Boxing Day Test: Australia crushes South Africa by an innings and 182 runs at MCG
Pat Cummins has played in some incredible Australian teams - but rarely has he seen one as all-conquering as his current squad of world dominators.
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Guts, love and unprecedented levels of care matched with skills taken to “another level” at the MCG moved Australian captain Pat Cummins to declare this juggernaut of a team the best he’s played in.
His outfit demolished South Africa for a second straight match in Melbourne and secured a series win which overturned three straight home losses to the Proteas despite a myriad of hurdles his men overcame to supply history-making moments and enduring storylines.
Changes loom as Australia looks to a series clean-sweep in Sydney with replacements for injured stars Cameron Green and Mitchell Starc to be decided as soon as Friday morning.
The efforts of those two, Green making 50 while batting with a broken finger, Starc bowling with a finger injury of his own so gruesome it continually drew blood, and grimaces, and one he said will keep him sidelined “for some time” only added to the adulation Cummins was prepared to heap on his men.
Cummins said it took “no convincing” to get Starc to bowl 18 overs second innings overs in pain to secure the massive win, the same manner of over-and-above commitment which drew Josh Hazlewood to tell selectors not to pick him before the game even started.
The end result, a win by an innings and 185 runs, bowling South Africa out twice inside four days, was not just a fitting tribute to the legend of Shane Warne at his beloved ground - “hopefully he’s watching somewhere proud” Cummins said - but the mark of a champion team wanting to dominate the world.
“All the incredible achievements this week, Starcy with a finger that‘s going to put him out for a few weeks, to have the bravery to go out there and do that. Cam Green the same, gutsing it out for us,” Cummins said.
“We saw Steve Smith and Davey (Warner) batting on day two in 38 degrees, gutsy, gutsy innings.
“Even Joshy Hazelwood before the game, you know, putting his hand up and kind of removing himself from selection I think just speaks volumes of the team at the moment.
“There‘s so much care, everyone would do anything for each other
“I mean, winning by an innings and 200 runs doesn‘t tell the full story. Alex Carey’s innings with Greeny to get us that lead, there’s so many different individual stories.
“It is probably the best team, you know, test team I‘ve played in just in terms of how well settled everyone is.
“We know it‘s not going to stay like this forever. But I think we can just all kind of sit back and appreciate the place that we are in at the moment because it’s really special and we’re having a hell of a lot of fun as well.”
Warner was named man of the match for his double-century, scored with his back against the wall, with walls closing in on him from all sides in fact.
Nathan Lyon closed out the game with three final day wickets, after his own shoulder scare, with home-town hero Scott Boland seizing two himself, knowing he could find himself out of the team in Sydney with Hazlewood to return and a second spinner a potential inclusion.
Starc, knowing he’s in a race to get back for the next series in India, echoed Cummins’ sentiments about the culture of care which embodies the Australian team under the captain and coach Andrew McDonald, and why he was happy to bowl on.
Wins are a result of the work done not just on field but off it too.
The South African fight may have been lacking, with the bat at least, but test match victories are earned, not given and this Australian team has the fight necessary to succeed..
“It‘s just a really enjoyable place to be and I think it’s been that way for a particular last 18, 24 months,” Starc said, his finger bandaged, awaiting more scans before his recovery period is locked in.
“We’re playing good cricket, it‘s a settled team. There’s a lot of trust there in whether it be preparation, knowing what you need to be ready for a test or know that you’re going to be able to deliver through the week.
“Pat mentioned at the start little things along the way, whether it be Greeny coming out with a broken finger or Josh putting his hand up or Davey batting forever in 38 degrees … it‘s team first for this group, no matter what and then doing that and with a lot of your closest mates.
“It‘s just a fun place to be.”
DAY FOUR LIVE COVERAGE
Thanks for following our live coverage of the Boxing Day Test — see you in Sydney!
