Tea South Africa 152 (Verreynne 64, Lyon 3-14) v Australia
South Africa have been bowled out for under 200 for a fifth successive Test innings. Familiar questions over their weaknesses were raised yet again by a fired up Australia pace attack that made use of the Gabba green top after Pat Cummins elected to bowl.
Only two of the batters in their XI had previously played a Test in Australia; neither of them had made a Test hundred this year. Only two others have managed centuries in this WTC cycle, and the lack of confidence and application was glaring. Especially against Australia.
Initially, it seemed as if Australia were sucked into the pitch mania, but you would have never been able to guess that looking at the scorecard.
Dean Elgar was out in the fifth over when he was strangled down the leg side by a 140kph rib-ticklet from Starc. At the other end, a tentative Erwee took 19 deliveries to get off the mark. With Rassie van der Dussen new to the crease and back from an injury, South Africa seemed stuck. That was until van der Dussen drove Starc through mid-off to run four. Erwee followed suit with a stunning straight drive, but run-scoring opportunities were limited as Australia adjusted their approach.
In his fifth over, Cummins found the right line outside off and forced van der Dussen to play at a delivery in the channel. He was squared up and nicked off. Then, Boland got into the thick of things. He had Erwee caught low down by Cameron Green in the gully and in the same over, had Khaya Zondo given out lbw to a delivery that rose on him and hit him on the back pad. Zondo reviewed but was out on umpire’s call. South Africa were reduced to 27 for 4 with the last of the specialist batters at the crease.
All eyes turned to Bavuma, who has not batted in a competitive game since the T20 World Cup. Luckily for him, Verreynne’s aggressive instincts came out early and he tucked into two short balls from Green, one of them with an upper cut for six. The pair remained fairly frenetic, offering two run-out chances early that Australia couldn’t capitalise on. By lunch, South Africa had recovered to 84 for 4 and the Bavuma-Verreynne partnership was worth 57. had grown to 57.
After lunch, Verreynne brought up his half-century with a pull over midwicket even as Bavuma continued to show plenty of guts.Their stand had reached 98 when Starc got one to move off the seam to have Bavuma inside edging onto the stumps.
South Africa went on to lose their next five wickets for 20 runs and only one of them could be called a soft dismissal. Marco Jansen stepped out to hit Lyon over long-on but top-edged and was brilliantly caught by Green running back from midwicket.
Keshav Maharaj left Starc one away from 300 Test wickets after he was set up with a bouncer and then dismissed with a full ball that took the edge to second slip. With good bounce on offer, Lyon also took out Verreynne, who played for a turn against a straight ball and edged behind. He was dismissed for 64.
Then the fast bowlers went at the stroke of tea as Australia drove home the advantage.
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo’s South Africa correspondent
