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Australia
Stumps
South Africa
| 1/45 Australia trail South Africa by 144 runs with 9 wickets remaining |
| 0/7 (1.0) | *Nortje | O: 12.0 | Labuschagne* | 5 (12) |
| 0/8 (3.0) | Jansen | RR:3.21 | Warner | 32 (51) |
| c. Verreynne b. Rabada |  | 6.4 1/21 |  | Khawaja 1(11) |
| First Innings: South Africa | 189 all out | RR: 2.38 | O: 68.4 |
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| First Innings: South Africa | 189 all out | RR: 2.38 | O: 68.4 |
|---|
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
D. Elgar* run out (Labuschagne) | 26 | 68 | 2 | 0 | 38.24 |
S.J. Erwee c. Khawaja b. Boland | 18 | 31 | 3 | 0 | 58.06 |
T.B. de Bruyn c. Carey b. Green | 12 | 31 | 2 | 0 | 38.71 |
T. Bavuma c. Carey b. Starc | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 12.50 |
K. Zondo c. Labuschagne b. Starc | 5 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 26.32 |
K. Verreynne+ c. Smith b. Green | 52 | 99 | 3 | 0 | 52.53 |
M. Jansen c. Carey b. Green | 59 | 136 | 10 | 0 | 43.38 |
K.A. Maharaj c. Cummins b. Lyon | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 22.22 |
K.S. Rabada b. Green | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 80.00 |
A. Nortje not out | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
L. Ngidi b. Green | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
Extras (b 3, lb 3, w 0, nb 1) | 7 | ||||
| Total | 189 | ||||
| Bowlers | O | M | R | W | Ec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M.A. Starc | 13.0 | 2 | 39 | 2 | 3.00 |
| P.J. Cummins | 14.0 | 4 | 30 | 0 | 2.14 |
| S.M. Boland | 14.0 | 2 | 34 | 1 | 2.43 |
| N.M. Lyon | 17.0 | 3 | 53 | 1 | 3.12 |
| C.D. Green | 10.4 | 3 | 27 | 5 | 2.53 |
| First Innings: Australia | 1/45 | RR: 3.21 | O: 12.0 |
|---|
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
D.A. Warner not out | 32 | 51 | 3 | 0 | 62.75 |
U.T. Khawaja c. Verreynne b. Rabada | 1 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 9.09 |
M. Labuschagne not out | 5 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 41.67 |
S.P.D. Smith | |||||
T.M. Head | |||||
C.D. Green | |||||
A.T. Carey+ | |||||
P.J. Cummins* | |||||
M.A. Starc | |||||
N.M. Lyon | |||||
S.M. Boland | |||||
Extras (b 0, lb 5, w 0, nb 2) | 7 | ||||
| Total | 45 | ||||
| Bowlers | O | M | R | W | Ec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| K.S. Rabada | 5.0 | 1 | 24 | 1 | 4.80 |
| L. Ngidi | 3.0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0.33 |
| M. Jansen | 3.0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 2.67 |
| A. Nortje | 1.0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7.00 |
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After a resounding Australia victory over South Africa in Brisbane, the two teams meet again at the MCG in Melbourne for the traditional Boxing Day Test. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 10:30am (AEDT).
After the controversy around what was a substandard pitch at the Gabba, the two teams gather in Melbourne for one of the biggest days in Australian sport, hoping for a wicket that creates a far more interesting contest and an extended and competitive match.
Both bowling attacks looked good for long periods in Brisbane. Scott Boland and Nathan Lyon were brilliant at times and Kagiso Rabada led the tourist’s attack well, ably supported by the impressive Anrich Nortje and Marco Jansen.
Sadly, neither batting line-up was able to fire, with Travis Head playing what proved to be a match-winning innings for the Aussies. South Africa crumbled early on day one before responding gallantly, yet as the surface began to do unusual things, the weaknesses with the blade that were widely discussed in the lead-up to the Test were exposed.
There was enough evidence to suggest that both teams have the weapons to take 20 wickets in even better conditions, and the Australian batting appears likely to be the deciding factor leading into a match where the surface will be under intense scrutiny. Last year’s Boxing Day Test was also a very short affair, and the rather underwhelming summer thus far necessitates a much better game of cricket this time around.
In what appears an example of natural justice, the in-form Scott Boland will play for Australia, with Josh Hazlewood stepping aside on Christmas Day and allowing the Victorian to recommence his love affair with the MCG. Otherwise, the Australians will remain unchanged, and it appears likely South Africa will also back the bulk of the team that played in Brisbane.
Behind closed doors, the visitors appear to have written the Test off as an aberration, considering the poor wicket and plan to actually begin their series in front of a noisy and celebratory Boxing Day crowd in Melbourne.
Prediction
It remains unthinkable to tip against the Australians, yet South Africa did show the fight for which they are well known in the first Test. If the tourists can continue to expose David Warner at the top of the order and make consistent inroads into the Australian batting, they always stand a chance of the upset.
Yet the question remains: are they able to muster a first innings total large enough to put pressure on the locals?
Australia to win on the fourth morning.
Venue: MCG
First ball: 10:30am (AEDT)
TV: Fox Cricket, Channel 7
Streaming: Foxtel Go, Kayo Sports
Betting: Australia $1.33, draw $6.75, South Africa $5.25 – odds via PlayUp
Teams
Australia
Usman Khawaja, David Warner, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (c), Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland.
South Africa
Dean Elgar (c), Sarel Erwee, Theunis de Bruyn, Temba Bavuma, Khaya Zondo, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi.
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