SERIES SETBACK: Proteas point to ‘soft dismissals’ after batting collapse hands Australia first Test

“Soft dismissals.” That’s a phrase that has been thrown around by the South Africans during the first match of a three-match Test series against Australia. Conceding these cheap wickets to the Baggy Greens’ experienced bowling lineup, led by captain Pat Cummins, saw the South Africans crumble to a 214-run defeat in Durban.

The Proteas came into day five (on Tuesday, 13 October) of the opening Test clash already against the ropes after being bamboozled by the Baggy Greens’ bowling lineup on day four. They ended the day on 86 for four, trailing the Australians by 319 runs.

It was clear that it would take a miracle for the hosts and World Test Championship holders to even hold on for a draw, never mind secure a victory. South Africans may have been hoping that the weather deities bring back the overcast skies that stole precious playing time during the opening three days of the Test, forcing play to end early.

However, it was not to be and the Australians walked away as the deserving winners after five days of rare international Test action on South African soil. They dislodged the Proteas for 206 at noon on the final day of the match.

Markram’s futile fight

Proteas opener Aiden Markram tried his best to delay the inevitable defeat for his country with a stubborn 75 that came from 237 balls. But he could only do so much with wickets regularly tumbling around him.

Markram’s inside edge from the bowling of seamer Mitchell Stark carried into the hands of forward-diving Aussie wicketkeeper Alex Carey. Although at first glance it appeared that the ball may have bounced before carrying into Carey’s cupped hands, an Aussie review revealed otherwise.

With Markram becoming the ninth man to be dismissed for the Proteas, it was only a matter of time before the Australians wrapped up the contest at Kingsmead. An over after Markram walked, bowler Anrich Nortje (who was playing in his first Test match in more than three years), was dismissed by Josh Hazlewood. Game, set and match.

Hazlewood was particularly devastating for the Proteas batters in the second innings. The 35-year-old dismantled the South African batting lineup for a sensational return of six for 49. These are his best bowling figures in a Test innings and they added to the two for 54 he claimed in the first innings.

As he stomped on the Proteas batters in the second innings he claimed the wickets Ryan Rickelton (2), David Bedingham (46), Wiaan Mulder (29 off 110), Marco Jansen (35), Simon Harmer (0) and Nortje (4).

But the biggest fish in Hazlewood’s net was undoubtedly Markram, who was the only South African batter to reach 50 runs in Durban. However, for Australia it was only Matt Renshaw who surpassed the milestone with totals of 190 and 82. Nic Maddinson was closest after him, with 48 after being dismissed for a duck in the second innings.

Test match rustiness to blame?

For South Africa, Bedingham’s totals of 48 and 46 were the nearest to a half-century outside Markram. But beyond that, both teams’ batters hovered around the 20s and 30s. Renshaw’s amazing century was the big exception across the board.

Perhaps being rusty after not playing in the longest format of the sport for almost a year contributed to the Proteas’ poor application – particularly on the batting front. A number of times the South African willow-wielders gifted the visiting Australians wickets due to poor shot selection.

“The guys have worked really hard, but sometimes transitioning from white-ball cricket [to Tests] is not an easy task. Nonetheless, that’s not an excuse for how we have performed. But we are professional enough to bounce back, even though it will hurt a little bit [to lose],” said Proteas spinner Keshav Maharaj.

“If you look at some of our wickets, it was self-imposed, maybe with things like shot selection… Those are some of the things that led to our demise. We gave away a couple of soft wickets,” Maharaj stated.

“There’s still a series at stake. It’s just about making sure we dust ourselves off and apply what we have identified as areas of improvement as soon as possible,” the 36-year-old added.

The probable return of Proteas bowling star Kagiso Rabada for the second match of the series in Gqeberha, which will be played from 18 to 22 October, should be a welcome boost for the South Africans. However, they will definitely need to step up their batting application. Any more soft dismissals could cost them the Test. DM