Fifteen wickets fell during an enthralling opening day of the Gabba Test, with the bowlers dominating proceedings in the Queensland capital on Saturday.
After winning the toss and electing to bowl first in Brisbane, Australia rolled the South Africans for 152 in the first innings, with Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon each snaring three wickets.
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The Proteas quickly returned serve, sending a scare through the Australian camp by claiming three quick wickets after the tea break.
But Steve Smith and Travis Head steadied the ship, combining for a 117-run partnership for the fourth wicket to prevent a collapse and put Australia on the verge of a first-innings lead.
‘RISK FREE’: HEAD IS THE NEW GILLY
Travis Head’s ability to counterattack with the bat is invaluable.
Australia’s top order was in tatters when the left-hander waltzed to the crease on Saturday afternoon. Usman Khawaja, David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne were all back in the sheds cheaply, outclassed by South Africa’s quicks.
The hosts were on the verge of a dire collapse before Head came to the rescue, as he’s done so often before on Australian soil.
The South Australian combined with Steve Smith for a century stand, frustrating the Proteas and ruining any chance of a comeback.
Head was initially patient in the middle, adjusting to the Gabba bounce and mustering just two runs from his first 16 deliveries.
But it was all one-way traffic from then on.
Head smacked 55 runs from his next 35 balls at the crease, bringing up his half-century in just 48 deliveries.
He wasn’t afraid to play his shots, feasting on the Proteas seamers and switching to white-ball mode with ease.
Anything directed at Head’s body was flicked or pulled through square leg, while he flashed the blade at anything short and wide, throwing in a couple of straight drives for good measure.
Not since the legendary Adam Gilchrist has an Australian lower-order batter so effectively counterattacked against the old ball.
“Wow, he’s almost setting the trend for the Big Bash that’s happening afterwards,” South African great Shaun Pollock said on Fox Cricket.
“His timing has been just fantastic.
“That’s the mark of a great player. Much like Gilly used to do in his day. When he first came to the crease, those first 16 balls he had to absorb and now he realises, ‘Hang on, I can take this game by the scruff of the neck and put South Africa under immense pressure’.”
Gilchrist continued: “And risk free. It’s been so controlled. There’s been no slogging about it.
“The maturity of his batting is what we’ve seen develop on his return into the Test team. He wanted to become more consistent and still play his natural game.”
Head seemingly loves batting at the Gabba — twelve months ago, he plundered the third-fastest century in Ashes history, smashing England’s bowlers to all corners of the venue.
And now he’s now just 22 runs away from a sixth Test century.
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‘NASTY’ MOMENT COMPOUNDS WARNER’S WOES
What is going on with David Warner?
After an underwhelming campaign against the West Indies, the veteran opener’s Test series against South Africa got off to the worst possible start on Saturday.
Proteas seamer Kagiso Rabada got the Australian innings underway with a 133km/h short delivery, directed at Warner’s arm pit.
The left-armer hopped in the air and thrust his bat at the Kookaburra, dropping his head and taking his left hand off the willow.
The ball popped up towards Khaya Zondo at short leg, who lunged into the air and snared the catch with one outstretched hand.
Warner was gone for a golden duck, his second at Test level.
“David Warner just took his eye off the ball and he’s paid the price,” former Australian Test batter Mark Waugh said on Fox Cricket.
“Nothing’s gone David Warner’s way – he keeps making mistakes and keeps paying a high price.
“It was nasty … once you take your eye off it, anything can happen.”
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First ball! Warner cops Golden Duck | 00:57
Warner has not scored a Test century since January 2020, before the Covid-19 pandemic.
He has reached fifty just four times in his last 26 Test innings, averaging 27.00 with the bat during that time.
The 36-year-old currently has the lowest Test average of all opening batters this year (minimum 10 innings).
The New South Welshman’s lack of runs has understandably been cause for concern, but Saturday’s golden duck was the first instance where Warner genuinely looked out of his depth at Test level.
He was completely rattled. The skill is undeniably still there, but Warner’s mental resilience is seemingly fading.
The wicket quickly drew comparisons to Ricky Ponting’s ugly dismissal against South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis in 2012, the moment he knew it was time to step away from the game.
Australian coach Andrew McDonald has already indicated that Warner will travel to India next month, and cricketers of his calibre always find a way to bounce back.
