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South Africa won the toss and elected to bat

Day 1: 1st Session

RSA 14/1 (7.3 Ovs) CRR: 1.87

Markram c Smith b Hazlewood 0(11)

In reply to Narper

Theunis de bruyne out. Bavuma in.

Ngidi out. Morkel gets a chance to say farewell.

Rabada stays of course.

Day 1: Lunch Break

RSA 75/1 (28.0 Ovs) CRR: 2.68

Dean Elgar *40 (77
Hashim Amla 31* (80

Amla out to Hazelwood for 31. Elgar gets his half century!

32.4
Hazlewood to Amla, out Caught by Pat Cummins!! They've got him. The short ball ploy has worked. Amla is distraught that he's fallen in the trap. The cross-seamed bouncer, Amla goes for the pull, doesn't control it because of the bounce, the ball takes the top edge and flies high in the air, fine leg runs in and gets into a great position to complete the catch. The Aussies, post lunch, ran in and banged the ball into the pitch with a mixture of length and full balls. The theory has worked. Not a great deal of help from the pitch, but smart tacticts have broken the gritty 86-run stand.

Amla c Pat Cummins b Hazlewood 31(87) [4s-3]

Day 1: 2nd Session

RSA 113/2 (38.0 Ovs) CRR: 2.97

Day 1: Tea Break

RSA 185/2 (55.0 Ovs) CRR: 3.36

Dean Elgar *91 (165

AB de Villiers 46 (69

In reply to Narper

Elgar gets his century and de Villiers gets his half century!

Three down as de Villiers is out for 64.

Bavuma and du Plessis out cheaply. Australia back in this.

Now de Kock goes cheaply too.

Day 1: 3rd Session

RSA 242/6 (75.0 Ovs) CRR: 3.23

Dean Elgar *114 (223

In reply to mikesiva

Day 1: Stumps

RSA 266/8 (87.0 Ovs) CRR: 3.06

Dean Elgar *121 (253

Kagiso Rabada 6 (12

MA Starc 21 3 81 1
JR Hazlewood 18 4 37 2
NM Lyon 19 6 39 0
PJ Cummins 21 4 64 4
MR Marsh 7 2 26 1
SPD Smith 1 1 0 0

In reply to runout

Are you suggesting that de bruyne is a better test batsman than Bavuma?

On what evidence?

The only questionable selection IMHO is morkel over Ngidi when Ngidi has been more impressive in recent tests.

Are you suggesting there's a quota for white players?

In reply to mikesiva

That was a serious last session collapse...6 wickets went down for 81

But Elgar is still there....and Rabada can bat

In reply to mikesiva
Nothing of that sort. Just observing that one white player was dropped and one black player was dropped to facilitate the selection of one black player and one white player. Nothing complicated, but compelling.

In my estimation Lungi should not have been dropped

Your thoughts?

In reply to runout

Bavuma was out with an injured finger and de bruyne had a chance to prove his credentials in two tests. He failed.

In test cricket Bavuma averages over 30 while de bruyne averages under 20. Once Bavuma was fit any colour blind selector would pick him instead of de bruyne.

Simple logic.

The selection of morkel looks like sentiment to me because Ngidi has better returns. It seems the selectors are giving him a chance to say farewell. I hope that gamble doesn't backfire. We will see tomorrow.

That white player is lucky to be in the team IMHO.

In reply to mikesiva
There is an additional test to play. So why not play him in the last test as a farewell? The series is on the line.

[b]
South Africa's transformation numbers are calculated on an annual basis, from April to April, and require a minimum average of six players of colour, of which two must be black African, to be fielded by the national team over a season. That equates to 54.54% players of colour and 18.18% black African players in the XI[/b]

In reply to runout

I bet Morkel plays in both...He's the only one whose selection we can debate.

Bavuma and Rabada are there on merit.

Philander is there on merit.

Amla and Maharaj are there on merit.

If the targets specify six players of colour, why are there only five? Cricket journalists make way too much of these targets, as if they're cast in stone. I often wonder if these journos have an agenda.

The transformation targets were brought in place to break down the old white boys network, by which they picked mediocre white players claiming they were better than the non-white players.

Rabada out for 22 and Morkel for 4...South africa 311 all out.

Elgar carried his bat for 141.

Cummins 4-78.

In reply to mikesiva
Good morning Mikey.

Game is nicely poised for some exciting cricket.

Interesting day’s play ahead.

Davey exits after a cameo. Darn it, one would have thought that it was a T20 match

In reply to runout

Rabada bowls Warner for 30....

In reply to mikesiva

That was a duel bro I like the intensity that these players bring to the game.

Morne gets Usman. Aus 2 down

In reply to runout

Usman out for five...Morkel's farewell party is off to a good start.

[b]In reply to mikesiva[/b
Indeed

67-2 at lunch.

In reply to runout

Australia 67-2 at lunch.

Bancroft 22*

Smith 4*

Morkel strikes! Smith out for five.

