Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
In the lead up to his return in Gqeberha this week, Kagiso Rabada referred to his 2018 run-in with Steve Smith as two athletes with testosterone to burn.
South Africa’s pace spearhead helped bring that and more as the Proteas turned up the fire on Australia in a potentially series-defining day at St George’s Park.
Where last week South Africa had perhaps been too meek and reserved in a 214-run loss in Durban, the same could not be said on Wednesday.
With Rabada back, he reached speeds of 154.5 km/h with the ball and gave his old nemesis Smith the odd stare and a few words.
Marco Jansen took 5-33 as the hosts rolled Australia for just 99 in the first innings, before finishing the day 4-156 and trailing by 170 after being asked to follow on.
All the while the band kept playing, school kids chanted and South Africa found their voice to build immense pressure on Australia’s batters.
This was a different vibe to the animosity of 2018, as highlighted by by-play from Jansen to Labuschagne about which way the ball was swinging.
But it also ensured the Proteas’ presence was felt.
“That is just us having fun. I can’t sit here and say it was part of the plan. It’s just boys having fun in P.E (Port Elizabeth),” Jansen quipped afterwards.
“My first time playing against Australia when I went there, I didn’t know what to expect. (Labuschagne and Smith)’s nuances can get under your skin.
“Keeping your head in the game within the game is tricky, and you can get distracted.
“With Marnus even though there are nuances, he’s a fierce competitor. You have to be at your best to firstly restrict him and then secondly try to get him out.”
What Rabada, Jansen and Wiaan Mulder did get it right after fellow quick Anrich Nortje hurt his groin was with their lengths, bowling fuller than the tourists.
Jansen was among those to capitalise with Australia going shorter on Tuesday, with his 85 helping captain Temba Bavuma take the Proteas from 6-110 to 9-425 declared.
That knock marked the first time a player had taken a five-wicket haul and scored that many runs in an innings in the same Test against Australia since Wasim Akram in 1990.
It also prompted South Africa great Dale Steyn to label Jansen “the best cricketer in the world”, with so much upside still ahead at age 26.
“It’s nice to hear those comments,” Jansen said.
“But sometimes I am cuckoo in the head. I sit late at night and I think of how I want to play and how I want to be as a cricketer.
“They are deep questions and hard questions that I ask myself.
“But at the end of the day, I just want to be a player the team can lean on. Especially in hard or tough moments.”