CAPTAIN’S QUOTES
Pat Cummins: “It’s (the win) right up there. South Africa have had some wonderful contests over the years. I don’t think we have won a series in 20 years or something here on home soil. That’s really sweet and super proud of how we kind of gutsed it out at times and how the boys played.
On Nathan Lyon’s injury: “He’s good to go. He just winded himself going for the big hanger.”
On SCG selection: “A couple of thoughts. Nothing confirmed yet so we’ll work through that. Obviously got four or five days. Probably bring in a few new squad members. I think Starcy and Greeny will both miss Sydney.”
On winning as a tribute to Shane Warne: “Boxing Day is always a huge event and this year even more special celebrating Warnie. Hopefully we did a lot of Aussies proud. Big win, so many great performances from the team. Hopefully he’s watching somewhere proud.”
Dean Elgar: “It’s not easy at the moment. It’s a bit of a hammering that. We haven’t been up to speed with regards to the kind of intensity or play that Test cricket kind of deserves. We have got to do a lot of reflection going forward again. I thought we were good in periods, so there are a few positives out of that, but they’re not a lot.
“Call a spade a spade I think inexperience is killing us a little bit, especially on the batting. You have got to hit reality on the head as well we obviously lost a lot of batters the last few years and I think that’s got a role to play. But in saying that, there’s opportunities for guys to come in and really play and make spots their own and unfortunately that inexperience at that level is really hurting us.”
MAN OF THE MATCH: David Warner (Australia)
IT'S OVER! AUSTRALIA WINS. South Africa 204 all out LUNGI NGIDI b Smith 19 (21)3.18PM MILESTONE FOR SOUTH AFRICA
South Africa has ended a run of seven innings without reaching 200 thanks to a last-wicket stand which has reached 24 between Ngidi and Nortje.
NINE! South Africa 9-177 KAGISO RABADA c Cummins b Lyon 3 (12) BAVUMA GOES! South Africa 8-176 TEMBA BAVUMA c (sub) b Lyon 65 (144)The end is nigh.
RUN OUT! South Africa 7-174 KESHAV MAHARAJ run out (Starc) 13 (20)What a dreadful mix up. Mark Waugh doesn’t mince words on Fox Cricket, calling the calamity involving Maharaj and Bavuma “amateur hour” and below Test standard. Bavuma’s turn for the third run was very strange. He almost spun 360 degrees, causing all sorts of confusion. “Absolute disaster for South Africa and that sums up the first two Test matches for them,” Waugh said.
He added: “Just amateur hour from Bavuma unfortunately and that’s not good enough at Test level. It’s all right to be out to a good ball...but not a mistake like that.
Waugh later said: “They’re not quite up to Test level at the moment.”
Ian Smith called it “dreadful cricket”.
It's another runout for South Africa and some of these dismissals are just getting hard to believe now... Not a bad throw from Starcy though! 🫡
— News Cricket (@NewsCorpCricket) December 29, 2022
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2.45PM HOW ABOUT THIS STEVE SMITH BALL?
He’s out of the attack now but Steve Smith seriously ripped it during a brief cameo.
Adam Gilchrist told Fox Cricket it was likely Smith had come on to help Australia’s over rate.
No wicket here, but Steve Smith on bowling absolute peaches like this from the Shane Warne Stand end is just 🤌
— News Cricket (@NewsCorpCricket) December 29, 2022
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TEMBA BAVUMA 50 MORE REVIEW SUCCESS! South Africa 6-144 MARCO JANSEN lbw Lyon 5 (29)Lyon strikes and gets a big one. A great review from the Aussies. ðŸ‘
— News Cricket (@NewsCorpCricket) December 29, 2022
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NATHAN LYON BOWLINGNathan Lyon has returned to the bowling crease after earlier hurting his left shoulder.
2.10PM INDIA-PAKISTAN MCG TALKS TAKE PLACE
Owen Leonard and Tim Michell
Melbourne Cricket Club chief executive Stuart Fox has revealed the MCC and Victorian government are lobbying for an India-Pakistan Test match at the MCG.
