Sports

Erwee and Bavuma hold Australia off to ensure a draw

Published

3 years ago

2023/01/9

South Africa defied Australia’s bold push for an improbable victory, and series sweep, as the third Test ended in a draw at the SCG.After following on, South Africa were 106 for 2 in their second innings when play ended five overs before the close. The surface played slowly and did not deteriorate as expected with South Africa mustering belated fight to end a disappointing series on a better note.

Australia would have booked a spot in the World Test Championship final in June with victory, but one drawn match in the upcoming four-Test series in India will prove enough.Given their batting frailties, South Africa will be relieved to have escaped with a draw – their first such result since 2017.

South Africa were nervous after skipper Dean Elgar fell before tea when he gloved a short Pat Cummins delivery to be caught behind. An under-pressure Elgar’s wretched series ended with just 56 runs at an average of 9.33 marked by struggles against short leg-side deliveries.

After tea, spinner Nathan Lyon was left frustrated after a review on an lbw decision on Heinrich Klaasen went against him. The not-out decision was upheld even though replays showed the ball hitting middle stump.

His mood soured further three balls later when Klaasen, playing his first Test match since 2019, stood his ground after edging a delivery to Steven Smith, who claimed a low catch at slip.But replays cast doubt over whether the ball touched the grass when it went into Smith’s fingers and it was enough for third umpire Richard Kettleborough to give not out.

Klaasen’s luck ran out when he was clean bowled by a cracking reverse swinging delivery from Josh Hazlewood to provide a glimmer of hope for Australia with 20 overs remaining.

South Africa were 82 for 2 with 15 overs left but Australia’s push continued with Cummins giving himself one last burst without reward.Cummins had also tried part-time spinners Smith, Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head, who claimed the only wicket in the morning session, but to no avail.

Left-arm spinner Ashton Agar, who was wicketless in 14 overs in the first innings, was surprisingly backed to share the new ball alongside Hazlewood.In his first Test match since 2017, Agar again struggled with his accuracy in what has been a tough return in an audition ahead of Australia’s tour of India. He finished wicketless from 22 overs in the match.

South Africa started the day precariously placed at 149 for 6 after Cummins and Hazlewood bowled superbly late on day four in fading light.

But Harmer and Marco Jansen batted cautiously to thwart Australia’s attack. Jansen played a rearguard until being dislodged caught behind by Head with a delivery outside off stump that stayed low.But an 85-run partnership between Harmer and Keshav Maharaj pushed South Africa close to the follow-on target and likely safety from a series whitewash.

Maharaj reached his half-century on the first ball after lunch before falling to Hazlewood with South Africa 24 runs short of avoiding following on.Having been preferred over Scott Boland, Hazlewood repaid the faith of the selectors on his return with four wickets after suffering a side strain against West Indies in the opening Test of the home season.

Maharaj’s dismissal triggered an all too-familiar rush of wickets for South Africa to set up an intriguing finish although it proved an anti-climax.

Australia ran out of time in a truncated match, where four straight sessions across days three and four were washed out. Forty-nine overs were also lost to rain and bad light on the opening two days to continue a run of rain-affected matches at the traditional SCG New Year’s Test.But Australia thoroughly dominated South Africa throughout a one-sided series to complete an unbeaten home Test season after earlier thrashings over West Indies in Perth and Adelaide.

Australia’s massive first innings was built on an unbeaten 195 from opener Usman Khawaja and 104 from Smith, who passed Don Bradman with his 30th Test century.

Having won three straight Test series in Australia, South Africa were a shadow with their batting unable to muster much of a challenge.Apart from fiery quick Anrich Nortje, their attack also underwhelmed with spearhead Kagiso Rabada taking just three wickets at 87.66 in the last two matches after an eight-wicket haul on the bowler-friendly Gabba surface. South Africa’s disastrous series also ended their chances of qualifying for the WTC final.

(cricinfo)

All News Advertisement

Latest News

Vaibhav Suryavanshi slams 95-ball 171 in Under-19 Asia Cup opener

Published

11 hours ago

2025/12/12

Priyan

Vaibhav Suryavanshi hit nine fours and 14 sixes in his innings [Cricinfo]

Vaibhav Suryavanshi slammed a blistering 95 ball 171 in the Under 19 Asia Cup opener against UAE on Friday. He fell just six short of Ambati Rayudu’s long-standing India record in youth one-dayers – the 177 against England in Taunton back in 2002.

Suryavanshi, yet to turn 15, hit nine fours and 14 sixes during his innings, before being bowled attempting a paddle in the 33rd over of India’s innings. They eventually finished with 433 for 6 after being put in to bat.

Last month, Suryavanshi had smashed a 42-ball 144 – the joint third fastest century by an Indian in men’s T20s – against UAE at the Rising Stars Asia Cup in Doha. He had got to his century off 32 deliveries that day, in the process recording the joint-sixth-fastest century in all men’s T20s.

Suryavanshi – a certainty to feature in next month’s Under19 World Cup in Namibia and Zimbabwe – also recently slammed an unbeaten 61 ball 108 at the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy to become the youngest century-maker in the tournament’s history.

