Day 1 of 5:
South Africa 152
Australia 145/5
Johannesburg – Another day, another Proteas batting calamity. Wickets fell in clusters, there was just one decent partnership, only one half-century, and the bowlers were operating at the start of the third session.
The batting woes have been pored over ad nauseam. Too little First-Class cricket, tricky pitches, too many ghosts in the batters heads once they’ve looked at the pitch – to that on Saturday can be added the presence of one batter, who’s not shown any recent form lately in Khaya Zondo.
But Saturday’s implosion wasn’t his fault. It’s systemic. With his in-box already bulging, the Director of Cricket, Enoch Nkwe, needs to put the Test batting into the folder marked ‘urgent,’ if he hasn’t done so already.
So on to Saturday’s debacle. The Gabba pitch was green – you had difficulty deciphering it from the outfield – the toss went Australia’s way, their attack is elite and yes, South Africa’s batters, for all the tough talk pre-match, lack confidence.
Two down inside 10 overs! #AUSvSA pic.twitter.com/1N2qnRXxA7
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 17, 2022
By the end of the eleventh over, four of the top five batters were back in the changeroom with only 27 runs on the scoreboard. Dean Elgar was out off a leg-side tickle, Rassie van der Dussen, got a good nut from Pat Cummins that straightened off the seam and found the outside edge, Sarel Erwee was caught in the gully driving at Scott Boland, who two balls later trapped Zondo lbw.
After all the concern about his mental readiness and some chatter about his physical well-being after he didn’t bat in the first innings of the warm-up match because of a recurrence of his elbow injury, Temba Bavuma, once more underlined his value by showing off his ability to build a partnership.
Cameron Green doesn't miss a thing in gully!
What a catch! #OhWhatAFeeling#AUSvSA | @Toyota_Aus pic.twitter.com/yMbUmvigvT
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 17, 2022
In combination with Kyle Verreynne, the Proteas vice captain kept the Australians at bay, and counter-attacked against some loose offerings as the opening session concluded.
Verreynne was outstanding, cutting, pulling and driving with conviction and with the nippy Bavuma, running between the wickets with purpose. Theirs was a partnership of 98 for the fifth wicket and if the Australians were honest with themselves they’d admit they didn’t bowl to the standards they would demand.
Nevertheless at the back of their minds would have been the knowledge that once they broke that partnership, the length of the South African tail – as a result of the 6-5 batter/bowler split – meant they could dismiss the tourists cheaply.
Zondo pulls it in! 😱
Rabada removes Warner off the first ball of the innings! #PlayOfTheDay #AUSvSA | @nrmainsurance pic.twitter.com/7nwJkAqD0X
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 17, 2022
That’s what happened. After Bavuma was bowled off the inside edge by Mitchell Starc for 38, it was the off-spinner, Nathan Lyon who found bounce and spin to nip out the tail. South Africa lost their last six wickets for 27 runs in 14 overs.
Verreynne was put off by a ball that jagged off the edge of a divet, and a few balls later edged one to slip off the back foot when he should have been forward. His 64, included 8 fours and a six and was good reward for a couple of technical adjustments he made following the England tour earlier this year.
Starc and Lyon each claimed three wickets, and their performances showed that there was plenty in the pitch for the bowlers to work with.
Kagiso Rabada removed David Warner with a superb bouncer first ball, which the opener fended to short leg, where Zondo poached a fine leaping catch.
Jansen gets Labuschagne with his first ball… #AUSvSA pic.twitter.com/jLzFgcae12
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 17, 2022
Marco Jansen had Marnus Labushcagne caught behind off a ball that held its line and Usman Khawaja fell to Anrich Nortje’s second ball as he failed to deal with the pace and bounce.
At 27/3, Travis Head and Steve Smith had to absorb missiles from Nortje and threatening bounce and movement from Jansen.
However after those initial spells, the South Africans wilted in the face of a superb counter-attack, led by Head, who finished the day not out on 78 off only 77 balls having struck 13 fours and a six. He and Smith shared a 117-run partnership for the third wicket.
There were two late wickets for the Proteas; Smith was nipped out by a beauty from Nortje for 36 and the nightwatchman Boland edged Rabada to Verryenne for 1.
@shockerhess