The arch rivals don’t play against each other in their home countries due to political complications, and therefore only meet during limited-overs competitions such as world cups and the Asia Cup.
However, after packing out the MCG during the recent T20 World Cup in an epic encounter, there were calls for Melbourne to host a one-off India-Pakistan test match.
Fox confirmed that idea had progressed from initial interest but conceded there were “complications” to making it a reality.
“Three in a row would be lovely at the MCG — you’d fill it every time,” Fox told SEN.
“We have asked. We have taken that up with Cricket Australia and I know the government have as well.
“It’s enormously complicated in amongst, from what I understand, a really busy schedule, the world schedule. I think that’s probably the greater challenge.
“Wouldn’t it be great that it wasn’t just Australia-centric or Victoria-centric, that we’re catering for all the countries and filling the stadium all the time?”
Fox said he hoped Cricket Australia would continue to champion the idea with the ICC.
“When you do see some of the stadiums around the world unoccupied, I think it would be much better to have a full house, that atmosphere and celebrating the game with full houses,” he said.
1.55PM GRUESOME DETAILS OF GREEN INJURY REVEALED
Russell Gould
Cameron Green thought his broken finger was “inverted” when it was first cracked at the MCG before scans revealed the damage which is set to sideline him for some time.
But Green, who seized his first test five-wicket haul in Melbourne before making an unbeaten half-century as he batted through the pain, remains hopeful he’ll be back for February’s tour of India.
Green said he knew he’d suffered a serious injury almost immediately after getting hit by an Anrich Nortje bouncer, with scans revealing a “minor fracture” which has ruled him out of the final test in Sydney.
The 23-year-old will also miss a return to the BBL with the Perth Scorchers.
“You try to not show the pain straight away,” Green told cricket.com.au.
“”I marked my guard again and walked a couple of steps, and I was like ‘I reckon my finger is out of place here’.
“I checked on it – it looked a little bit inverted is the only way I can explain it. It already had a big cut in it, then I got the bad news after the scan.”
1.40PM LYON INJURY CONCERN
Nathan Lyon was assisted from the field after appearing to hurt his shoulder diving for a catch.
Lyon stayed down, grimacing in pain and then clutching at his shoulder.
“It’s a very ginger position he’s in,” said Adam Gilchrist in commentary.
The Australians will lose Cameron Green (fractured finger) and Mitchell Starc (finger) for the SCG.
Gilchrist added: “That change room has been like a hospital ward.
“That’s the last thing Australia need.”
In a pleasing sign for the Aussies, Lyon returned to the field a few overs later but did not appear to be 100 per cent.
Fox Cricket later reported Lyon had suffered a “stinger” in his non-bowling arm.
BOLAND STRIKES! South Africa 5-128 KYLE VERREYNNE lbw Boland 33 (40) Only minutes after Nathan Lyon is assisted from the field after hurting his shoulder, Scott Boland traps the South African keeper in front and a DRS review can’t save him.
1.30PM SKULL DOUBLES DOWN ON ALL-ROUNDER CALL
Kerry O’Keeffe says he hopes Australia goes with a “like-for-like” replacement for Cameron Green and considers debuting Aaron Hardie in Sydney.
The Western Australian all-rounder has already featured for Australia A and was touted by O’Keefe and Ricky Ponting as a Test bolter on Wednesday.
O’Keefe said on Thursday Hardie should be a serious contender to play at the SCG.
“You would think it would be like for like where upon Aaron Hardie the impressive West Australia all-rounder comes into the thinking,” he said on Fox Cricket.
“There’s a whisper that they’re going to play a second spinner who can bat a little bit. If you look at that scenario somebody like Ashton Agar is an option with Carey pushing up to bat six and Agar at seven.
“It means that Agar jumps over the top of Mitchell Swepson and the second best spinner in the country who is also an off-spinner in Todd Murphy. It will be horses for courses. Sydney has been dry.”
