The Roar
The Roar

Advertisement

South Africa vs Australia live: Second Test, Day one live scores

20th February, 2014
Teams

Australia (possible)
MJ Clarke, BJ Haddin, AJ Doolan, RJ Harris, MG Johnson, NM Lyon, SE Marsh, CJL Rogers, PM Siddle, SPD Smith, DA Warner,

South Africa
Graeme Smith (capt), Quinton de Kock, Hashim Amla Faf du Plessis, AB de Villiers (wk), JP Duminy, Dean Elgar, Wayne Parnell, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel

Start: 7.30 pm AEDT
Venue: St George's Oval, Port Elizabeth
Betting:Australia $3.05, South Africa $3.35, Draw $2.32
TV: Fox (LIVE)
High fives all round for Mitchell Johnson as he tore through the English line-up. (AFP PHOTO / ALEXANDER JOE)
20th February, 2014
296
18793 Reads

Australia will be looking to take their momentum of six belting wins on the trot and capitalise on it in the second Test match against South Africa in Port Elizabeth, starting at 7:30pm AEDT.

Australia’s pace ace Mitchell Johnson proved that the red hot Australian Summer with the ball was no fluke, capturing 12 wickets in the first Test, while there are plenty of welcome selection headaches for Messrs Inverarity, Bichel, Marsh and Lehmann.

Shane Watson is pressing for a return to the side that he has contributed to so strongly over the past 12 months after recovering from a calf injury.

If Watson is selected, it will likely be at the expense of a supremely unlucky Alex Doolan, who looked very accomplished in his innings of 27 and 89 in the first Test to go with his two beautiful snares of a menacing Johnson at short leg.

Shaun Marsh, Steve Smith and David Warner all made tons in Centurion, and Michael Clarke and Chris Rogers will be looking to make amends from poor returns.

On the other side, South Africa have headaches of a different kind.

Their replacement for the irreplaceable Jacques Kallis, Ryan McLaren, was struck by a very nasty bouncer from that man Mitchell and will sit this Test out, and you would imagine that there aren’t too many potential Proteas number sevens out there queuing up to replace him. That is if they have any regard for their safety.

Meanwhile, skipper Graeme Smith will want to bounce back from a tough first Test in which he found himself under fire from South African supporters as well as the Aussie bowlers and media. His battle with Johnson will be one of the tales of the match.

Advertisement

South Africa’s bowling attack, highly regarded by all, is still not to be underestimated. Once again Australian found themselves four down for less than 100 against Steyn, Morkel and Philander, but one massive partnership between Marsh and Smith all but rescued the innings and won them the Test.

You would think that the Australian top order will need to be more resolute in the face of the barrage from the two top-ranked quicks and the rangy Morkel, as they won’t take the foot off the throat every time.

South Africa’s batsman simply need to show more starch than the last match. They cannot go two down early and allow Johnson and his mates Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle to get their tales up. It’s a recipe for disaster.

Join us for all the live scores from 7:30pm AEDT for all the latest, and feel free to drop a comment below.

close