South Africa inflict more misery on sorry Australia
CAPE TOWN: Stand-in Australia captain Tim Paine apologised for the ball-tampering controversy that has overshadowed the third Test after South Africa seamer Morne Morkel ripped through the visitors’ batting lineup to inflict a 322-run defeat on Sunday.
The scandal-hit Australian team, who have been caught up in a storm since deposed captain Steve Smith confessed on Saturday that senior players in the side hatched a plan to tamper with the ball, were booed and whistled throughout the day as they were skittled out for 107 in their second innings.
Morne Morkel picked up five wickets for 23 runs, and careerbest match figures of nine for 110, as the hosts took a 2-1 lead in the tempestuous four-match series, taking the 10 Australia wickets for 50 runs in a shambolic end to the game for the tourists.
Paine, drafted in to lead the side after Smith and vice captain David Warner stood down before the start of play on Sunday, apologised for the incident that has been condemned around the world.
“It’s been horrible 24 hours, difficult for all of us. I want to take this opportunity to apologise to our fans for what has happened,” he said after the match.
The result has piled more humiliation on an Australia side that has become embroiled in one of the biggest scandals in the country’s sporting history after Smith admitted an orchestrated plan from the team to tamper with the ball on the third day.
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