Published: Nov 25, 2016, 07:30 AM (IST)
Edited: Nov 25, 2016, 04:38 PM (IST)
Hello and welcome to CricketCountry’s coverage between Australia and South Africa. This is the third Test and here you will get all the live updates of Day Two. The match is being be played at the Adelaide Oval. The Day One was filled with enough excitement thanks to a very composed and perfect battle by South African skipper Faf du Plessis century and also excellent comeback by Australian bowlers who came up with figures like 4 for 58 by Josh Hazlewood and two wickets apiece by Jackson Bird and Mitchell Starc. Australia are coming with five consecutive Test loss and are on the brink of yet another whitewash at home. LIVE CRICKET SCORECARD: Australia vs South Africa, third Test, Day One at Adelaide
South Africa decided to go ahead with sudden declaration on knowing that David Warner has gone away for shoulder treatment. Taking this opportunity, South Africa decided to bring their best bowlers run through the Steven Smith-led new pack. As per the plan, Warner was kept away to enter along with newbie Matt Renshaw and joining him was Usman Khawaja. However, Proteas were unable to bag any wicket with Australia added 14 runs at the end of Day One. Australia ruled at Adelaide with wickets at regular intervals. However, du Plessis added vital partnership along with Stephen Cook, Kyle Abbott and Tabraiz Shamsi to keep South Africa ahead in the game.
Du Plessis put his ball tampering controversy behind him to defy Australia’s bowlers and produce his most satisfying century to put South Africa in early control. Du Plessis was booed by the crowd as he walked out to bat, following a ball-tampering incident for which he was found guilty and fined, but cleared to play in the match. But he single-handedly lifted the Proteas before declaring at 259 for nine leaving him unbeaten on 118 off 164 balls after the tourists had been struggling at 95 for four against Smith’s revamped team. English-born debutant opener Renshaw played watchfully for eight with Khawaja on three.
It was yet another crucial knock by du Plessis at the Adelaide ground where four years ago his defiant 376-ball unbeaten knock of 110 denied Australia victory to earn the Proteas a backs-to-the-wall draw. Hazlewood was the best of the Australian bowlers with four wickets for 68. Dashing wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock, who has scores of 84, 64 and 104 in the series, had a failure by comparison, managing just 24 off 33 balls. Vernon Philander lost a third umpire review when ‘Snicko’ detected the faintest of edges off Hazlewood to Matthew Wade for four nearing the dinner break, while Kyle Abbott chipped in with a spirited 17.
Temba Bavuma failed to get a start when he edged Bird for eight and Starc recovered from his early Cook blunder to entice a thick edge from Dean Elgar to Khawaja at third slip for five. Australia are fighting off the threat of their sixth straight Test defeat, after losing 3-0 in Sri Lanka in July and August. They are also on the brink of their first-ever home Test series whitewash.
Squads:
Australia: Steven Smith (c), Matthew Wade (wk), David Warner, Matt Renshaw, Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb, Nic Maddinson, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Jackson Bird.
South Africa: Faf du Plessis (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Stephen Cook, Dean Elgar, Hashim Amla, JP Duminy, Kagiso Rabada, Temba Bavuma, Vernon Philander, Tabraiz Shamsi and Kyle Abbott.
