Australia defeated South Africa at home for the first time since the 2005–2006 summer with a smashing victory on Boxing Day. South Africa’s streak of three consecutive series victories in Australia was thus interrupted, and their hopes of participating in the World Test Championship (WTC) final in Sydney now hung in the balance. They need to win the last game of the series to stay in the title race.
Based on their batting so far, that seems to be a long shot. They were dismissed for less than 200 for the eighth consecutive Test innings, but were bowled out in 69 overs in the second innings at the MCG. Temba Bavuma was the only batsman to reach a half-century, and his 63-run fifth wicket stand with Kyle Verreyne was the only partnership to go over 50 runs. Only Verreynne, a South African, scored higher than 33.
Nathan Lyon, who led the Australian attack, had the most success and finished with 3 for 58. Even though Scott Boland lost two wickets in the end, it’s vital to note Pat Cummins’ oppressive bowling effort (16 overs, 20 runs allowed). The dismissal of Sarel Erwee and Marco Jansen was successfully contested by Australia, hastening the conclusion.
Mitchell Starc deserves respect for his boldness as well. Due to a broken middle finger, Starc was forced to mop up blood from his open wound multiple times while bowling. Despite the absence of Cameron Green, Australia only need two overs from Steven Smith’s occasional leg spin. He bowled Lungi Ngidi to cap off the Shane Warne Test in a fitting manner.
South Africa would be especially unhappy with their two run-outs and the number of simple dismissals. The way they were removed shows that the lineup still has severe difficulties with technique and attitude. Even to the unblinking eye, there were several hitters who could have made better choices in their strokes or stances.
The first player to be taken off the field was Dean Elgar, who chased a Cummins delivery off his hip and down leg on the third night and edged behind. Similar methods of firing Elgar have been used twice before in the series. Similarly, Sarel Erwee has been known to end innings by driving recklessly outside the off stump then looking tighter in the second.
He had advanced to his highest series total of 21 before being whacked on the toe by a Starc yorker in front of the middle and leg. They got their first morning wicket after Cummins examined the delivery and saw that it would hit the stumps. Theunis de Bruyn, the new No. 3 on the other end, was ineffectual.
Boland was short of third slip, Starc was outside-edged short of Smith at second slip, and Cummins was inside-edged short of Alex Carey. At the exact moment that his luck was about to run out, he slashed Boland over the slips. In spite of Marnus Labuschagne leaping over him, he edged a back-of-a-length Boland ball to second slip, where Smith made the catch. He was kept on his heels.