Australia beat South Africa by six wickets in the first Test inside two days
Australia’s bowlers destroyed South Africa’s batting in the second innings as well, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series with a six-wicket win on the second day of the first cricket Test here on Sunday. During Australia’s victory in the match, 34 wickets fell in two days. Wickets continued to fall on the second day at the Gabba on a grassy pitch suited for fast bowlers. Australia’s first innings was reduced to 218 runs before lunch on the second day, giving the team a 66-run lead. South Africa’s second innings was also reduced to just 99 runs.
Australia got a target of 34 runs which they achieved by scoring 35 runs for four wickets. In the presence of Marnus Labushen (05 not out) and Cameron Green (00 not out), Australia achieved the target on the last ball of the eighth over. Kagiso Rabada (four wickets for 13 runs) got all four wickets in the second innings from South Africa. In the first innings too, Rabada took four wickets for 76 runs. He got good support from Marco Jansen (3/32).
In the morning session, Jensen had Green (18) caught at slip by Sarel Irvy. Three balls later, Jensen got Travis Head (92) caught by wicketkeeper Kyle Verrain. Head hit 13 fours and a six in his 96-ball knock. Lungi Ngidi (1 for 35) caught Mitchell Starc (14) on his own ball after which Rabada ended Australia’s innings by sending captain Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon to the pavilion without opening the account. The bowlers of the host team took full advantage of the 20 minutes before lunch.
Cummins lbw Dean Elgar (02) in the second over after which Starc (2 for 26) bowled Racey van der Dussen (00) to reduce Australia’s score to three for two. This was Stark’s 300th Test wicket. He is the seventh Australian bowler to achieve this feat. After lunch, Khaya Zondo (36 not out) and Temba Bavuma (29) briefly halted the fall of wickets but Lyon broke the partnership by lbw to Bavuma, after which the team lost the remaining six wickets for just 22 runs. Scott Boland (2/14) dismissed Kyle Verrain and Marco Jansen in the next over while Keshav Maharaj (16) was dismissed by Starc. Cummins (5 for 42) took the last three wickets to take five or more wickets in an innings for the eighth time.
