Source : ABC NEWS
David Warner labels his former teammates “disgraceful” and Marnus Labuschagne’s career crisis continues to spiral as Australia endures a horror end to its tour of South Africa.
Here are the quick hits from day five of the third Test between Australia and South Africa.
1. Marnus on the brink after horror start for Aussies
It was the first over from hell for the Aussies, and one in which Marnus Labuschagne must have surely seen his Test career flash before his eyes.
All it took was three balls, and the tourists, chasing 288 at the beginning of day five, were one down.
Matt Renshaw, the hero from Durban, was out for a golden duck after a leg-side strangulation, with Proteas spearhead Kagiso Rabada only just beginning to find his groove.
Kagiso Rabada had the Aussies shell-shocked in the game’s very first over. (Getty Images: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images)
Walking to the middle with his place in the team long under the microscope, the stage was set for Labuschagne’s long-awaited innings of redemption.
He found his way off a pair courtesy of a streaky boundary through gully, but a massive lapse in judgement spelled disaster for the Queenslander.
Labuschagne was given out LBW after shouldering arms to a ball that nipped back and thudded into pad, with his review futile in providing life support to a Test career so desperately struggling for air.
It has now been 49 innings and well over three years since his last Test ton.
Australia, remarkably, was 2-5 after six balls.
2. Green barbecues Inglis
Josh Inglis was well short of his ground. (Getty Images: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images)
Just when it felt like it could not get any worse for Australia, it did.
Having joined Cam Green in the middle after Travis Head had become Rabada’s third victim, Josh Inglis, fresh from his century on day three, was 4 from 17 deliveries when Green called him through for a single that was never there.
The towering all-rounder had set off after doing little more than pat the ball into the off-side, meaning Marques Ackerman could race around from silly point, collect the ball, and fire it into Ryan Rickelton behind the stumps.
The bails were dislodged with Inglis helplessly short of his ground, the horror mix-up only appropriate after the first hour that was.
3. Reverse does for Carey in Harmer double strike
Alex Carey has a complicated relationship with the reverse sweep. He clearly likes playing it, but it has often been his downfall.
So, with his side 4-42 on the deciding day of the series, and with the Newlands pitch turning sideways, it perhaps wasn’t the time to bring out the cross-bat special.
But facing finger spinner Simon Harmer, Carey just couldn’t help himself.
Down on his haunches, his top edge was gobbled up by a diving Marco Jansen, and the wicketkeeper-batter was out for 2.
Alex Carey was out playing a reverse sweep. (Getty Images: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images)
In at No.7 and playing his second Test, Cooper Connolly never stood a chance.
The 23-year-old was dismissed just two balls later, done by flight and spin, edging behind to Rickelton while attempting a booming drive, leaving the Aussies deep in the mire.
4. Ex-players fume at day five disaster
As Australia went to lunch at 6-70, the recriminations were already in full swing.
On commentary for ABC Sport, former Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie was close to speechless.
In the Fox Cricket Studio, former Australia opener David Warner wasn’t.
“It’s un-Australian. There is no fight whatsoever, it’s disgraceful,” said a fuming Warner.
“The batters have let the bowlers down all series.
“Yes, Matt Renshaw showed fight in that first Test, but I think the batters have been disgraceful, utterly disgraceful.”
David Warner was livid with his former teammates. (Getty Images: Robert Cianflone)
As we returned for the second session, ex-Australia batter Phil Jaques was still attempting to come to terms with what he had witnessed.
“Words can’t describe how disappointing it is for Test cricket today,” Jaques said on commentary for ABC Sport.
“I bounced out of bed this morning hoping for a really good day of cricket … and then Australia today just didn’t show up.
“They’ve been found wanting on numerous occasions … it’s just been pretty poor from Australia, to be honest, and really deflating as a cricket fan.”
5. Aussies go 78 deliveries without scoring
With the result no longer in doubt heading into the second session, Australia changed tact.
Pat Cummins came out alongside Green following the lunch break and was determined to bat time, rather than score runs.
After Green had farmed the strike earlier in the day with Mitchell Starc, protecting him from the pace of Gerald Coetzee, he did the same with Cummins.
Simon Harmer claimed six wickets as the Aussies fell to a disastrous defeat on day five.
(Getty Images: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images)
They turned the Test into a waiting game and had some success until Harmer, in the middle of a miserly spell, switched ends and threw a spanner in the works by ripping an off break through Green’s defences and into his off stump.
Cummins was then joined by Nathan Lyon and finally scored his first run, ending a streak of 78 dot balls and receiving Bronx cheers from those in the stands at Newlands.
It was an embarrassing final nail in the Australian coffin near the end of an embarrassing day for a proud team.