He had a breakthrough year in 2025, when he became the youngest to slam an IPL century, for Rajasthan Royals [101 off 38 balls] against Gujarat Titans. Having made history just a few months earlier – by becoming the youngest pick in an IPL auction at 13 – Suryavanshi featured in seven games in the 2025 edition, all as an opener. He made 252 runs at a strike rate of 206.55.

After IPL 2025, he was part of the India Under-19 squads that toured England and Australia. He smashed a 78 ball century in the first four-day fixture in Brisbane, and finished as the second-highest run-getter of the multi-day series against Australia Under-19s, scoring 133 runs in three innings as India won 2-0.

Prior to that, he had amassed 335runs at a strike rate of 174.01 in the one-dayers against England Under-19s.

[Cricinfo]

Latest News

Quinton de Kock’s 90 powers South Africa to massive win

Published

11 hours ago

2025/12/12

Priyan

Quinton de Kock's 90 from 46 deliveries helped South Africa to a 200-plus total [BCCI]

If India defied losing the toss and getting the worst of the conditions, theoretically, in Cuttack, South Africa did the same in New Chandigarh to come roaring back into the T20I series, which is now locked 1-1 with three matches to go.

India captain Suryakumar Yadav noted at the toss that the outfield was already dewy when the players were going through their pre-match warm-ups. It was a no-brainer to chase. But Quinton de Kock put India under pressure with a 46-ball 90 studded with seven sixes, and Donovan Fererrira finished brilliantly with an unbeaten 16-ball 30, taking South Africa to an imposing total of 213 for 4.

Imposing, but not dew-proof; certainly not given how India’s bowlers had struggled with the conditions and bowled 15 wides — including seven in one Arshdeep Singh over — and 13 full-tosses.

But the dew never got a chance to test South Africa, as their new-ball bowlers made the best possible use of early movement to take three wickets in the first four overs. These included the Test-match-style dismissals of both India openers.

It was all steeply uphill from 32 for 3, and India never really challenged the visitors, with Tilak Varma’s 34-ball 62 standing out for its fluency and enterprise on a difficult night for his team. South Africa bowled India out with five balls still remaining, with Ottneill Baartman hastening their end with three wickets in the 19th over.

This pitch wasn’t a complete featherbed, with the ball occasionally stopping on the batters and making them mistime shots. Two members of South Africa’s top three, Reeza Hendricks and Aiden Markram, scored 37 off 36 balls between them.

The other member, however, was in an entirely different mood, taking full toll of anything remotely too short, too full, or especially too straight. De Kock kept clearing the ropes whenever he had half a chance, particularly with his pulls and pick-up shots square and behind square on the leg side.

This put India’s bowlers under tremendous pressure. They couldn’t attack de Kock’s stumps, because that ran the risk of being whisked over the leg side, and they couldn’t afford to give him width either. This pressure led India to attempt yorkers and wide yorkers frequently, and the pressure combined with the dew to produce errors in the form of wides and full-tosses.

Arshdeep suffered the most from this, sending down seven wides in the 11th over — all to de Kock – and nine in all.

Jitesh Sharma’s alert run-out of de Kock — who wandered out of his crease instinctively after bottom-edging the ball towards the keeper — in the 16th over, followed by Axar Patel’s dismissal of Dewald Brevis in the 17th threatened to stall South Africa at a critical stage of their innings. But Ferreira and David Miller made sure they cleared 200 by a good margin, putting on an unbroken 53 off 23 balls for the fifth wicket.

The highlight of the partnership was an 18-run final over during which Ferreira hit Jasprit Bumrah for two sixes: a full-toss drilled straight, and a good short ball that followed the batter’s premeditated movement pulled authoritatively over the leg side.

In all, Bumrah conceded four sixes, the most he has gone for in a T20I.

Given all the dew around, it was imperative that South Africa made the new ball count. They did that emphatically. Ngidi set things in motion with a first-over jaffa to Shubman Gill, squaring him up in defence with one that straightened from a good length and having him caught at slip. Jansen followed up in the next over with the mirror-image dismissal of Abhishek Sharma; angling in, straightening, squaring up the batter and catching the outside edge.

Abhishek’s wicket was particularly crucial, since he’d already hit two sixes, in just eight balls.

Suryakumar followed the openers to the dressing room in the fourth over, sending a thin edge to the keeper — confirmed after South Africa reviewed the not-out decision — while looking to steer Jansen behind point.

India never threatened to make a match of it, particularly with Axar Patel — promoted to No. 3 — and Hardik Pandya struggling for fluency, scoring 41 off 44 balls between them.

But there was one bright spot for the home team in the form of Tilak, who looked in excellent rhythm right from the time he walked in, and combined that with his awareness of the field to find the boundary frequently even while his partners got stuck. Against Ferreira’s 110kph offspin rockets, for example, he made room to use the pace and steer him behind point, off the stumps. Then, against George Linde’s left-arm spin, he collapsed his back knee smartly to reverse-sweep over backward point for six. A slog-swept six off an Ngidi slower ball took him to a 27-ball half-century in the 14th over.