In reply to mikesiva

Smiffy can’t buy a run.

Day 2: 2nd Session

AUS 109/3 (24.0 Ovs) CRR: 4.54

- Australia trail by 202 runs

Cameron Bancroft *52 (60

Shaun Marsh 10 (33

In reply to runout

Ngidi hurt his toe apparently and that's why morkel is playing.

Funny how some cricket journalists are always looking for other issues. You almost get the impression that they are nostalgic for the days of apartheid.

Bancroft playing an Elgar innings?

Morkel again! Shaun Marsh out for 26.

Philander gets the important wicket of Bancroft for 77 just before tea.

Australia 150-5.

Philander removed Mitchell Marsh for five.

In reply to mikesiva
Interesting game...how long can the tail wag???

In reply to runout

Rabada says not long.

Cummins out for four.

Starc out for two.

In reply to mikesiva

Mikey, did the tail wag, or did the tail wag????

Day 2: Stumps -

RSA 311
AUS 245/9 (67.0 Ovs) CRR: 3.66

Australia trail by 66 runs

In reply to Narper
Uzzie really struggling. That number 3 position is critical, and his lack of form is hurting the Aussies.

In reply to runout

Lyon 47 and paine 33 not out brought Australia back into the match.

Australia 255 all out

Rabada 4-91

Morkel 4-87

Elgar finally out...for fourteen.

Day 3: 1st Session -

AUS 255

RSA 311, 30/1 (12.0 Ovs) CRR: 2.5

South Africa lead by 86 runs

In reply to Narper

Markham gets his half century!

Amla out for 31. Cummins gets his second wicket of the innings.

Markham finally out for 84. South Africa sitting pretty on 151-3 at tea.

Two quick wickets with du Plessis out for 20 and Bavuma for five.

How many 80s and 90s Markram got already

In reply to doosra

Like a young Greenidge?

Now de Villiers gets his half century!

Day 3: Stumps

AUS 255

RSA 311, 238/5 (72.0 Ovs) CRR: 3.31

South Africa lead by 294 runs

Quinton de Kock *29 (33

AB de Villiers 51 (103

In reply to mikesiva

More like a young Barry Richards--easy on the eye

In reply to Stilbatn

Impressive young talent.

In reply to NYCGURU

Smith and warner on the field but neither seems to be captain. Paine seems to be leading in the field.

Hazlewood gets rid of de Villiers for 63.

Now de Kock gets his 50....

Cummins strikes and de Kock is out for 65....

South Africa 333-7 at lunch.

Philander 39 not out

Rabada four not out

Rabada hit a succession of boundaries and then out to Lyon for 20...lead passes 400.

Maharaj out to Lyon for five trying to push the pace...nine down.

Philander gets his 50...well down, Big Vern.

South Africa 373 all out.

Philander 52*

Three wickets each for Hazlewood, Cummins and Lyon.

Target 429.

Any thoughts as to what the result of this match will be? Any chance of AUstralia saving it?

In reply to Seechy

I expect a south Africa win.

That said Australia are replying solidly.

Australia 47 without loss at tea.

In reply to mikesiva

Bankrupt gets a great reception from the Newlands crowd on getting run out!

Aus are 57/1 chasing 430

Lol. ...Ninesy.

Bancroft run out for 26. It just gets worse doesn't it Cameron?

In reply to mikesiva

Rabada gets Warner....and he gets the same reception!

59/2

Looking forward to the reception Cappo Cheat gets!

59/3.... Maharaj gets Khawaja

Aussie CHEATS in trouble!

And another... 59/4

S Marsh gawn for QUACK QUACK to Maharaj!

In reply to NineMiles

Smith gone! Morkel gets his wicket for just seven.

In reply to mikesiva

Almost identical to his first innings dismissal. This one is just about done. What was shaping up as a great series, has now been marred by the events of yesterday.

Breaks my heart seeing the Aussies struggle like this.
It really does


Hopefully the crowd haven't been too 'unruly' for Australia today.

World's best test batsman my foot!!

In reply to NYCGURU

Day 4: 3rd Session

AUS 83/5 (32.3 Ovs) CRR: 2.55

Australia need 347 runs

In reply to Narper

Aus now 86 for 6 as Marsh goes.

AUS 86/7 (33.2 Ovs) CRR: 2.58

Mental disintegration!!!!!

In reply to djdrastic


Mitchell Marsh out for 16. Cummins out for a first ball duck. Morkel on a hat trick!

Hat trick avoided.

Morkel gets his fourth wicket! Starc out for seven.

Bavuma runs out Lyon for a duck!

Australia 107 all out.

Morkel 5-23.

South Africa lead the series 2-1.

In reply to Narper

Coach Gibson says to ask; what can the matter be with the NappyHead??

RSA 311, 373

AUS 255, 107-all out (39.4 Ovs)

South Africa won by 322 runs

In reply to NineMiles

Ball tampering