adminPORT ELIZABETH. — South Africa reduced Australia to an unconvincing 180 for five — and a small 41-run lead — on day three of the second test at St George’s Park yesterday.
The visitors had slipped to a fragile 86 for four, but half-centurion Usman Khawaja (75) and allrounder Mitchell Marsh (39 not out) shared a rearguard alliance of significant proportion to forge an advantage, rather than temper a deficit.
Marsh and Khawaja survived an lbw referral each, as Proteas skipper Faf du Plessis’ use of the Decision Review System faltered, during a solid 87-run partnership. Kagiso Rabada struck late in the day, though, striking Khawaja on the pad — plumb enough in front of the stumps — to avoid another review.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Tim Paine will resume alongside Marsh today — and will target a total of at least 350. The South Africans, understandably, won’t want to have to pursue more than 250.
Prior to tea, pace ace Kagiso Rabada bowled the left-handed David Warner (13) through the proverbial gate, after which first-change seamer Lungi Ngidi had the right-handed Cameron Bancroft (24) play a late drive onto the stumps.
Spinner Keshav Maharaj, then, had opposition skipper Steven Smith (11) caught by wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock on the back of some sharp turn.
Smith has fallen to left-arm spin three times in four innings this series.
Earlier, a superb century from the talismanic AB de Villiers spearheaded South Africa to a formidable 382 all out.
Resuming on over-night’s 263 for seven, with de Villiers unbeaten on a promising 74, the Proteas enjoyed the resilience of allrounder Vernon Philander and audacity of tail-ender Maharaj.
While de Villiers welcomed a 22nd test century — and sixth against the Australians — en route to a telling 126 not out from just 146 deliveries, Philander and Maharaj gathered a complementary 36 and 30, respectively.
The former eventually perished to fast bowler Pat Cummins, as short-leg fielder Bancroft grabbed a sharp catch, having dropped a tough one two deliveries earlier.
Maharaj was entirely attacking — and struck two sixes before slicing left-arm seamer Mitchell Starc for three consecutive fours.
The hard-hitting right-hander would have perished significantly earlier, had deep midwicket fielder Khawaja not stepped over the boundary while taking a high catch.
Centre stage largely belonged to de Villiers, though.
He capitalised against a tired opposition seam attack, which had been overworked through Saturday’s third session, when spinner Nathan Lyon wasn’t utilised for almost 40 overs.
The attacking nature of de Villiers’ ton — his first in test cricket since January 2015 — was in stark contrast to the patience, perhaps even pedestrianism, displayed by half-centurions Hashim Amla and Dean Elgar on day two.
The Australians were bowled out for just 243 on day one, as Rabada delivered a telling haul of five for 96.
The tourists’ total would have been significantly less, had Paine not shared fighting 30- and 31-run stands with tail-enders Lyon and Josh Hazlewood, respectively.
The visiting side boast an early lead in the four-match series, after a comfortable 118-run victory in the first match at Kingsmead in Durban, where left-armer Mitchell Starc was named Player of the Match on the back of nine vital wickets.
The series opener was marred by controversy, as Warner and de Kock exchanged unsavoury remarks. Warner and de Kock were consequently fined 75 and 25 percent of their match fees, respectively.
Rabada, meanwhile, has been charged for allegedly — purposefully — making physical contact with Smith in the first innings of the ongoing Test.
The Proteas sport a formidable test record at St George’s Park, where they have not lost in over 10 years.
Their last two dozen tests here, in fact, have brought just six losses. They defeated their current opposition at this ground in 2014.
South Africa and Australia have met 95 times in test match cricket, with the former triumphant on 23 occasions and the latter 52. They have shared 20 draws.
The third and fourth Test will be played at Newlands in Cape Town and the Wanderers in Johannesburg, respectively, later this month. — MWP.
Online Reporter