Staff Reporter.
Mitchell Starc took his 300th test wicket as South Africa made a disastrous start to their second innings on the second morning of the first test at the Gabba in Brisbane on Sunday.
The Proteas were in early disarray, on three for two wickets at lunch, after Pat Cummins and Starc got rid of Dean Elgar (2) and Rassie van der Dussen (0) in five overs after Australia had been dismissed for 218 in their first innings, a lead of 66.
In another session of dramatic test cricket, seven wickets fell for a total of 79 runs as the test moved forward at breakneck pace. South Africa would have been reasonably satisfied conceding that differential, but disappointed that their openers couldn’t have survived through to the break.
Elgar was trapped leg before by Cummins in the second over, playing around a straight delivery. He reviewed the decision but the ball was shown to be clipping the bails so it remained ‘umpire’s call’. Van der Dussen was unfortunate to receive Starc’s trademark delivery: full, fast and swinging and seaming back into the right-hander to crash into his middle-and-off stumps.
With that magnificent dismissal, Starc became the seventh Australian to join the 300 club, a well-attested admission of bowling greatness.
Earlier, the session began poorly for the visitors with Australia resuming on their overnight total of 145 for five. Kagiso Rabada failed to set the tone with a notable lack of aggression and a series of half-volleys that Cameron Green crashed down the ground.
Green and Travis Head progressed at a rate of a run a ball with Green striking four boundaries in his first 18 runs while Head reached 2000 runs in tests.
Elgar then removed Rabada from the attack and Marco Jansen, for the second time in the innings, struck in the opening over of his spell. On this occasion, he doubled up with two scalps to get his team right back in the match. First, he induced Green to drive at a half-volley slanting across him: Keshav Maharaj at third slip could only knock the ball up in the air but Sarel Erwee next to him was able to complete the catch.
Jansen’s next victim was the valuable one of Head who gloved a ball down the leg side for wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne to complete the catch after readjusting his grip on the ball. The left-hander played superbly for his 92 in 96 balls, featuring in a key century partnership with Steve Smith on Saturday. In all, he struck 13 fours and a six in his innings.
The remaining wickets fell quickly with Lungi Ngidi doing well to take a low caught and bowled chance to remove Starc while Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon fell for ducks to a rejuvenated Rabada in his second mini-spell leaving wicketkeeper Alex Carey unbeaten on 22.
Rabada, although expensive, finished with 4/76, while Jansen took 3/32 and Nortje – full of honest endeavour – claimed 2/52.