An entertaining career best innings of 47 by Nathan Lyon and an impressive 77 by Cameron Bancroft has pulled Australia back from an embarrassing first innings total to be only 66 runs behind South Africa’s first innings score on the second day of an intriguing third test at Newlands. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage of Day 3 from 7:30pm (AEDT).
After holding Australia at bay for 90 overs on the first day, South African opener Dean Elgar carried his bat for the third time in his career and becoming the first cricketer to hold it twice in a calendar year.
Elgar’s unbeaten 141 was an innings characterised by his trademark determination, toughness and discipline.
Australia were desperate to keep South Africa under 300 but Elgar and fiery fast-bowler Kagiso Rabada kept them at bay with an important 50 run ninth-wicket partnership.
Australia’s fast-bowlers were guilty of over-utilisation of the bouncer barrage. Rabada primarily rode his fortune numerous times with his attempted pulls evading fielders.
It took Nathan Lyon, who later would play a far more important role with the bat, to get the final two wickets of Rabada and Morne Morkel: both caught at slip by captain Steve Smith. South Africa amassed a total of 311.
Australia started positively with both Bancroft and particularly David Warner providing a blistering start.
It was obvious that Warner was trying to prove a point to Rabada as he hit him for 4,4,6,4 in successive deliveries.
But Rabada as he has been throughout the series, came back strongly by bowling a perfect delivery that took Warner’s off stump for a cartwheel.
Morkel followed this up with the wickets of Smith and struggling Usman Khawaja, both for five with deliveries that shot up from a length and in the process becoming only the fifth South African bowler to reach that landmark.
Bancroft on the other end looked as assured as he has in his short test career. With Shaun Marsh for support, Bancroft counterattacked with some glorious drives front of the wicket.
A crucial 78-run partnership was ended once again by the retiring Morkel who ended Marsh’s innings by nicking him off.
Bancroft followed suit shortly after to Vernon Philander who nipped an inswinger trapping him in front. Bancroft’s innings included 14 boundaries.
Philander then had Marsh caught behind and Rabada followed suit by dismissing Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins without disturbing the score too much. Australia were reeling at 175 for 8.
But Lyon’s attacking innings which featured eight boundaries including some scorching drives on the up would have settled the nervous dressing room.
A vital 66-run partnership with impressive Tim Paine has cut the deficit to as much as the partnership was worth. Lyon was dismissed by Morkel who finished the day with an impressive 4-87.
This sets up of what should be an outstanding day of cricket. A day where the team who has the upper hand should go a long way to winning the third test match. Let’s pray that the rain stays away.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of Day 3 from 7:30pm (AEDT) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.
The chairman
Guest
Cheating is getting an unfair advantage any way possible ......Cheating is cheating but How many others have gotten away with it . Remember V Richards running out dean jones off a no ball while he was walking off Richards & Holding & whole WI side plus and umpire should be ashemed but no nothing said Atherton rubbing dirt on ball or other English players using Lollies for extra split on ball Pakis touching up the seam on the ball for reverse swing The lawyer who tells untruths to get Even tho he has had many points deducted for bad behaviour feeling like an unfair advantage to me. Not to mention the monkey gate affair what sort of unfair advantage did they Sri Lankins get from that fiasco So lads calm down about hanging these Aussie boys at this post Others made mistakes but not much is done But we have to destru our lads over a mistake....get over yourself sit is just a game.
RogerTA
Roar Rookie
Hard not to believe that Colin, it's very sad.
ColinP
Guest
Maybe you're right sandy......all teams probably do it to some extent....watching this live I got a horrible feeling in my stomach, it looked f*#*ing awful when he slipped it in his trousers. So stupid also, they must have got away with it before to have the balls to do it in a game of this exposure
soapit
Guest
someones gotta go for it. maybe it will be lehman going early as scapegoat.
soapit
Guest
hopefully we will see them cop whatever punishment is given and most oz fans support full punishment. then we can move on
Ashan D
Roar Pro
Lehman must go... if Smith says coaching staff is not involved, that is bullshit. Jason Gillespie or Ricky Ponting should be made captain. Even JL with all his WA push. These guys played hard and were naive at times, but they would never do organized cheating like this. Smith should be banned and should resign. Bring in Maxwell atlast. Make Warner captain. I know some of you might disagree but we do not have any other. Or bring in Travis Head and make him captain.
