Australia’s under-siege Test side are at risk of hitting an unprecedented low, having handed South Africa a series victory with yet another crippling batting collapse in Hobart.
Australia’s dependence on Steve Smith was laid bare for the second time in the second Test at Bellerive, where the Proteas completed an innings-and-80-run win before lunch on day four – the home side’s fifth straight Test defeat.
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South Africa claimed an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series on Tuesday, rolling Australia for 161 at 11.53 AEDT to mark their third consecutive Test series win in Australia.
Further ignominy for Smith could come under lights at Adelaide Oval. Never before in the history of the sport has Australia been whitewashed in a Test series on home soil.
Based on how the pink ball hooped around in Adelaide last year, there’s likely to be a result in the final Test that starts next Thursday.
The hosts tumbled towards a fifth straight Test loss during a collapse of 8-32 in 19.2 overs, with Kyle Abbott snaring six wickets and Kagiso Rabada striking four times in the stunning session.
It was the latest of many woeful batting performances in recent years that has left coach Darren Lehmann, selectors and Cricket Australia boss James Sutherland under immense pressure.
Selectors are expected to settle on a squad for the third Test later this week but changes are fully expected, with Adam Voges likely to be dropped.
Smith dug in, taking 40 minutes to score his first runs on day four, but would have been struck with a sense of deja vu as he watched Australia slip from 2-129 to 7-150.
The skipper was eventually caught behind on 31. Rain offered more resistance than Australia’s batsmen, with the entire second day abandoned without a ball being bowled.
Smith had finished 48 not out on day one, when Australia posted a paltry total of 85 after being sent in by Faf du Plessis.
It was the nation’s lowest Test total on home soil since 1984.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
Add his personal oversight of Pat Howard's High Performance position and one needs to question if James is good at anything apart from bean-counting.
Dr Zoidberg
Roar Rookie
Yeah. . Just thinking along the lines of De Kock who is a regular opener at franchise level and in ODIs and T20s, He was a superior batster and not such a good wickie. But his keeping has improved. Coming in at 7 in the SA order is in effect having a 7th specialist batter. Maybe Wade or Handscomb?
Bakkies
Guest
Haddin would contribute far more with the bat then Nevill has to date.
Bakkies
Guest
The buck starts at the top and Sutherland signs off on all of these pathways that are supposed to be in place help develop and prepare test cricketers. Agreeing to one day series in places like India and South Africa is no preparation for a domestic test season.
Republican
Guest
....concur with you re the truncated scourge of the game, especially T20 but we are not the only country exposed to this froth and bubble.
Republican
Guest
......indeed and ta for the heads up. Well done Saffa!
AREH
Roar Guru
Bancroft is a pure opener in long-form cricket, and hardly has kept for WA - particularly given the presence of Whiteman with superior glove-work - I highly doubt he would be included down at number 7. That said, he seems to be within a real chance of selection in the short-term as an opener if he can recover from his difficult start in the Shield. There's no doubt he has been earmarked for some time as a future test regular.
Dr Zoidberg
Roar Rookie
Too much dead wood. Time to bring in Bancroft, Kurtis Patterson, Nic Maddinson (down the order at 6), Pat Cummins, O'Keefe. Out Neville, Voges, Ferguson, Lyon (think Smith can't wait to get rid of him), Mennie. Burns Warner Khawaja Smith Patterson Maddinson Bancroft O'Keefe Hazelwood Cummins Starc
Charl
Guest
Thanks Jimmy, I'll take that, even though you're not Australian :)
Rellum
Roar Guru
Sutherland has been a fantastic success if you value corporate success over anything else. If all you value is money. Of course in achieving that short term corporate success he has overseen the elevation of the national team to be the only thing that matters. In doing this he has constructed a player development system, well he has employed people that have constructed a down grading of the system of player development system. The thing is we are now seeing that system adversely affecting the one team that he elevated to the position of the only thing that mattered. So in turn that will affect his success at the corporate level. Unless of course we are only looking at BBL, then he is doing a great job. And that is a question we really need to have because the way, junior cricket, grade, FC cricket and internationals is set up now does not lead to a strong national team. Nut does it build a strong BBL and does CA want to just focus on that?
BrainsTrust
Guest
Prudent financial decisions? Cricket Australia has doubled its income in real terms. They lose money on the Sheffield Shield , it gets no revenue but its not run that expensively. They got a big cash injection of new revenue from TV righs for international cricket. So by doing nothing they were ahead. What they did was introduce another loss making competition by expanding the BIg Bash to 8 teams, They split the Shefffield Shield season and lowered the payments for it, So AUstralia from the top of world cricket paid for its own demise.
Swannies
Guest
Pretty obvious why Australia are struggling...our main focus is the shorter game and more money in the bank. Keep winning the one-dAyers and T20...that's the priority. Test cricket won't buy you a Ferrari. The heady days of Au dominance in 1999-2002 are long gone!
JimmyB
Guest
Without wishing to impinge too greatly on all of the hand wringing and self flagellation, I just wanted to congratulate South Africa. It's not easy to win a test match in Australia as a visiting team, let alone a series.
Mark
Guest
A questionable system but I believe we became number 1 under his tenure.
Mark
Guest
Crowds will dwindle if this rubbish keeps getting served that. Therefore it actually is.
Amrit
Roar Guru
Sometimes you are made to look absolutely pathetic by a quality opposition
Amrit
Roar Guru
I was never a fan of Callum Ferguson, I did not feel like replacing Mitch Marsh after the 1st test, he could have added the fifth bowling option, especially in Hobart. Adam Voges reminds me of Stian Van Zyl, who had a hundred on his debut only to lose his place six tests later, yeah definitely a youngster can be brought to replace him. I just thought SA bowled exceptionally well and only to be matched by Hazelwood form Australia Peter Nevill had showed his grit but he needs performances to back that
Rob JM
Guest
I'd rate Lyon 3/5 for attack and 3/5 for defence, While SOK would be 2/5 for attack and 5/5 for defence. Australia has been struggling for bowling balance with both Lyon and Hazlewood in the side as playing two strike bowlers causes them to bleed runs while playing a defensive bowler like Siddle means they struggle to take wickets. Adding Sayers to the team would work quite well as he is both a great defensive bowler but also an attacking weapon if there is movement. SOKs defensive skills would be ideal if we played a second strike bowler like Pattinson or Cummins. Bird doesn't really fit the line up well as he is very similar to Hazlewood and also injury prone.
sheek
Roar Guru
Actually Republican, You nailed it. The cynic would most obviously agree the only pressure the players, selectors, coaching/medical staff & administrators are under is 'commercial' pressure. Sad really, it's all about the commercial interests.
Mike Dugg
Guest
Ches, are you taking the mickey? O"keefe's average and performance over numerous shield seasons proves his superiority to Lyon and all the other spinners around. Together at NSW, O'Keefe has the majority of the time outbowled Lyon in games they've played together. Same goes for the tests O'Keefe has played Lyon hasn't taken a 5 for in more that 2 years. He is still bowling to fast and gets mentally rattled. With the Indian tour coming up, nows the time for O'Keefe to get his chance. He is a much better bowler on the sub continent than Lyon as well. The Sri Lankans praised O'Keefe as being the most dangerous bowler to face in the recent Aussie tour there. Once O'Keefe injured himself it was all downhill for the Aussies in that series.