Proteas look to draw level in Australia Test series
AB puts on an exhibition as he tears into bowlers without a sweat
Second Test, Day 3, Stumps
Australia: 243 and 180/5 (Khawaja 75, Marsh 39*, Rabada 3/38) South Africa: 382 (De Villiers 126*, Amla 56, Cummins 3/79) Australia leads by 41 runs
NO ONE is counting anything yet. Chickens, matches, series – it is wise not to tempt fate in any contest involving Australia. It is what makes Mother Cricket such a feared old lady.
But South Africa through the brilliance of AB de Villiers, the brashness of a tail that was intent on showing they are much better with the bat in hand than their capitulation at Kingsmead showed, and the rage that pumps within Kagiso Rabada ensured that the Proteas should level the series at St George’s Park.
At the end of the third day, Australia were 180/5, only 41 runs ahead. Crucially, the men having only to return to the ground today with a small bag containing their fielding clothes is Australia captain Steve Smith and David Warner.
Both of these fine players – ranked No 1 and 5 respectively on the ICC world Test batting ladder – were central to Australia’s chances of firstly wiping out the unexpected 139-run deficit before fleshing out a lead to a defendable total.
However, it was their arch-nemesis that proved to be both their undoing. Rabada, running in with purpose and menace, got one to swing inwards that sliced between Warner’s bat and pad to crash into the top of off stump. The hot-headed fast bowler certainly enjoyed his success with yet another furious celebration that could once again earn the ire of match referee Jeff Crowe.
There were no such antics from Keshav Maharaj when he had Smith caught behind – the third time the left-arm spinner has dismissed the Australian captain – but the magnitude of the dismissal was no less.
With Cameron Bancroft playing on against Lungi Ngidi and Rabada also dismissing Shaun Marsh and ultimately Usman Khawaja late in the piece, the “moving day” unanimously belonged to the hosts.
In fact, the only reason Australia are still breathing is due to the elegance of Khawaja and doggedness of Mitchell Marsh. The pair erased the deficit with an 87-run partnership and provided some sort of hope for the Australian dressing-room.
But for all the fighting qualities that the Australian pair displayed in the afternoon, it was nothing on the De Villiers show in the morning.
There may be questions swirling around to how long De Villiers will still be performing for the Proteas in the Test arena, but those are mere trivial matters. It is much better to appreciate a batsman who has lost none of his mercurial abilities that will sit alongside the legends of the game when he does indeed call time on his glorious career.
Yesterday was an exhibition of how much De Villiers’ skill will be missed for the 34-year-old tore into a high-quality Australian bowling attack without as much as breaking a sweat. It was his 22nd Test century and first since returning from his sabbatical.
Not only did De Villiers have absolute control of his innings, but he also masterfully manipulated the strike to shield SA’s lower-order batsmen. Not that Vernon Philander and Maharaj required much protection. Philander showed the temperament of a top-order batsman, while Maharaj swung with great freedom.
It was that kind of day for the Proteas and they will hope to make it an even better one today to head to Newlands all level with two Tests to play.