But unless he can rediscover some momentum in the next couple of months, national selectors may have some tough decisions to make.
LOWEST TEST BATTING AVERAGE FOR OPENERS IN 2022
21.64 — David Warner (AUS)
23.84 — Alex Lees (ENG)
26.58 — Will Young (NZ)
26.92 — Sarel Erwee (RSA)
29.75 — Mahmudul Hasan Joy (BAN)
* Minimum 10 Test innings
‘LACK OF CONFIDENCE’: FRAGILE PROTEAS EXPOSED
There were concerns about South Africa’s batting cartel leading into the Test series, and the top order’s vulnerability was glaringly evident on Saturday.
Despite a wayward opening spell from Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins, the Proteas found themselves in dire straits at 4/27 after 11 overs in the Queensland capital.
South African captain Dean Elgar was arguably unlucky to be strangled down the leg side, while some Scott Boland magic left the visitors reeling in the morning session.
The Proteas were saved by a 98-run partnership by Temba Bavuma and Kyle Verreynne for the fifth wicket, a classy counter-attack that threatened to revive the innings.
But neither went on towards a big score, dismissed for 38 and 64 respectively.
The South African lower order toppled like dominoes, losing 6-27 in a dire collapse that exposed the length of the Proteas’ tail.
The tourists selected five specialist bowlers for the series opener, trusting Marco Jansen would support the top order batting at No. 7.
But the bowling all-rounder looked completely out of his depth on Saturday, scratching his way towards 2 before needlessly throwing his wicket away in the 40th over. Fans will question whether the Proteas should have found room for another batter in their starting XI.
South Africa was ultimately rolled for 152, their fifth consecutive team score of less than 180. They were undisciplined and, at times, reckless with the willow.
Aussies TEAR through Proteas top order | 01:53
Nobody in the Proteas’ squad boasts a Test average above 40; Elgar tops the list with 38.55.
The South Africans are still recovering after several high-profile batters stepped away from the Test format – AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis and Quinton de Kock have all retired since the 2018 series, while experienced opener Aiden Markram has been dropped.
As explained by ESPNcricinfo reporter Firdose Moonda, South Africa’s first-class system is not designed to support the development of Test cricketers.
“Seven matches a season, played out of prime summer, and with most Test bowlers rested,” she tweeted.
“There’s no other word for South Africa’s batting other than kak. At least three of the dismissals today were the batters’ own making. Lack of confidence, lack of application, just kak.”
BATTING AVERAGES FOR SOUTH AFRICA’S TOP ORDER
38.55 – Dean Elgar
26.92 – Sarel Erwee
31.20 – Rassie van der Dussen
34.41 – Temba Bavuma
13.00 – Khaya Zondo
29.25 – Kyle Verreynne
20.20 – Marco Jansen
STARC FORCED TO WAIT FOR TRIPLE CENTURY
Mitchell Starc was sitting on 296 Test wickets ahead of the series opener against South Africa, on the verge of joining an illustrious group of cricket greats.
Only six Australians have reached the coveted 300-wicket milestone, the most recent being Mitchell Johnson, who achieved the feat during the 2015 Ashes series.
Starc put himself within touching distance of 300 scalps on Saturday – after removing Proteas captain Dean Elgar early in the morning session, the left-armer knocked over Temba Bavuma with an absolute peach that swung back through the gate and crashed into the stumps.
The New South Welshman was suddenly one breakthrough away from the triple century when Keshav Maharaj nicked off in the 41st over.
Three deliveries later, Starc should have gotten the job done.
Kagiso Rabada awkwardly fended a waist-high delivery towards short leg, where Travis Head bottled a tough chance under the lid.
The Kookaburra struck him between the legs before bouncing out of his outstretched hand on the second attempt.
Starc’s frustration grew when a couple of balls flew past the outside edge, knowing he was tantalisingly close to making history.
The paceman was eventually taken out of the attack, with captain Pat Cummins snaring the tenth and final wicket for the Australians.
Starc will need to wait until the second innings for his next opportunity.
“To take one Test wicket takes a phenomenal amount of dedication, experience, sacrifice. To get to 100 wickets is incredible, 200 amazing — 300 is a massive milestone,” former teammate Brett Lee told foxsports.com.au.
