- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
It had to happen. After the highs of a five-nil sweep of the old enemy, and a first Test whipping in Centurion, South Africa were bound to bounce back against Australia and show why they are the number one side in the world.
With the game evenly poised after the opening day, day two was always going to be pivotal. With AB de Villiers and a man who has done it before against Australia, JP Duminy, still at the crease, both a large and a poor first innings total was possible.
Unfortunately for Australia and happily for the Proteas, both supremely talented players peeled off hundreds and left the Aussies with a serious mountain to climb.
Nothing more needs to be said about AB de Villiers. He’s undoubtedly the best player in the world right now, and the ease with which he has handled the red-hot Australian bowlers so far this series is testament to his quality and skill.
It also helps that he is extremely easy on the eye, with a brief shuffle before the bowler delivers before he gets his feet into great position to play every shot in the book. He would be up there in aesthetically pleasing cricketers of the modern era.
JP Duminy’s impressive 123, something of a breakthrough knock in his return to the side, was crucial in getting South Africa over the 400 mark. Thankfully for Australia there was no resistance from the Proteas tail, and the score didn’t go too far past, ending on 423.
Another talking point has been the pitch, which offered very little assistance to the Australian quicks. Nathan Lyon did well to take his fifth career five-wicket haul, but Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle and Ryan Harris couldn’t find enough help to secure the breakthroughs.
How a pitch can seem to alter during a change of innings though, and the Aussies find themselves in deep at 4/112, with left-arm quick Wayne Parnell and Mr Consistency Vernon Philander both claiming two wickets.
Parnell’s little spell of two wickets for none was crucial, removing the two newbies in the Australian side, Alex Doolan and Shaun Marsh, in one over. Interestingly, these are the only two wickets in the match that have been caught behind the wicket, a testament to the speed of the pitch.
Thankfully for Australia, David Warner is still at the wicket, and with Steve Smith and Brad Haddin in next, you would think there is still a chance, on this slow Port Elizabeth wicket, that the Aussies can find a way to fight back into this game.
Find out with our live scores from 7:30pm AEDT, and join the banter in the comments section below.
Build your own fantasy cricket team and put it to the test with Draftstars daily fantasy competitions. Pick your match, pick your team and watch the points roll in to take out cash prizes on each match. What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit.