Australia rollicked to an innings victory in the Boxing Day Test, sealing a straight-sets series win over South Africa, who hadn’t lost on these shores since 2005-06.
The hosts remain undefeated in a Test series since India’s visit two years ago, as Pat Cummins’ stocks as captain continue to rise.
Meanwhile, a stunning double century from David Warner has put the ball back in his court regarding his looming Test retirement.
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As for the Proteas, they have been left licking their wounds with their batting stocks in shocking health.
However, the batters are not the only ones to blame for their dire performance this summer.
These are the Talking Points from the Boxing Day Test.
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‘Amateur hour!’: SA roasted for run outs | 01:05
STUNNING STARC SACRIFICE IN WARRIOR DISPLAY
Mitchell Starc grimaced after each delivery on Wednesday evening, sporadically wiping blood onto his pants between overs.
The paceman had damaged a tendon on his bowling hand a couple of days prior, sustaining the injury while attempting an outfield catch on day one.
Unfortunately for Starc, the injury occurred on the most important of his ten fingers, the middle digit on his bowling hand that grips the Kookaburra.
Despite the setback, Starc powered through the pain. At one point, he threw his head back in agony, violently shaking his blowing hand as blood oozed from the wound. Images of the red blotches on his trousers dominated back pages of newspapers the following morning.
The 32-year-old had earlier rejected an offer for a painkiller injection – he wanted to feel the ball leaving his hand, and the drug would have numbed his fingers.
However, under overcast conditions at the MCG, Starc bowled superbly with the new ball in the evening session of day three, hooping the Kookaburra around corners and thumping multiple deliveries into pads and thigh guards.
“I’m really excited by the way Starcy is bowling with that finger,” Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey told reporters on Wednesday.
“He came in about mid 140s and swung it so maybe it’s a good thing he’s got a nick in the digit.
Starc FURIOUS in Mankad drama! | 00:27
“I’m pretty sure certain injuries have to be in splints or whatever. I’m not sure about his too much but the way that he’s bowling, I don’t have too many concerns for this match.”
Starc’s bravery was a testament to his team-first mentality; he was willing to suffer if it meant helping his country win the Test.
The New South Welshman was rewarded the following morning, removing South African opener Sarel Erwee for 21 with a trademark yorker that flicked the front toe before thumping into the bat.
The dismissal sparked a collapse of 3-18.
Earlier, Starc contributed 10 not out with the bat in the first innings, copping a nasty blow to the helmet from Proteas quick Marco Jansen that forced captain Pat Cummins to declare, all while nursing his finger injury.
He was an absolute warrior.
However, attention shifts swiftly towards who replaces the veteran seamer ahead of the New Year’s Test in Sydney. The left-armer is the only pace bowler who has played all four Tests this summer, and Australia wouldn’t risk further injury ahead of gruelling tours of India and England.
‘SOMETHING SPECIAL’ BREWING UNDER CUMMINS
The Pat Cummins captaincy era is off to a flyer.
After more than 12 months with Cummins as national skipper, Australia is yet to suffer a Test series defeat. The New South Welshman has lost just one Test as captain, an innings defeat to Sri Lanka on a turning pitch in Galle.
After comprehensively winning the Ashes urn on home soil last summer, Cummins and the Australians secured a historic 1-0 series win in Pakistan.
The Aussies then retained the Warne–Muralitharan Trophy before demolishing the West Indies and South Africa on home soil.
And the cherry on top? Australia whitewashed England 3-0 in the recent bilateral ODI series, Cummins’ first assignment as white-ball captain.
Cummins seems to be gelling beautifully with national coach Andrew McDonald, a partnership that will be crucial over the coming 12 months.
Kerry O’Keeffe said during commentary on Fox Cricket that “something special” was brewing for the Australians under the current leadership.
“This is a team not just in name, the culture is strong here,” he said. “Well captained by Pat Cummins, he’s pulled every right rein during this game.”
Ian Smith added after play: “Let’s just praise this unit for what they deserve. They are a complete cricket side.”
Green’s wholesome celebration for Carey | 01:05
When Cummins was handed the role in November 2021, there were concerns the added burden of captaincy would detract from his bowling.
Bowling captains are a rarity in Test cricket, and Cummins had hardly any leadership experience under his belt, apart from a handful of Marsh Cup games with New South Wales.
Yet since taking on the captaincy, Cummins has taken 46 wickets at 20.21 with an economy rate of 2.62.
No Test captain in history has taken more wickets at a lower average than the 29-year-old.
Of course, bigger challenges await Cummins next year – nine Tests in India and England before a Cricket World Cup campaign in the subcontinent.
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy and Ashes series could prove career-defining. Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke, Steve Smith and Tim Paine never won a Test series in England or India as captain.
If Cummins could return home with one of those trophies, he’d have achieved something most of the modern greats couldn’t.
DAVID WARNER EARNS THE ULTIMATE RIGHT
Not many players have the opportunity to bring the curtain down on their Test career at a time of their choosing.
David Warner likely just bought himself that rare right.
The left-hander was under some of the most intense scrutiny he had faced in his entire 11-year Test career heading into the Boxing Day Test.
Given his age of 36, and the fact he was averaging around 20 in Tests this year, it was little surprise to see the wolves close in.
But write Warner off at your own peril. Despite the pressure, and despite some of the most oppressive weather conditions he’ll play in, Warner scored his first Test century in nearly three years.
Then he made it a double.
There can now be no doubting his position in the Test side for Sydney, nor for February’s tour of India, as Kerry O’Keeffe suggested after play.
‘Cooked’ Warner hits 200* then retires! | 01:54
“Four days ago, his career was at the crossroads. If he had a double failure (in Melbourne), things looked bleak,” he said on Fox Cricket.
“He walks off shaking hands with a double century in his 100th Test, and his future assured. What a four days for David Warner.”
Meanwhile, Warner said he “never” doubted that he could get back to his best facing the red ball.
“I always knew I had that in me to go out there and perform on the big stage,” Warner said.
Asked about his future, he added: “Yeah look, you never know.
“I’ve obviously committed to playing next year’s (ODI) World Cup. If I’m still feeling as fit as I can (be), I’ll keep going as long as I can.
“If I get that tap on the shoulder then I’m going to have to go.”
What Warner will do next in the Test arena remains unclear, but given the gruelling year ahead, there’s every chance that the New Year’s Test will be his last on home soil.
If so, there are certainly worse ways to go out than on your own terms, at your home ground, and fresh from the most iconic century of your entire career.
‘DISAPPOINTING’: SA SPEARHEAD CALLED OUT
The South African attack was billed as one with pace, bounce, aggression and the ability to trouble Australia’s batters in this three-Test series.
Only some of that has proven to be true this summer.
Anrich Nortje was at times absolutely rapid, while Marco Jansen also provided some handy contributions with the ball. Lungi Ngidi, meanwhile, was disappointing with only two wickets across the first two Tests.
But it’s the performance of Kagiso Rabada that has come under the microscope most.
It feels strange to say, but South Africa’s best bowler this series (on paper) has arguably been its most disappointing.
Noted for his fiery spells, particularly against Australia, Rabada was meant to lead this attack in rattling Australia’s top order.
He’s succeeded in taking 10 wickets at just 23.30 runs apiece, although the numbers don’t tell the full story.
For example, four of those wickets came at the Gabba when the match was already over, with Australia chasing just 35. He also took four wickets in the first innings, but three were tailenders.
In the first innings at the MCG, Rabada leaked a whopping 5.14 runs an over in his 2-144. Again, Pat Cummins was one of those two wickets.
And that’s to say nothing of a wasteful opening spell on Boxing Day when an entire over with the new ball drifted limply down leg side.
Rabada’s performances led to the rare move of South Africa’s bowling coach singling him out for criticism in a mid-Test press conference.
“I think KG wasn’t on song, if I can single him out,” Charl Langeveldt told reporters after day three. “And a few of the other guys in periods, we didn’t bowl well as a unit.”
He added: “(Rabada’s) a wicket-taker. He always takes wickets, he’s got that ability. The challenge for him is to be able to control that.
“I think Cummins is – I mean, he leaked a few runs but then he got consistent and he was aggressive.”
Speaking on Fox Cricket, Australia great Mark Waugh called out Rabada’s lack of energy.
He also took aim at the quick’s ability to deliver in this series at its decisive moments, such as in the first over to David Warner at the MCG.
“I’m a bit with Charl … I think he’s been disappointing,” Waugh said. “He’s got wickets but he hasn’t got wickets when South Africa has needed them.
“He hasn’t bowled well when South Africa has needed a strong leader, to show some really good body language.
“I think he’s been really hot and cold … disappointing for a world class bowler … he’s lacked aggression too, not only control.”
Kerry O’Keeffe noted that the outstanding control within Australia’s ranks, particularly from Cummins, Scott Boland and Josh Hazlewood, makes it more noticeable when an opponent lacks it.
“When we see lack of control in the opposition, it’s highlighted, isn’t it?” O’Keeffe said. “And Charl Langeveldt emphasised that.
“The Australians base a lot of their impetus with the ball around their control and opponents have lacked it. The West Indies lacked it earlier in the summer, South Africa lack it. Australia wins when that happens.”
SOUTH AFRICA COULD GO HOME A LAUGHING STOCK
It’s no secret batting was South Africa’s most glaring weakness ahead of the Boxing Day Test. Apart from captain Dean Elgar, nobody in the Proteas squad has more than one Test century their name.
The Gabba deck was pure chaos, and their vulnerable batters stood no chance against Australia’a classy pace attack, but the Proteas had an opportunity to redeem themselves in Melbourne.
The MCG wicket wasn’t anything like the green monster that greeted them in Brisbane, and patient batters could reap the benefits once the Kookaburra lost its shine.
“If you implement yourself as a batting unit, you can get through the tough times,” Elgar said ahead of the series.
“Irrespective of what the conditions are, you have to implement your basics and you have to knuckle down.
“It’s time for the guys to rise up.”
Unfortunately, they weren’t up for the challenge.
Only one batter in South Africa’s top five passed 30 during the entire Boxing Day Test, being Temba Bavuma’s 65 in the second innings.
Their shot selection was criticised on day one and they were utterly outclassed by Australia’s pacemen on Thursday.
The Proteas also shot themselves in the foot with a trio of cataclysmic run outs. Elgar fell victim to direct hit from Marnus Labuschagne in the first innings before Bavuma absolutely barbecued teammate Khaya Zondo on day four.
“That’s a terrible run. It really is. There was half a single in it and Zondo had given up,” former Test batter Mark Waugh said on Fox Cricket.
“I think that probably sums up their tour so far. Just mistake after mistake … There’s just no energy or game awareness.”
But the worst was yet to come.
Bavuma was responsible for another disgraceful run out after turning on his blind side for a third run, scampering halfway down the pitch and sending Keshav Maharaj back.
Starc retrieved the ball and threw down the stumps at the striker’s end, finding Maharaj inches short of making his ground.
It was a shamefully amateur piece of cricket.
South Africa’s batters have six days to turn things around before Sydney, otherwise they’ll return home a laughing stock.
