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Australia have imploded in Johannesburg and will have to put in an amazing effort just to avoid the follow-on in the fourth Test against South Africa. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage of Day 3 from 6pm (AEST).
While rain is forecast to hit the Wanderers over the final three days, Australia are going to need plenty of it to escape from the position they find themselves in.
After bowling well without luck, the Proteas were eventually knocked over for 488.
It was well above par, given there was enough in the pitch for the bowlers, but the tourists continually found ways to beat the outside edge without luck.
Tim Paine’s first crack at skippering the Australian side will go down as frustrating to say the least, but it got worse when the Aussies went out to bat.
Instead of beating the bat, Vernon Philander found his line and length consistently, picking up three wickets with two of them being caught behind and the other bowled.
It’s no excuse for the Aussies, who simply looked like they didn’t want to be on the park. It’s hardly a surprise, given the ball tampering scandal and the difficulty of the tour. They could have still drawn the series, but even that wouldn’t win them the trophy after they lost to the Proteas at home in the summer of 2016.
Usman Khawaja put up some sort of a fight, but it was nowhere near enough before he perished for 53. Shaun Marsh was the only other player in double figures with Tim Paine and Pat Cummins surviving to stumps, Australia sitting on 6 for 110 and still a distant 378 runs behind, still requiring 178 to avoid the follow-on.
With rain to come and the South African’s having only been in the field for 38 overs, plus the Aussies looking about as keen to go home as they are to put up a fight, the follow-on remains a viable option for Faf du Plessis and his side.
If the Proteas can knock the tourists over within the first hour, it would almost be a surprise to see anything other than the follow-on, which would push a jet-lagged, out of form Australian top order back into the middle against another new ball.
For Australia to come out with anything other than a loss and a 3-1 series result, it would be incredible, bordering on a miracle at this point.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of the third day’s play from 6pm (AEST) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.