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A fiery spell of fast bowling from Kagiso Rabada has put South Africa in a strong position against Australia, after an eventful opening day of the second test. Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match from 7pm (AEDT).
‘I was extremely happy to lose the toss’. Content to field first on a pitch that was expected to assist the bowlers in the first hour of play, Proteas captain Faf du Plessis couldn’t have seemed more wrong as Australia’s openers laid a solid foundation.
An uncharacteristically quiet David Warner and Cam Bancroft initially blunted the South African attack, before accelerating towards the end of the first session, as the ball started to lose its shine.
Scoring his third successive half-century of the series, Warner looked set for a special innings, while Bancroft – fresh of a fifty in his last innings – seemed every bit as assured as his batting partner.
Conceding 75 runs at a run a ball in the last hour of the first session, the signs were looking ominous for South Africa.
But a Vernon Philander outswinger that drew the outside edge of Bancroft on the last ball before lunch brought the Proteas to life.
South Africa struck again after the break, as Philander prolonged Usman Khawaja’s slump in foreign conditions, before recalled paceman Lungi Ngidi bowled the perfect inswinger to disturb Warner’s stumps.
Enter Kagiso Rabada.
With his teammates providing the initial breakthrough, the number two ranked test bowler in the world was at brilliant best, kick starting an Aussie collapse.
Trapping Smith plumb in front, a red hot Rabada is likely to draw some attention from match officials after he sent the Aussie skipper back to the dressing room with a bump.
Rabada put his aggression to good use though, finishing with figures of 5-96, as he destroyed Australia’s middle order with a scintillating spell, picking up four wickets within just seven deliveries.
Partnering with the tail Tim Paine ensured it wagged, as the last two wickets added 61 valuable runs to the visitor’s total, before Ngidi finished the innings by dislodging Paine’s off stump.
Pat Cummins sent Durban centurion Aiden Markram packing early, but it was to be South Africa’s and Rabada’s day as the Proteas paceman added 17 runs as nightwatchman to lead his team to a strong position entering Day 2.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of Day 2 from 7pm (AEDT) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.
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