Starc helps Australia grab Lyon share against Proteas
durban — The spin of Nathan Lyon and the reverse swing of Mitchell Starc sent South Africa crashing on the second day of the first Test against Australia at Kings- mead on Friday.
South Africa were bowled out for 162 shortly before the close, forc- ing the umpires to call stumps to give Australia a lead of 189 runs on the first innings.
Lyon started the slide for the hosts and finished with three for 50 before the tall left-armer Starc gave a magnificent display of fast, reverse swing bowling to take five for 34.
AB de Villiers played almost a lone hand for South Africa, making 71 not out.
Mitchell Marsh struck 96 for Australia. Largely through his efforts, as well as an aggressive innings of 35 by Starc, Australia’s last three wickets added 100 runs to take them to a total of 351.
On a pitch which has proved even slower than predicted by both captains, left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj took five for 123 for South Africa.
Spin continued to be effective when South Africa batted. Offspinner Lyon was brought on in the eighth over and took two wickets in his first over.
Starc used reverse swing bowled from around the wicket to make the ball move disconcertingly away from the right-handed batsmen before blasting out the last two batsmen, both left-handers, with full deliveries bowled from over the wicket.
Dean Elgar and Aiden Markram put on 27 for South Africa’s first wicket and were looking reasonably comfortable until Australian captain Steve Smith brought Lyon into the attack in the eighth over.
He had almost immediate success, catching Elgar off his own bowling with his second delivery. Three balls later he had Hashim Amla caught off bat and pad at short leg.
Brought back into the attack, Lyon ended a promising sixthwicket stand of 42 between De Villiers and Quinton de Kock, bowling De Kock for 20.
Almost from the start of his innings, De Villiers looked in a different class to his teammates. He reached his fifty off 81 balls. —