South Africa’s batters but once more did not do the enterprise as they have been bowled out for simply 204 to lose the second Test against Australia by an enormous innings and 182 runs, and with it the series, on the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Thursday.
The Proteas barely survived to the ultimate session as a depleted Australian assault wrapped up their second innings in 68.5 overs, one ball longer than their dismal first innings, left-arm fast Mitchell Starc setting the tone as he bowled by way of the ache of a dislocated finger. It was just some lusty blows on the finish of the innings by Lungi Ngidi (19) and a last-wicket stand of 27 with Anrich Nortje (8*) that ended the determined run of seven successive totals of lower than 200.
Temba Bavuma was the one South Africans to construct an innings, scoring 65 in 201 minutes off 144 balls, however he was additionally complicit in two disastrous run outs which epitomised the unfocused nature of their performances in Australia.
Having misplaced in a single day batsmen Sarel Erwee, trapped lbw for 21 by a searing Starc yorker, and Theunis de Bruyn (28), who was well-taken by Steve Smith at first slip after Scott Boland discovered the shoulder of his bat with some steepling bounce, South Africa plunged to 65/4 earlier than lunch with the run out of Khaya Zondo for only a single.
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Bavuma pushed Pat Cummins straight to cowl and ran, with Zondo ball-watching on the non-striker’s finish and well-beaten by Travis Head’s direct hit.
The second run out was simply as farcical as Bavuma left Keshav Maharaj (13) stranded midway down the pitch on a 3rd run, Starc gathering the boundary throw from Marnus Labuschagne and throwing down the stumps on the wicketkeeper’s finish.
Brokers of respite
Bavuma and Kyle Verreynne have been the brokers of some respite for the Proteas as they added 63 for the fifth wicket. But Boland broke the stand within the third over after lunch as Verreynne (33) erred in enjoying throughout the road of an in-ducker and was trapped lbw.
Bavuma finally misplaced focus and was caught off a wild slog-sweep towards off-spinner Nathan Lyon, so his watch for a second Test century continues, however he had batted with nice willpower and performed some high-quality strokes combined with strong defence.
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