Starc swings Aussies into control

DURBAN. — Australian paceman Mitchell Starc grabbed 5-34, his ninth fivewicket haul, as a feeble South Africa were sent packing for 162 on the second day of the Sunfoil test at Kingsmead here yesterday.

With Australia having earlier compiled 351 in their first innings, South Africa are a distant 189 runs in arrears and in imminent danger of making a losing start to the four-test series.

The home team, in fact, only avoided the possibility of a follow-on by 11 runs.

Only AB de Villiers stood firm against the Aussie onslaught with an undefeated 71. Aside from him, only Aiden Markram ( 32), Quinton de Kock (20) and Faf du Plessis (15) reached double figures as the South African batsmen feebly succumbed to a disciplined Aussie team that ruthlessly executed their bowling plans. It was offspinner Nathan Lyon who set it up for Starc, with a sensational double-wicket maiden in his first over when he got rid of Dean Elgar and Hashim Elgar in five balls.

South Africa had been looking relatively comfortable on 27 without loss when he came on in only the eighth over of the innings, but he changed the tenor of the match in six balls.

First Elgar got a leading edge to be caught and bowled, then Amla – who has a poor record at Kingsmead – bat-padded him to Cameron Bancroft at short leg.

Lyon then returned to bowl Quinton de Kock when the wicketkeeper-batsman was beginning to show signs of a return to form.

But it was Starc who provided the wrecking ball at the tail end of the South African innings with some superb reverse swing at high speed.