Jitesh, who came in at No. 7, also made good use of the V behind the wicket, scoring 27 off 17, but the result was already certain by the time he walked in, with India needing 96 off 34 balls at that point.

Brief scores:
South Africa 213 for 4 in 20 overs (Quinton de Kock 90, Aiden Markram 29, Dewald Brevis 14, Donovan Ferreira 30*, David Millerr 20*; Varun Chakrawarthy 2-29, Axar Patel 1-27 ) beat India 162 in 19.1 overs (Abhishek Sharma 17, Axar Patel 21, Tilak Varma 62, Hardik Pandya 20, Jitesh Sharma 27; Ottneil Baartman 4-24, Marco Jansen 2-25, Lungi Ngidi 2-26, Sipamla 2-46) by 51 runs

[Cricinfo]

Latest News

Duffy five-for triggers West Indies slide to give New Zealand first win of WTC cycle

Published

12 hours ago

2025/12/12

Priyan

Jacob Duffy completed his second Test five-for [Cricinfo]

Jacob Duffy, who had to wait until his 31st birthday for a Test debut earlier this year, claimed his second five-wicket haul of the series as West Indies folded tamely on the third day in Wellington. Bowled out for just 128, West Indies left New Zealand a target of 56, which was knocked off before tea for a 1-0 lead in the three-match series with one game to go. It was New Zealand’s first win of the 2025-27 World Test Championships [WTC] cycle. West Indies, meanwhile, have now lost six of their seven outings in this cycle and remain winless.

The collapse began with Brandon King’s run-out for 22 in the morning session. After a careful start with overnight partner Kaveem Hodge (35), King set off for a risky single in the morning’s eighth over. Sent back and left stranded, he was gone once substitute Michael Bracewell’s sharp throw was relayed on to the stumps by debutant wicketkeeper Mitchell Hay.

Shai Hope fell in the same over after closing the bat face in an attempt to work Michael Rae to the leg side, offering a simple return catch. Roston Chase, averaging under 16 as Test captain, then nicked a rising delivery from Duffy through to the keeper.

Hodge and first-Test hero Justin Greaves (25) attempted to stabilising things, with Hodge unfurling crisp strokes through the covers and square leg. But in the 31st over, one of those well-struck pulls picked out substitute fielder Will Young, who held a superb rebound catch at midwicket.

At 88 for 6, with the lead still below 20, the match was effectively gone, and Duffy accelerated the finish. He trapped Greaves lbw with a full delivery that jagged in, a decision first turned down but later overturned on review. In his next over, Duffy drew Tevin Imlach into a loose drive away from his body for an edge to second slip. Rae added his third by removing Jayden Seales caught behind, before Duffy completed his five-for by going short to No. 11 Ojay Shields, who miscued a leg-side swipe to fine leg.

Duffy walked off to applause with the innings ball raised, and openers Tom Latham and Devon Conway dashed away to pad up with an hour left before tea and a small target in front.

The pair added 26 in seven overs before Latham got a leading edge off Anderson Phillip to third slip. Conway held fort, attacking with six fours in his unbeaten 22-ball 28. Kane Williamson, with 16 off 12 balls, wrapped up the match with back-to-back boundaries in the tenth over.

Earlier in the Test, Blair Tickner’s first-innings four-for and Rae’s three wickets dismissed West Indies for 205. New Zealand replied with a disappointing 278 for 9 declared, with Tickner unable to bat after picking up a shoulder injury. But half-centuries from Conway (61) and Hay (60) ensured a meaningful lead, which, combined with West Indies’ limp second-innings effort, set up a comfortable win.

After the game, New Zealand captain Latham said they got “better and better” as the game progressed. “We took a little bit to get into the game, morning of day one, potentially some heavy legs. But we adjusted things and we bowled better and better in the second innings. And obviously Duffy on the back of that [five-wicket haul] and some of our substitutes coming on and getting on the board was pleasing.

“Mitch Hay played beautifully in the first innings coming under pressure. The way he played was pretty much the way he plays for Canterbury and that’s what we asked of him. And Michael Rae picked up some really important wickets on day one, trucked into the wind all week. All those efforts do not go unnoticed. We probably weren’t where we wanted to be with the bat but we can look into that over the rest of this week.”

Chase said West Indies’ batters didn’t make the most of the conditions on offer: “Batting is a bit of a concern, after coming from the first Test, that beautiful second innings [in Christchurch]. But we came here and our batters never really capitalised. Initially we thought the pitch would be similar to Christchurch. But this pitch was a lot easier for batting. The scores didn’t reflect that. There is still one Test match left and we can still level the series. That can help motivate the guys further.”

The third Test begins on December 18 in Mount Maunganui.

Brief scores:
New Zealand 278 for 9 dec (Mitchell Hay 61, Devon Conway 60; Anderson Phillip 3-70, Kemar Roach 2-43) and 57 for 1 (Devon Conway 28*, Kane Williamson 16*; Anderson Phillip 1-17) beat West Indies 205 (Shai Hope 47, John Campbell 44; Blair Tickner 4-32, Michael Ray 3-66) and 128 (Kaveem Hodge 35, Jacob Duffy 5-38, Michael Rae 3-45) by nine wickets