SESSION TWO UNDERWAYBavuma resumes on 37 — his highest score against Australia is 95 not out. But it’s more about how long the South Africans can bat than how many runs at the moment as they still trail by 266 and making Australia bat again looks a very tall order. Verreynne will be his partner on 27 not out.
LUNCH DAY FOUR - South Africa 4-120 Bavuma 37no, Verreynne 27no. Trails by 266 runsAustralia moved three wickets closer to wrapping up this Test series in an opening session extended by 30 minutes due to yesterday’s rain.
Erwee was the first to go after a successful Australian review for lbw and No. 3 batter Theunis de Bruyn followed three overs later when Scott Boland found his edge.
It came after de Bruyn was warned for backing up too far by Mitch Starc.
Khaya Zondo was the other wicket, caught flat footed and metres short of his ground by a Travis Head direct hit after being called through for a single by Temba Bavuma.
Since that disastrous moment, Bavuma and the impressive Kyle Verreynne have put on a partnership of 55 runs to defy the Australians into the middle session of play.
12.10PM COULD MCG TEST HAVE LATER START?
The boss of the Melbourne Cricket Club says he expects Cricket Australia to consider a later start to the opening day of the Boxing Day Test.
The idea of a midday start on December 26 has been floated to allow fans more time to converge on the MCG after festive celebrations the previous day.
It would mean pushing the traditional start back by 90 minutes and playing through until 7.30pm-8pm on day one.
“I have got to be careful here because we, the MCC are really a venue to hire,” MCC boss Stuart Fox said on SEN.
“Cricket Australia control the fixturing, as do the AFL here. We will support whatever they want.
“Personally, I love your idea. I think a 12pm start would work really well.
“It is a big Christmas Day isn’t it? You have really got to be up and going at about 8am if you want to get in here and get yourself settled if you want to be ready for that first ball.
“I like your idea and playing into the night day one. Not suggesting a day-night Test, but I don’t mind your idea personally.
“Cricket Australia, I had a quick chat to Nick Hockley about it and I think they’ll look at it.”
RUN OUT! South Africa 4-65 KHAYA ZONDO run out (Head) 1 (19)What an absolute disaster for South Africa. Bavuma bunts a ball straight to Travis Head, Zondo is caught on his heels and he’s metres short when Head hits the stumps. That was very poor cricket.
“That’s a terrible run. It really is,” says Mark Waugh in commentary.
“Bavuma has called the single, there was half a single in it.
“Zondo had given up.”
Waugh added: “I think that probably sums up their tour so far. Mistake after mistake.
“Looks like he was asleep … his backing up looked non-existent.”
PINPOINT from Travis Head on his birthday and Zondo's on his way! This is turning into a real disaster for South Africa. 🎂
— News Cricket (@NewsCorpCricket) December 29, 2022
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11.35AM EX-PROTEAS SPINNER’S SWIPE
Former South African tweaker Paul Harris has appeared to slam the Proteas’ Aussie tour efforts in a tweet overnight.
Retweeting a 2021 post from the official Proteas account which read “our victories are not measured by the scoreboard but how many we bring along with us”, Harris simply posted eight laughing emojis as his country stumbled to a series defeat in Australia.
Harris was part of the fearsome South African squad that defeated Australia in Australia in the 2008/09 summer.
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 https://t.co/v7PmLvUGbA
— paul harris (@paulharris12) December 28, 2022
WICKET! South Africa 3-57 THEUNIS DE BRUYN c Smith b Boland 28 (68) Steve Smith pouches his 150th catch in Test cricket to give Scott Boland his first wicket of the second innings. South Africa is teetering again with Australia still leading by 329 runs.
11.05AM STARC’S MANKAD WARNING FOR BATTERS
Mitch Starc has issued a mankad warning to South Africa as tensions rose in the opening session of day four.
Cameras captured the Aussie quick telling No. 3 batter Theunis de Bruyn: “Stay in your crease. It's not that hard.”
