Cameron Green took a Test career-best five-wicket haul as Australia bundled out South Africa for 189 in their first innings on the opening day of the second Test here on Monday. Fast bowler Green took five wickets for 27 runs. This is the first time in Test cricket that he has taken five wickets in an innings. South Africa lost their last five wickets within 10 runs. Australia have scored 45 runs for one wicket till the end of the first day’s play.
David Warner was playing on 32 and Marnus Labuschagne was on five at the time of stumps. Kagiso Rabada gave South Africa the first success by catching opener Usman Khawaja (one) behind the wicket. Australia is currently 144 runs behind South Africa. Sent in to bat after losing the toss, South Africa did not get off to a good start and at one stage were 67 for five before Kyle Verreyne (52) and Marco Janssen (59) put on 112 for the sixth wicket. Partnership.
South Africa made a cautious start on the green pitch of the Melbourne Cricket Ground. His score was 56 for two after losing the wickets of Sarel Ervi (18) and Theunis de Bruyn (12). But after this the team lost two wickets on the same score. Captain Dean Elgar (26) was run out in a risky run attempt an over before lunch. Mitchell Starc took his first wicket on the next ball by getting Temba Bavuma (one) caught behind the wicket and then after lunch Khaya Jondo (five) was caught by Labushen who had earlier run out Elgar on a straight throw.
In this way, South Africa lost four wickets within 11 runs. Scott Boland, who made his Test debut at Melbourne a year ago, gave South Africa the first blow by having Ervi caught at first slip. De Bruyne was playing his first Test match since 2019 but the right-handed batsman was caught behind the wicket in an attempt to pull Green’s ball. Jansen got life on a personal total of 22 runs, which he took full advantage of to score his first half-century in Test cricket.
Green, who joined Mumbai Indians for a hefty sum in the Indian Premier League, ended his century partnership with Jansen when he had Vereyne caught at first slip. The all-rounder then sent Jansen and Rabada (four) to the pavilion in the next over. It did not take time after this to end the South African innings. Australia is currently leading 1-0 in the three-match series. He won the first Test match played in Brisbane by six wickets.
