A caveat issued to an injured Steve Smith aside, an old foe has branded Australia’s batting performance at St George’s Park on Wednesday “pretty gutless”.
Former Protea bowler Vernon Philander loved to stick it to the Australians when playing and did not miss in the broadcast box after the tourists were bowled out for 99 in 42.3 overs.
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“It is almost like they have thrown in the towel,” he said on SEN.
“We know Steven Smith has been struggling with that neck injury but everyone else. It is a pretty gutless batting performance that, so far.”
After resuming at 1 for 3 in response to South Africa’s first innings total of 425, Australia succumbed to a combination of stunning bowling and wayward shotmaking.
On a humiliating day for the tourists, South African skipper Temba Bavuma had no hesitation in enforcing the follow-on with Australia needing to survive another five sessions.
It was the 40th time in Test history Australia had been all out for less than 100 runs and just the third follow-on they’ve faced since the 1980s; the others were at the SCG in 2019, when India desperately sought a result which became impossible due to rain, and at Trent Bridge in 2005.
Remarkably it left South Africa in position to win a Test match where they’d been 5/97 after two days of very limited play.
A decade after the Proteas routed Australia in Hobart, which caused a massive selection overhaul, former opener Simon Katich said several tourists are batting for their careers.
“The only one who can excuse themselves is Steve Smith. He made it as hard as possible, and he looked in severe discomfort with that neck injury,” said Katich, who has been broadcasting on Fox Sports through this series.
“There is a difference between trying and getting through that period with technique and application. There are a number of players in this line up that are playing for their careers in this innings.”
Katich said he believed the shock at reducing the Proteas to 6-110 at the start of Day 3, only to start the innings 425 runs behind, had destabilised the Aussies.
“I saw pressure get to a number of them, obviously,” he said.
“With 425 on the board, it is not often the Australian team is in this situation, particularly when they have won the toss and put the opposition in.
“Maybe the shock of the situation and the unknown, not sure how to deal with it. It is a foreign situation to them.”
After being dismissed for a four-ball duck late on day three, Nic Maddison was gone for 8 (9) just 2.4 overs into Australia’s second innings.
– with Max Laughton
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