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.
KenoathCarnt
Guest
Lol agreed SA definitely has been the better team no doubt, but it could have been alot closer which ultimately makes the game alot more fun to watch.
I am pulling your leg. All batsmen have some luck, but ultimately they tough it out, find form and score runs. Sometimes they have no luck at all, it is how sport works. It supposedly balances out.
DavSA
Guest
There was during the Test some discussion by the commentators including Michael Holding about bowlers constantly beating the bat yet failing to find the edge. The general consensus was that the bowlers needed to adjust slightly on angle of delivery as well as line and length . I dont recall the full gist of the discussion but what was clear was that experienced ex players felt that it was within the bowlers control to correct.
KenoathCarnt
Guest
Come on you can't seriously believe that. That defeats all logic.
Yes, and sometime even by centimeters. That is off course unless they edge the ball in the gaps.
KenoathCarnt
Guest
Even if it doent get the batsman out they win then think they have to play at everything.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Look potentially, but I didn't have many problems with the length he was bowling yesterday. Batsmen just weren't good enough a lot of the time.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Yeah bazza, got it in one - frustrating for the Aussies.
KenoathCarnt
Guest
Do SA deliberately mean to miss the ball by millimetres?
bazza200
Roar Rookie
From reading the commentry it seems like one of those series where Aussie bowlers get alot of play and misses and not many edges. Sometimes that happens.
You can't ascribe this match situation to luck. That is simply to deny what SA brings to the table.
Custard Cream
Roar Rookie
Scott, is Hazelwood's "lack of luck" due to him bowling too short maybe? It's been a perennial problem for English swing bowlers going back to the days of Mike Hendricks.
Custard Cream
Roar Rookie
Edmonds and Emburey used to do that all the time for England!
Johnno
Guest
South africa is a great side right now and all this no dale steyn
KenoathCarnt
Guest
Sometimes i just dont get cricket a game of luck at times completely stupid.
DavSA
Guest
Again thank you Scott. SA have put down the hammer .Only weather can save Aus now. And yes after this let your boys go home and regroup..... as they will. From my side it is inconceivable that such a wonderful cricketing country has gone this low. Some massive introspection required here me thinks. From an SA point of view , my team looks just so good going forward . We want ...no actually demand ...the nr 1 spot in the ICC Test rankings. Just a matter of time.
Johnno
Guest
Just come home aussies it's a massacare now. hopefully this tour from hell will be put out of it's misery by tommorow. come home boys an dput ya feet up south africa to good and bashed us into submission.. we need a break and to get home
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thanks for joining me this evening and into the morning for our live coverage of the 2018 Australian tour of South Africa. Hopefully you enjoyed the call. That wraps up my involvement in the series. It's been a blast bringing you all the action, but that doesn't mean it's over by any rate. Lachlan Ballingal will be here for both Day 4 and 5 (if we go that far) to wrap things up. I'll be back tomorrow from 4pm (AEST) with NRL action between the Wests Tigers and Parramatta Eels and again on Wednesday evening from 7pm (AEST) for the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games. Bye for now.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Roarers, thoughts on the day's play?
Scott Pryde
Expert
STUMPS Elgar defends out yet another maiden from Lyon and that will be the end of that. Well, that caps yet another good day for the Proteas. They were outplayed by Tim Paine and Pat Cummins during the first session of the day as the Aussie duo ended any hopes of enforcing the follow-on, but the match returned to the staus quo of the first few days, the Proteas simply unable to find a way to get out after they ran through the Aussie tail. By stumps, the Proteas have lost three, but it could have been more. Dean Elgar has done a great job to stay at the crease, du Plessis looks comfortable at stumps and the lead is up to a staggering 401 with seven wickets in the sheds and two days left to play. Nathan Lyon has bowled superbly without any luck whatsoever during Day 3. He has 25 overs to his name and just the single wicket. Pat Cummins as well, beat the edge time and time again, while Josh Hazlewood is still yet to have a wicket to his name for the entire match. In short, the Aussies have played well, but have been unable to break it open and have a heap of work to do to save the match from this point.
Over: 56 South Africa: 3/134