Sportsupdated 2h ago2 min read
Josh Hazlewood Takes 6-49 as Australia Dismiss South Africa for 206 in Durban
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Hazlewood took 6-49, career-best, sealing Australia’s 214-run victory. South Africa bowled out for 206 in the chase of 421.
Hazlewood ends Durban Test
Australia won the first cricket Test against South Africa by 214 runs at the Kingsmead Stadium in Durban after Josh Hazlewood took 6-49 and South Africa were dismissed for 206. Hazlewood struck twice in one over with the new ball after Australia had already taken two wickets on Monday, and the hosts’ resistance ended before tea on Tuesday.
South Africa held out for the first 110 minutes of Tuesday’s play before a legside delivery from Hazlewood was edged by Wiaan Mulder and snagged by a diving catch from wicketkeeper Alex Carey. Aiden Markram and Wiaan Mulder resumed at 102-4 overnight, extended the fifth-wicket partnership to 69, and then Hazlewood completed the win when tailender Anrich Nortje popped up the ball to short midwicket for Nathan Lyon to catch.
Concussion clearance and debate
Cricket Australia cleared Steve Smith to take the field on Tuesday after a statement said he had undergone “a series of clinical assessments over the past 24 hours” under its concussion protocols.
South Africa coach Shukri Conrad said, “I would like to see more fight,” and he added, “I don't know if it is alarming [but] it is concerning.”
Temba Bavuma told reporters that South Africa did not show enough fight, saying, “It’s disappointing. It's not the way you want to start a series, right? Any kind of series, let alone one against a top outfit like Australia,”.
Bavuma also said, “We weren’t able to make the most of it. Australia’s lower order spent time at the crease and really showed what was possible once the ball got soft,” as he described Australia’s pressure in the second innings.
What comes next
Australia’s 214-run win gave them a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, and the result set up the second Test starting on Sunday in Gqeberha. South Africa captain Temba Bavuma said South Africa had another opportunity “in a couple of days,” and he said, “You can never really prepare for test cricket without playing test cricket.”
Bavuma argued that “a lot of the mistakes we made out there were mental,” and he said, “so I think that's where we really let ourselves down,” after being bowled out for 206. The BBC framed the match as a question of whether South Africa were “rusty or something more,” after their 12-match unbeaten run ended in Durban and Australia went 1-0 up.