Milestone for Morkel as Proteas gain advantage

Off-field drama detracts from hard-fought contest

world to carry his bat through an innings three times as he anchored South Africa’s total of 311 with an undefeated 141.

But were it not for a foolish man chasing Warner up the staircase and delivering some choice words to him, the day would surely have belonged to Morne Morkel.

He would certainly have deserved it too, for the lanky Proteas seamer had reason to celebrate 12 years of toil yesterday when he claimed his 300th Test wicket. Morkel became only the fifth Protea to join the elite club consisting of Shaun Pollock (421 wickets), Dale Steyn (419*), Makhaya Ntini (390) and Allan Donald (330) when he dismissed Australia’s Shaun Marsh during the second session of the day.

“It’s a special feeling, especially because I’m the world record holder for the most no-balls. When I got the first one I had to turn around to see if it was a legal delivery, the second one and third one [too]. To eventually reach it was something I worked for for a long time and to do it at this amazing venue made it even better,” Morkel said.

“To be honest it is all a bit of a blur, for me it meant quite a lot to get that wicket. I’ve really worked hard. I wasn’t blessed with that natural talent to run up and hit a length, so for me over the 12 years it was a lot of hard work and I am proud of myself to get that milestone.”

Morkel’s 300th scalp was the third of four wickets the seamer bagged yesterday. Along with Vernon Philander’s miserly work from the Kelvin Grove End, which included top-scorer Cameron Bancroft’s wicket, and Rabada’s 3/81, it allowed South Africa to take a firm hold of proceedings.

It was not until tailender Nathan Lyon swatted his career-best Test score that the Aussies were allowed to breathe again, and ultimately fight their way back into the contest.

“It was a bit of a disappointment that we let it slip towards the end.

“Sso we need to get that wicket early and then bat maybe for a day and a half and put them under pressure,” Morkel said.

PLAYS OF THE DAY

Welcome to the 300-club, Morne!

Morne Morkel is fast approaching the sunset of his international career, but yesterday was a day to savour when he had Shaun Marsh caught behind. It was the 300th wicket of the lanky fast bowler’s career and he certainly enjoyed it, judging by the big celebration.

Rabada lands the KO punch

David Warner started the Australian innings like he had a plane to catch with a blistering innings of 30 off just 14 balls, in which he struck the Kagiso Rabada for 4-4-4-6-4 in the five balls before his dismissal. But after enduring the body blows, Rabada hit back with a ripper that uprooted Warner’s off stump.

AB shows he is human too

Normally such a reliable fielder anywhere on the ground, De Villiers spilled a regulation catch at third slip when Nathan Lyon was eating into what had seemed would be a significant South African first innings lead.

Belly-flop

Vernon Philander may be an excellent bowler, but he has never been the most nimble in the field and the South African opening bowler was exposed in the afternoon session, falling awkwardly. A

CSA media release said Philander had suffered “whiplash” during the fall.

PHANDO JIKELO THE BIG ONE: Morne Morkel celebrates taking his 300th Test wicket yesterday.