Quick hits: AFL star in the sheds as Aussies go better than Bradman

Source : ABC NEWS

Matt Renshaw and Nathan Lyon outdo Sir Donald Bradman while Gold Coast Suns AFL star Noah Anderson watches on from the stands.

Here are the quick hits from day two of the first Test between Australia and South Africa.

1. Renshaw’s drought-breaking century

It had been over nine years and nine months since Matt Renshaw’s last and only Test century.

Opening the batting on January 3, 2017, a then 20-year-old Renshaw peeled off 184 against Pakistan in Sydney, a match in which he lined up alongside the likes of two-Test white-ball specialist Hilton Cartwright and New South Wales great Steve O’Keefe.

A few false dawns, a short-format reinvention and a red-ball renaissance later, and the Queenslander brought up his drought-breaking ton with an immaculately timed clip through mid-wicket for four.

Having lost overnight partner Pat Cummins and number nine Mitch Starc in quick succession after starting the day on 46, Renshaw was almost chanceless in reaching three figures.

It was a richly deserved milestone for a player, who, at 30, still has plenty of good years ahead of him.

And Renshaw just kept going.

And going.

He received much more than able support from Nathan Lyon as he passed 150, before kicking on with number 11 Josh Hazlewood to set a new Test best of 190, falling just short of a maiden double ton as he nicked off after tea.

2. Better than Bradman

The first innings appeared not long for this world when the best betters in the tail, Cummins and Starc, departed.

But Lyon picked up the mantle to knuckle under with Renshaw, albeit in slightly less expressive fashion. At least so it seemed.

After helping Renshaw to triple figures, there was no loss of application from the Aussie batters out in the middle and when Lyon clipped Anrich Nortje off his hip for four in the 108th over, they passed some pretty big names.

In the 124-year history of Tests against South Africa, no Australian ninth-wicket partnership had ever surpassed 78 runs until day two in Durban.

And the two pairings who had reached that mark included some all-time greats: Ian Meckiff and Ken McKay in Johannesburg in 1958, and Sir Donald Bradman with Bill O’Reilly in Adelaide Oval way back in 1932.

And the records kept tumbling as the runs kept coming, with the pair ticking past two Steve Waugh specials, the first a 130-run stand with Geoff Lawson in 1989, and the second a 133-run effort in tandem with Jason Gillespie in 2001.

By the time Lyon was eventually dismissed for a 92-ball 27 and the stand was over on 134, there was only one greater ninth-wicket partnership in the history of Australian cricket — and that had come in the 19th century.

3. Australia’s best recovery in over a century

Given the shakiness of Australia’s top order over the past decade or so, there have been plenty of opportunities for inspired rearguard actions.

And we certainly have been treated to some remarkable recoveries — think Steve Smith’s partnerships with Peter Siddle and Nathan Lyon that took Australia from 8-122 to 284 at Edgbaston in 2019, or Lyon and Cummins combining for a 55-run stand to guide Australia home during the 2023 Ashes.

But not for over 100 years have we seen an Australian comeback as dramatic as the one we were treated to on day two.

Per ABC Sport statistician Ric Finlay, Australia’s recovery from 6-124 to 390 was the country’s best rebuild since 1925, when an unbeaten double century to number seven Jack Ryder took Australia from 6-119 to 489.

4. Another selection shock for the Aussies?!

With the Australian rearguard action showing no signs of abating, the broadcast camera panned to the tourists’ dugout, where it found an unexpected but familiar face for Aussie sports fan.

Dressed in full training kit and looking slightly surprised to be there himself, there he was, Gold Coast Suns AFL star Noah Anderson.

Anderson has travelled with the Australians to South Africa as part of a leadership fact-finding mission, according to Fox commentator Mark Howard.

As the cameras focused in on Anderson, a Sherrin suddenly appeared in the hands of Marnus Labuschagne, sitting alongside the Suns star.

5. Lyon walks off despite review

Nathan Lyon enjoyed a gutsy, record-breaking dig alongside Matt Renshaw, but when it was over it was pretty obvious.

Marco Jansen’s return to the attack brought with it a short-pitched barrage that seemed to rattle the Aussies out of their methodical tactics of Renshaw seeing off the first four balls before giving Lyon a look.

After being twisted up by a bouncer, Renshaw scurried off strike and left Lyon with three balls to negotiate, but it only took Jansen one as he surprised the number 10 with a full one that smashed into his pads.

Jansen, the rest of South Africa’s fielders and umpire Chris Gaffaney all knew it was out, and so did Lyon, despite deciding to review.

He made an immediate “T” sign before just as quickly walking off the field before the replays were finished.

By the time his dismissal was confirmed he was already halfway up the stairs.