“He’s blossomed into one of the best fast bowlers that’s going around currently.
“I hope he’s around for a long, long time. I hope he goes way past that 300 mark and gets up towards 400.
“There’s no reason why he can’t go past (Dennis Lillee on) 355 if he plays a few more seasons.”
MOST TEST WICKETS FOR AUSTRALIA
708 — Shane Warne
563 — Glenn McGrath
450 — Nathan Lyon
355 — Dennis Lillee
313 — Mitchell Johnson
310 — Brett Lee
299 — Mitchell Starc
PROTEAS SEAMERS ARE PURE CLASS
Kagiso Rabada took one ball to take a wicket.
Marco Jansen took one ball to take a wicket.
Anrich Nortje took two balls to take a wicket.
All this, after South Africa was rolled for 152.
A better representation of the gulf in class between the Proteas’ bowling and their batting there could not be.
If anything is going to keep South Africa in the fight this summer, it’s the team’s bowling which wasted no time in firing at the Gabba on Saturday afternoon.
A fired up Rabada dug one in to the under-fire Warner first ball of the innings and earnt the rewards with an early wicket.
Eight overs later, Marnus Labuschagne was anxious about the ball that swings back into him – and played at a probing ball from left-arm giant Jansen which he edged outside off stump.
Nortje then got in on the act inside his first over with a climbing delivery that Usman Khawaja edged through to third slip.
Speaking to foxsports.com.au before the series, Mitchell Starc warned that South Africa’s four-prong pace attack was going to be trouble.
“(It will be) a huge challenge for our batters, likewise for our whole group,” he said.
“They’re going to be a huge threat to our team and to the series. Obviously front of mind is that pace attack.”
Meanwhile, Labuschagne said the Proteas have “one of the best fast-bowling attacks going around”.
It didn’t take long in Australia’s first innings to see why the players’ were so wary of the threat the South African quicks bring.
Heading into Australia, Rabada, Jansen, Nortje and Lungi Ngidi had in the past two years taken 169 wickets at 20.85.
The conditions down under, particularly at the Gabba, were always going to play into their hands as much as they would play into the Australian quicks.
No wonder it was a brutal day for batters everywhere, until Travis Head stood tall.
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CUMMINS’ AGGRESSIVE MOVE PAYS DIVIDENDS
Pat Cummins’ short reign as Australia’s Test captain hasn’t been noted for bold, risky decisions.
Cummins has tended to lean towards a more conservative approach when making calls about declarations, follow-ons, and at the toss.
His decision to bowl first at the Gabba, however, was one of his most aggressive — and he deserves to be applauded for taking the plunge.
Granted there were favourable overheads at the toss and many said it was the greenest wicket they had ever seen for a Test match at the Gabba.
But Cummins made the decision with an acknowledgment that he was taking a big risk, saying that the colour of the wicket might be deceptive.
“I think it might be a bit misleading, the colour,” Cummins said at the toss.
“It feels hard. Sometimes here at the Gabba it just gets better and better (to bat on) so no matter what happens today, hopefully it gets better.”
The team bowling first has won five-straight Gabba tests, but Cummins would know the script all too well. Nasser Hussain at the same venue in 2002, Ricky Ponting at Edgbaston in 2005, and so on.
Bowling first can horribly backfire and open the captain up to some of the harshest criticism the game can offer.
Nonetheless, Cummins and the Australians made the call – much to the delight of the crowd which roared in approval.
Everyone sensed a bowl-first decision could be on the cards, but would have been forgiven for thinking it wouldn’t really come to pass given Cummins’ track record.
Going back to last summer’s Sydney Test, Cummins came under fire for a late, conservative declaration on day four that came back to bite Australia, with England reaching day five stumps nine down.
Cummins also has opted to bat again when a follow-on has been available on multiple occasions, including in consecutive Tests at the Adelaide Oval with massive first innings leads of 237 and 297.
It didn’t take long for his decision at the Gabba to be vindicated, however, with four wickets falling in just one hour of play.
A 98-run partnership between Temba Bavuma and Kyle Verreynne before lunch and some sun over the big break would have had Cummins sweating.
But just one more wicket was all it took for the gamble to fully pay off. Mitchell Starc skittled Bavuma and the rest was history, with South Africa crumbling for 151.