Greco
Guest
Look ball tampering is not within the rules but those talking about past Aussies teams and cheating and how this should be the end for Smith just need to relax. Sledging and ball tampering have always been around. Why must careers be ended over this stuff. Lets just fine people and carry-on. If anything all the whinging about what a big meanie some spectator is, is way worse than sand paper on the ball. The management team has just not managed very well. 1) They should have known better than to sledge de Villiers. 2)Warner should have just done what all sportsmen do when Fans are drunkards, ignore them. The way he allowed this to get under his skin gave oxygen to the fire. (Imagine being John Terry during the Wayne Bridge scandal). Its not like Sonny Bill Gate is never happened anyway. 3) Getting caught ball tampering looks terrible in light of how the other things they have tried so far have bombed. But this Aussie team needs a tall glass of cement more than anything else. Smith caved in the Presser, cant imagine Border, Waugh or Ponting doing that maybe Clark??
DJW
Guest
Smith is done. As is everyone in leadership group. Poor Bancroft is the scapegoat. And don’t tell me for a second Lehman didn’t know. He has been a joke gfor s long time now can go too.
riddler
Guest
don't agree.. cheating is cheating.. they lied about it, till faced with the compelling evidence.. this isn't just a move on incident..
riddler
Guest
do not want
Sandy
Guest
I hear you ColinP, but the reality is, I believe, every team does it. If you remember, when Faf was being done, Smith actually sald, “everyone does it”, we are just the fans, paying money and being treated like naive, (me) idiots. As I said in an earlier post, I think, for me, it is time to find an alternative source of entertainment, and not on the tele.
So the Aussies aren't lilly white and innocent. Those found guilty will be punished, that should be the end of it. There has been enough negative publicity during the test series. SA and OZ are great rivals, now and then things go a bit south. Then we all move on.
riddler
Guest
actually.. i do want smith and his leadership group to play for oz again.. it is an honour and privilege that so very very few ever get to do.. this just beggars belief..
Sandy
Guest
This series wasn’t sitting well for me, from both sides. Unfortunately, sport in general, has not been giving me any joy for quite some time. Cricket always held such memories, family Christmas breaks at the seaside, sitting around the tele, a swim before start, at lunch and close of play, listening to my dad and the neighbours summing up each day, waiting to see if what they thought, was going to play out. I remember the disappointment with the underarm, they were very critical. Right at this moment, I am too disappointed to even contemplate watching tomorrow, I think I may have better things to do.
ColinP
Guest
I actually feel a bit sorry for Bancroft...."i felt nervous about it" is halfway to saying I didn't really want to do it, for me. It's not like being made to feel a short leg, but same sentiment. This is really sad I know, but I actually felt a bit upset when I saw it live, probably a sign cricket means a bit too much to me. It's not an Aussie bashing thing, because I have the feeling this particular group have some bad eggs who might driven their whole ethos, and that is not reflective of all in the setup...but I paid a lot of money to travel and watch the ashes and now I can't help thinking this surely isn't the first time they've done it. Smith in the press conference talking like this will never happen again....seriously he'll be lucky to be out there playing again, consider Mohammed amir. I'm gutted and I'm an Englishman, you guys must be absolutely furious. Lehman will lose his job
riddler
Guest
my comment is awaiting moderation.. no idea why.. summary: not a proud australian today.. dark day for australian cricket..
riddler
Guest
the 'leadership group' whoever they are should all be suspended and stripped of their roles.. suspension needs to be long.. this is not a slight misdemeanour.. this is blatant cheating, lying and then only admitting when the evidence showed them guilty.. if lehman was in on it then he should be removed immediately as well. this is a very dark day for australian cricket.. i am not a proud australian today at all..
Rats
Guest
I don't like character assassinations. But I agree with you.. Smith seems to be a kind of person who will go to any extent to be successful..
Ashan D
Roar Pro
Karma.. for what Smith did to Maxwell... almost ruined his career based on personal reasons...
Brent Buxton
Guest
Phew!...what can we say! All credibility of Aus greatness in not only sporting greatness but social attitude gone!...in one fowl swoop. Careful with the logs in one's own eye before making judgements. A lesson for all!