Australia loses two after falling 241 behind
Fortune was not on Australia’s side in its bid to salvage the second Test against South Africa with the visiting side picking up the vital wicket of David Warner in unfortunate circumstances at Bellerive Oval in Hobart on Monday (November 14).
At stumps on the third day, Australia was on 121 for 2, still 120 runs behind South Africa, which has been in control since shooting Australia out for 85 in the first innings and then putting up 326. Usman Khawaja was unbeaten on 56, his ninth Test half-century, with Steven Smith, the captain, accompanying him with 18 when play ended due to poor light on a day with multiple short interruptions because of rain.
Warner lost his wicket while leading Australia's fightback when a ball from Kyle Abbott hit his hip and ricocheted off the back elbow on to his stumps when he was on 45.
It gave South Africa a boost after Warner and Khawaja had revived the innings with a 79-run stand after the loss of Joe Burns in the first over. Burns lasted just four balls before he was caught behind, tickling one down the leg side from Abbott.
Khawaja played some nice shots and provided Warner first and then Smith, who top-scored with an unbeaten 48 in Australia’s first-innings, great support.
But Australia still faced a mighty struggle to prevent South Africa, already 1-0 up, from claiming its third successive series win in Australia with only the day-night third Test in Adelaide still to play.
South Africa extended its first-innings lead to 241 before being bowled out on the third afternoon with Josh Hazlewood finishing with 6 for 89 off 30.5 overs.
Hazlewood captured three of the last four wickets to fall after lunch, but before he struck, Quinton de Kock raced to his second Test century to frustrate Australia’s efforts to restrict the lead. Shortly after lunch, Temba Bavuma was surprised by a lifting delivery to lob an easy catch to Nathan Lyon at point and give Joe Mennie his first Test wicket for 74.
Keshav Maharaj followed, bowled by Hazlewood for one, and Abbott lasted nine balls before becoming the pacer’s fifth dismissal for three. Vernon Philander was the last man out for 32 off 28 balls, caught behind off Hazlewood.
After Sunday’s second day was washed out, the Australians chased early wickets but de Kock and Bavuma batted South Africa into a position of strength with a 144-run stand before de Kock was bowled by Hazlewood just before lunch for 104 in 143 balls with 17 fours.