“He’s given him two warnings next time I reckon he’s going to whip the bails off,” said Mark Waugh in commentary.
De Bruyn was out minutes after the spray, caught in the slips off Scott Boland.
Asked about the incident minutes later, Starc told Fox Cricket: “I think he was halfway down Punt Road wasn’t he? It’s bad enough in white-ball cricket, I don't know what the need is in red-ball cricket. Just letting him know if I have to keep my foot behind the line he can at least keep his bat behind the line.”
Travis Head later weighed in on Channel 7: “Marcus Harris did say he was somewhere down Punt Road he was that far out of his crease. I think it was mentioned to him a couple of times, all in good fun. It’s in the rules now isn’t it?
"Stay in your crease, it's not that hard" 😤
— News Cricket (@NewsCorpCricket) December 29, 2022
Starc threatened the mankad before giving Theunis de Bruyn a spray.
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10.50AM - AUSTRALIA REVIEWS SUCCESSFULLY! South Africa 2-47 SAREL ERWEE lbw b Starc 21 (41) Mitchell Starc gets a ball to swing back at Erwee and he jams the bat down — but too late. He was originally given not out but Pat Cummins sent the decision upstairs and the third umpire decided Erwee hit his toe first, rather than making contact with the ball. South Africa still trails by 339 runs.
Josh Hazlewood revealed the difficulty Starc is having bowling earlier, telling SEN: “He seems OK. 140km and swinging it. He’s obviously in a lot of pain and dealing with that, but as far as bowling I think he’ll get through today.”
Mitchell Starc fights through the pain to grab the early breakthrough for Australia. Cummins sends it upstairs and Erwee's given out on review.
— News Cricket (@NewsCorpCricket) December 28, 2022
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10.45AM CUMMINS’ SPELL BETTER THAN SA ATTACK
Owen Leonard
Pat Cummins bowled four maidens with his four overs this innings, which is more than any South African has bowled over the entire series so far.
The Aussie captain has so far managed 15 maidens, nearly double the next best, which is Mitch Starc on eight.
Each of South Africa’s four specialist bowlers have managed just three, while all-rounder Marco Jansen has claimed two.
Overall, the Aussies have bowled 37 maidens to South Africa’s 14, illustrating a stark difference in pressure applied.
10.30AM CAREY REFLECTS ON GREEN CELEBRATION
Alex Carey might have looked subdued when he scored his maiden Test ton on day three, but his batting partner Cameron Green was anything but.
Green had his armed raised as soon as Carey’s drive beat the field, knowing his teammate was about to reach triple figures for the first time in a Test.
Carey revealed post-match the moment had been replayed in the Australian dressing room to highlight team spirit.
“He certainly is and we have spoken a lot over the past period of playing together and we love batting together,” Carey told ABC.
“We have formed a really strong relationship off the field.
“We just sat down there in the rooms as a group and the staff put that together and showed the group, I guess, what it means to play in a team sport and celebrating others’ success. He did that and no better way than showing that emotion out there. It means a lot to me. I love batting with him.”
Carey said he did not expect to Green to bat in the first innings and was surprised when he joined him in the middle.
The least Cameron Green deserves for such a gritty effort, both in supporting Alex Carey in reaching 100 and prolonging the Australian innings. #AUSvSA
— Mat (@MG_Farma) December 28, 2022
The raised hands from Green are so wholesome.
— Lachlan McKirdy (@LMcKirdy7) December 28, 2022
Also reminded me of the Symonds-Hayden celebration when Roy got his first ton. #AUSvSApic.twitter.com/SPZxmgISgx
10.15AM HOW WILL THE PITCH PLAY?
Here’s what Mike Hussey said earlier on Fox Cricket: “It’s really not changed too much in the last couple of days, it has to be said. It's holding together really well. There’s a little bit of rough for a spinner to work into but it’s not that really deep rough that you expect to see maybe on day three or day four of a Test match. There’s still a nice even coverage of grass, still a tinge of green … with the brand new ball it can just seam a little bit.”
