AUSTRALIA v SOUTH AFRICA, SECOND DAY TEST, DAY TWO
SCORE: South Africa 189, Australia 3-386 and lead by 197 on the primary innings.
SUMMARY: Australia resumed at 1-45 and Marnus Labuschagne emulated South African captain Dean Elgar’s day-one calamity with a horrible run out. David Warner and Steve Smith then mixed for a 254-run partnership – their first double-century Test stand – as they took the sport away from South Africa.
Fast bowler Anrich Nortje deserved greater than his one wicket, particularly after an impressive post-lunch spell that totally examined Warner and Smith. Instead, his “reward” was to be flattened by spider cam and he was fortunate not be critically damage within the weird incident. Warner, limping and affected by the warmth, retired damage on 200 and Smith made 85.
After Australian paceman Mitch Starc injured a finger on day one, allrounder Cameron Green was pressured to retire damage when a Nortje supply rapped him on his proper index finger. South African quick bowler Lungi Ngidi additionally left the sphere late on day two due to the warmth.
MAN OF THE MOMENT: Warner had been below loads of stress coming into Boxing Day, not having scored a Test century for practically three years. But the 36-year-old marked his a hundredth Test together with his third double ton to make sure he is in command of his future forward of subsequent 12 months’s India and Ashes excursions.
KEY MOMENT: One day after his first Test five-wicket haul, and 4 days after his $3.15 million IPL public sale sale, Green retired damage with the damage to his bowling hand.
STAT OF THE DAY: Warner turned the eighth Australian to attain a Test double century on the MCG.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “You’d think by now writing David off is probably the wrong thing to do, he thrives on that,” Warner’s spouse Candice instructed Fox Cricket.
