Category: Cricket

With the careers of at least three Australians either in the balance or kaput after a dismal day in Gqeberha against South Africa, Australian coach Andrew McDonald conceded the nation’s batting order was far from a perfect one.

• Tourists all out for 99 and forced to follow on

• Batters left to conduct desperate rearguard on last day

There it was, another entry in Australia’s hall of infamy against South Africa. There was 47 all out, in the innocent days when the 2011 Test was the worst humiliation in Cape Town. There was 85 all out in Hobart, 2016, that led to half the side being sacked. Now there is 99 all out in Gqeberha, one day after the home team blew past 400, only for the visitors to follow on halfway through day four. At 156 for four, still 170 behind, Australia could yet save the second Test on its final day, but another batting failure has left the door wide open to defeat, and the table laden with defeat’s favourite snacks.

When Nic Maddinson’s first innings lasted four balls on the third evening, nobody would have predicted that his second innings would be done an hour after lunch the next day. Between times, nine other Australian wickets fell in 38.3 overs. Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada bowled spells of ferocity, cranking up the speed gun while beating edges with the ball pitched up, and peppering batters when it wasn’t.

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Australia suffered one of its worst days with the bat in a long time and as they stare down the barrel of defeat, it raises plenty of questions about where to next for the misfiring batting order.

An old foe has branded Australia’s batting performance at St George’s Park on Wednesday “pretty gutless” while there were renewed calls for Marnus Labuschagne to pay the ultimate price after a Day 4 brainfade.

Sam Konstas scored a first Sheffield Shield century since December, while Australian ODI regular Xavier Bartlett inflicted the reigning champions their first defeat in more than a year as Victorian rising star Harry Hoekstra continued to shine.

Australia’s batters will have to produce one of the finest rearguard actions in recent memory after a horrific day with the bat put South Africa on the brink of levelling the series on the final day of the second Test in Gqeberha.

If the sight of the Baggy Green inspires the fire within Kagiso Rabada, playing against Australia also brings out the best in Temba Bavuma.

If Australia is to squander this Test from a dominant position and, Heaven forbid, lose this series to South Africa, the chief villain can already be identified as the dodgy prawn Josh Hazlewood consumed at some stage this week.

All-rounder Arafat Minhas struck a maiden ODI half-century and grabbed a career-best six wickets to anchor Pakistan’s convincing 87-run win over England in the tri-series in Rawalpindi on Tuesday.

• Magnificent 179 puts hosts in charge on day three

• Nic Maddison dismissed for a duck before close

In the first Test in Durban, it was Australia’s lower order hanging in with one established batter that first frustrated, then demoralised South Africa. In the second, on the third day in Gqeberha, South Africa returned the favour. Temba Bavuma played the role of Matthew Renshaw, assembling a near-flawless 179, combining with Marco Jansen’s 85 and Simon Harmer’s 82 to take the hosts to a declaration at 425 for 9. Australia then lost one wicket for three in reply.

Eight years ago, during Australia’s previous visit, Bavuma was a hard luck story. In his 29th Test and facing questioning for having only made one century in that time, he had Australia on the mat at Johannesburg in the aftermath of sandpaper week, until the last two wickets fell in two balls to strand him on 95 not out.

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Australian endured a torrid day in Gqeberha as the brilliance of South African captain Temba Bavuma and his lower order left the visitors fighting for survival with two days to play.

Australia were given a taste of their own medicine from Durban, suffering a day in the dirt before Nic Maddinson fell for a fourth-ball duck in a nightmare start to the visitors’ innings on day three of the second Test in Gqeberha.

Ollie Peake’s reaction said it all.

Shortly before the rain arrived in Gqeberha on Sunday, Australian captain Pat Cummins was scratching around on St George’s Park, figuring out how he would make his mark.