Hussey also reported “a little bit of rough” that would offer assistance for Nathan Lyon but tipped conditions would favour batting if South Africa is good enough to take advantage.
10AM DAY FOUR UNDERWAY - South Africa 1-15 Erwee 7no, de Bruyn 6noPat Cummins has the ball in hand with Erwee and de Bruyn to resume for South Africa. Can they thwart the Aussies in this first session?
9.55AM DAY FOUR PREVIEW
#AUSvSA day four preview for @NewsCorpCricketpic.twitter.com/UfNMJarF7o
— Tim Michell (@tim_michell) December 28, 2022
9.50AM HAZLEWOOD FIT FOR SYDNEY
Josh Hazlewood has declared himself fit for selection for the SCG Test.
The paceman withdrew from contention for the Boxing Day Test as he continued his recovery from injury.
“At this stage I am. A few more overs to bowl during this game out in the nets. I had a good hit out two days ago and the signs are good and feel ready and fit,” Hazlewood said on SEN.
Hazlewood said he would have been confident of playing in Melbourne if his workload was 30 overs or less.
But the Australians did not take the risk and it proved a shrewd call with Cameron Green fracturing his finger and Mitch Starc injured while fielding.
CAREY PROVES AUSSIES MUST CHALLENGE CONVENTION
Australia has this year taught us to be careful about what we believe in cricket and it’s time to challenge convention once more.
With Cameron Green poised to miss the Sydney Test, Australia should be cavalier in a likely dead rubber and promote MCG century-maker Alex Carey to No 6 to allow it to have a look at a second spinner.
Australia has never liked making this move.
But let’s remind you that Australia also had a 144-year theory that fast bowlers don’t make Test captains. And that you should always bat first in a Test match.
Both of these maxims have been up-ended this year and there is major upside in clearing the decks to play an expanded bowling attack in Sydney.
Australia needs to get up and running for India and while Sydney is the most overrated spinners decks in cricket, curator Adam Lewis has declared it will take turn.
So it should.
With Australia heading to India for four Tests on dusty decks the more Sydney turns the better.
If it breaks apart, turns square and starts embarrassing batsmen, happy days.
Historically Australia has always loathed shifting the keeper in the batting order. Even when the great Adam Gilchrist was in full sail as a batsman Australia liked to leave him at seven even though he made a staggering 17 Test centuries.
But if Green’s broken finger keeps him out of any part of the Indian tour Australia will need to play five bowlers and Carey at No. 6 is a gamble worth making, if indeed it is a gamble at all.
Carey has a classy Test average of 39 after 13 games.
That’s good enough to bat at six.
Of more relevance is the fact he will finish the year with an average of 48 for his 11 Tests in 2022.
As he displayed at the MCG he is a cool cat with plenty of shots and a willingness to play them.
If you did go with Carey at No 6 you could go with two all-rounders of sorts beneath him such as left-arm spinner Ashton Agar and Michael Neser before captain Pat Cummins and one of Lance Morris, Josh Hazlewood and Scott Boland (if Mitchell Starc is out) plus Nathan Lyon.
The two other spinners in strong contention with Agar are Mitchell Swepson and Victoria’s uncapped off-spinner Todd Murphy.
It would be a surprise if Australia chose a second off-spinner to accompany Lyon – a left-armer or a leg-spinner would provide variety – but nothing is off the table.
Australia continued to dominate the series at the MCG.
One old saying that did have merit was one time mantra of the great West Indian sides who toured Australia – take down the captain, take down the team.
South African captain Dean Elgar, caught down the leg side for a duck, is having a stinker of a tour.
He looked poor in the nets before the game and abandoned a net session to have throwdowns because he was hitting the ball so badly.
At press conferences Elgar comes across with an air on combative defiance.
Previous captains Faf du Plessis and Graeme Smith did as well – but they backed up their words with actions.
Originally published as Boxing Day Test: Australia crushes South Africa by an innings and 182 runs at MCG
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