PERTH. — Young South African paceman Kagiso Rabada said he is ready to shoulder extra responsibility in the wake of Dale Steyn’s shoulder injury after his man-of-the-match performance in the first Test cricket victory over Australia yesterday.Strike bowler Steyn will be out for at least six months after hurting his shoulder on the second day in Perth, but he was barely missed as Rabada (21) stepped up with a five-wicket haul in the second innings.

The right-armer claimed 5-92, his fourth five-wicket haul, to guide South Africa to victory by 177 runs, bowling more deliveries than in any of his eight previous Tests.

“It is not nice losing the best bowler in the world and being down to two seamers, but we still had to believe,” Rabada said. “I don’t see myself as leading the attack, I know that I have a job to do and I just try to do my job.

“I’ve got a responsibility to make sure I produce the goods for the country. It’s a passion and you do it for your team-mates and the people back home, because no one wants to lose and you have to try to do everything you can to win.”

Rabada was particularly pleased with his over to Adam Voges on the fourth day, when he bowled a couple of superb deliveries and then had the veteran batsman caught behind for one.

“I enjoyed that over,” he said. “A new batter coming in, the ball was reversing nicely and I was feeling my best rhythm. Sometimes you get a wicket exactly how you want and it was one of those times.”

Rabada also said the heavy workload didn’t concern him, as he had bowled similar amounts playing for Kent. South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis hailed one of the best wins of his career after Rabada’s five-wicket haul led South Africa to a remarkable turnaround victory in the first Test against Australia yesterday.

Set a mammoth victory target of 539, the home side’s second innings ended on 361 on the final day, handing the visitors victory by 177 runs and maintaining their unbeaten record in four Tests at Perth’s WACA Ground.

The victory looked unthinkable when Australia were 158 for none early on day two in reply to South Africa’s 242, and especially when the visitors lost strike bowler Dale Steyn to a shoulder injury. Debutant spinner Keshav Maharaj (1-94) delivered the final blow, trapping number 11 Nathan Lyon lbw for eight, the decision upheld despite an Australia review and leaving Peter Nevill unbeaten on 60. — AFP.

 

PERTH. — Young South African paceman Kagiso Rabada said he is ready to shoulder extra responsibility in the wake of Dale Steyn’s shoulder injury after his man-of-the-match performance in the first Test cricket victory over Australia yesterday. (more…)