Bavuma denied ton as S.Africa skittle hapless Australia

JOHANNESBURG, (Reuters) - South Africa’s Temba Bavuma was left stranded on 95 not out as they tightened their grip over scandal-hit Australia after reducing the hapless visitors to 110 for six at the close on the second day of the fourth and final test yesterday.

Aided by Bavuma’s brilliance, South Africa posted 488 in their first innings and lead by a massive 378 runs at the Wanderers as they seek a first home series win over the Australians in almost 50 years.

The controversial tour looks to be coming to a meek end for the visitors in a game they need to win to share the series and their new captain Tim Paine (five) and Pat Cummins (seven) will resume on the third day facing a daunting task.

Australia need a win to share the series, an outcome that would provide hollow comfort after the chaos that engulfed the team in the wake of their ball-tampering in the third test in Cape Town and the crisis that followed this week.

The squad was bolstered by openers Joe Burns and Matt Renshaw, who arrived in the country 48 hours before the start of the fourth test along with all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, after desposed captain Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft were sent home for their part in the scandal.

However, if the tourists had hoped that fresh blood at the top of the order might spark a change of batting fortunes, it proved false optimism as they were blasted out.

Burns’ (four) tame prod saw him edge Kagiso Rabada to a diving Faf du Plessis at second slip, while Queensland opening partner Renshaw (eight) provided a simple catch to wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock off Vernon Philander (3-17). AUSTRALIAN DISARRAY Peter Handscomb has been on tour since the start, but his long wait for a chance to bat lasted one ball when he played onto his stumps as Philander found the right amount of movement.

Australia were in disarray at that stage on 38 before Usman Khawaja (53) and Shaun Marsh managed a slow recovery.

The pair put on 52 for the fourth wicket, but Khawaja was superbly caught by De Kock having got a feather-edge down the leg-side to give Philander his third.

Mitchell Marsh (four) then played on to a Morne Morkel delivery as the light faded, his early promise on the tour having now been long forgotten, while his brother Shaun (16) edged to AB de Villiers at slip (Reuters) Marcus Morris had 25 points and nine rebounds and Jayson Tatum scored 24 as the Boston Celtics beat the Toronto Raptors 110-99 in a battle of Eastern Conference powerhouses last night in Boston.

Terry Rozier added 21 and seven assists and Al Horford had 14 points for the Celtics, who earned their sixth straight victory and pulled within two games of the Raptors for first place in the East with six games remaining for each team.

DeMar DeRozan scored a game-high 32 points with seven assists and seven rebounds, Serge Ibaka had 15 points and 10 rebounds and Jonas Valanciunas had 13 and 11 for Toronto, which suffered its fourth loss in the last seven games following an 11game win streak.

The Raptors beat the Celtics 111-91 at home in their most recent meeting on Feb. 6, but lost the first game of the season series 95-94 on Nov. 12 in Boston. The two teams off Keshav Maharaj.

After Aiden Markram’s masterful 152 on the opening day, Bavuma was left stranded five runs short of what would have been a second test century when he ran out of partners.

His 95 not out was deserving of three figures as he manoeuvred the ball around the ground with great skill, adding 85 for the seventh wicket with De Kock (39) and 76 for the ninth wicket with Maharaj, who smashed a career-best 45 from 51 balls.

But when the latter slashed at a wide delivery from the excellent Pat Cummins (5-83) and was caught by wicketkeeper Paine, Morkel, playing in his final test, edged the first ball to Handscomb at second slip and Bavuma was denied the chance to claim a deserved ton. play again Wednesday night in Boston.

DeRozan’s floater off the glass with 0.7 seconds left in the third quarter put the Raptors up 84-82 entering the fourth.

A running layup by DeRozan knotted the score at 94 with 5:26 remaining in the final period, but Horford’s reverse layup and ensuing free throw with 5:05 on the clock put Boston up two and sparked a gameclinching run for the Celtics.

Morris knocked down a 3-pointer with 4:18 left and Tatum’s finger roll at 3:19 put Boston ahead 104-94. Kyle Lowry’s three with 3:04 to play gave the Raptors life, but Boston iced the game at the free-throw line in the final minute.

Toronto led 55-53 after a first half in which neither side led by more than five points. The Raptors were also up 33-31 after 12 minutes.

Boston is at Milwaukee on Tuesday, while the Raptors visit the Cavaliers before Wednesday’s rematch in Boston.