada sparked an Australian collapse on day one after a strong start to the Test for the tourists was sent spiralling by the 22-year-old’s aggressive seam bowling.
The Proteas firebrand took his eighth five-wicket haul on the first day, sending Steve Smith and Co. to the sheds before any batsman could make a serious impact on the game.
A solid 63 from vice-captain David Warner was the highlight of the day for the Aussies as they were bowled out for 243.
South Africa lost Aiden Markram early but sit in the imposing position of 1/39 ahead of day two.
Here were all the major talking points from day one at Port Elizabeth.
CONTROVERSY ENGULFS SMITH WICKET
Steve Smith suffered what will arguably be his most head-scratching dismissal of the series last week after falling to part-timer Dean Elgar via LBW in Durban, but this blunder on day one has already firmed as a strong contender.
Smith fought to a well-made 25 but was trapped LBW by Kagiso Rabada midway through the middle session.
The ball skidded low and smacked the skipper clean in front of the pegs, prompting a quick finger from the umpire to send him to the pavilion — but the Aussie star wasn’t convinced.
Smith went for the DRS and was quickly sent on his way as Hawkeye showed the ball to be crashing into the pegs.
Rabada, who is being watched closely by the ICC after being fined for previous send-offs, was pulled up by fans for appearing to nudge Smith as he passed him before giving the 27-year-old a hearty send-off.
All sorts going off. Rabada gives Smith a huge send-off which is likely to attract the ire of the ICC after Warner/De Kock gate. Mitchell Marsh due in next but appears to have just woken up so Tim Paine strides out. #SAvAus
â James Whaling (@jjwhaling) March 9, 2018
Rabada bowling beautifully. South Africa will miss him in the third Test.#RSAvsAUS
â Richard Hinds (@rdhinds) March 9, 2018
FANS SPLIT OVER ‘TERRIBLE’ ENTERTAINMENT
Port Elizabeth took a leaf out of the Barmy Army’s book and filled day one with a rambunctious brass band playing in the background — but the colourful attempt at livening up the minuscule crowd wasn’t well received by a number of fans.
The cheery melodies were able to be heard on Fox Sports’ live TV broadcast of the game for the entire day, piercing through the “deathly quiet” crowd as Australia’s batsmen poked around before collapsing to 243 in the third session.
I can hear a bloody recorder amongst this brass shitshowðð#SAvAus pic.twitter.com/CwVXh3i31w
â Megan Hustwaite (@MeganHustwaite) March 9, 2018
Brass band at the #SAvAUS cricket: ðð¼
â James Mottershead (@mottersjames) March 9, 2018
10 minutes later: pic.twitter.com/h5XmmFvphx
Surely this band in Port Elizabeth is not going to play non-stop during the test match! Is it? ð© #SAvAUS ð
â Stephen Quartermain (@Quartermain10) March 9, 2018
Still deathly quiet in PE. Even the band appears a bit half-hearted. Australia going at 1.38 runs per over, 18-0 after 13 overs. This is the anti-Durban #SAvAUS
â Gerald Imray (@GeraldImrayAP) March 9, 2018
Wonder if anyone at Port Elizabeth has considered the relationship between their decision to let a terrible brass band into the ground and the fact that there's nobody else at the game. #SAvAUS
â Andrew Mueller (@andrew_mueller) March 9, 2018
The feedback to the famous Port Elizabeth band wasn’t all bad, though, with a handful of fans going against the grain and dubbing it the “best thing in world cricket”.
Love the brass band #savaus
â Daniel Cherny ð° (@DanielCherny) March 9, 2018
Oh my word the Port Elizabeth brass band is one of the BEST things in world cricket. #SAvAUS
â James Maasdorp ð (@MaasdorpJR) March 9, 2018
WARNER, DE KOCK KEEP IT ZIPPED
After the explosive fallout to the first Test, all eyes were on David Warner and Quinton de Kock as the Aussie opener shaped up to face the first morning against South Africa.
Warner declared he wouldn’t be changing his firebrand approach to the game despite being one slip-up from suspension, but the anticipated fireworks between the Aussie vice-skipper and the home side weren’t to be as each side played it safe.
Warner let his bat do the talking as he safely poked the ball around in the first hour before bludgeoning the attack after drinks on his way to 63.
It seems unusually quiet out on the field in Port Elizabeth. Almost like a class of schoolboys who have been recently scolded. FAf said at toss it's time for cricket to do the talking after Durban. #SAvAUS
â Gerald Imray (@GeraldImrayAP) March 9, 2018
RABADA IN TROUBLE
Kagiso Rabada roared through Australia - stoking up the animosity between the teams on the way - as South Africa bowled the tourists out for 243 on day one of the second test on Friday. Rabada took five wickets in the space of 18 balls in a blistering spell just before and after tea at St. George’s Park, sending the Australians slumping from 161-3. They were saved from a worse fate when Tim Paine made 36 and put on 61 with Australia’s last two batsmen.
Rabada took three of his wickets in an over, and removed Australian batsmen on the last ball before tea and first ball after it, to turn the tide in the home team’s favor.
The quick bowler may also have added to the ill-feeling between the teams, which came to a head with a confrontation last weekend between Australia’s David Warner and South Africa’s Quinton de Kock on a staircase near the dressing rooms in the first test at Durban.
After dismissing Steve Smith on Friday in Port Elizabeth, Rabada appeared to intentionally bump into the Australia captain with his shoulder during his follow-through. The incident has the potential to see Rabada banned, possibly for the rest of the series.
Also under scrutiny following the unsavory incident with de Kock in the first game, Warner made 63 at the top of the order only for Australia to slip up badly in the second session, when it lost five wickets for 72 having been 98-1 at lunch.
Bancroft fell on the brink of lunch for 38. Usman Khawaja (4), Warner, Smith (25), Shaun Marsh (24) and Mitchell Marsh (4) were out after lunch. Rabada came back after the break to remove Pat Cummins first ball after tea, and followed up with the wicket of Mitchell Starc for figures of 5-96.
Fellow pacemen Lungi Ngidi had three wickets and Vernon Philander two. Australia vice-captain Warner was the center of attention in the series opener in Durban after his ugly confrontation with South Africa de Kock on a staircase leading to the teams’ dressing rooms. Both players received fines and disciplinary sanctions from the International Cricket Council. He was back in the spotlight on the first day at St. George’s Park, coming through a tricky opening spell when the tourists scored just 18 runs in the first 13 overs after winning the toss and choosing to bat.
They picked off the runs after that measured start, with Warner accelerating by hitting nine fours.
South Africa made an important breakthrough when Warner, who looked in good touch, was bowled by Ngidi to follow Khawaja back to the dressing rooms after lunch.
Smith and Shaun Marsh put on 44 before Rabada’s day-changing spell. Australia went from 161-3 to 182-8 in that spell.
He had Smith and Shaun Marsh out lbw, with both failing with reviews, and Mitchell Marsh was caught behind by de Kock attempting an expansive drive at an inopportune moment just before the tea break. Cummins also edged behind and Starc was clean bowled, with Rabada aiming a comment at the Australian as he went on his way.
Four days on, the fallout from Durban and the Warner-de Kock affair continued, with Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland releasing a statement before play started in Port Elizabeth reminding the Australian players they needed to behave. Match referee Jeff Crowe also called the captains and managers to a meeting on the eve of the second test in an attempt to calm the situation. Warner’s and de Kock’s confrontation wasn’t the only heated moment in the opening test, which was characterized by an aggressive fielding display by Australia and a series of verbal exchanges between the teams.
— with AAP