South Africa 86 ahead after Philander five-for
Heavy rain was forecast for the first four days of the Hobart Test between Australia and South Africa. There was no rain on the first day at the Bellerive Oval, but there was plenty of gloom for the home side as it capsized for 85 in 32.4 overs with Vernon Philander the wrecker-in-chief, grabbing 5 for 21.
Australia's woes were further compounded by the fact that South Africa reached 171 for 5 at close of play on Saturday (November 12), a lead of 86, with Temba Bavuma unbeaten on 38 and Quinton de Kock on 28 not out.
It was Australia's lowest total at home against South Africa, pointing to a trend of batting collapses for the home side in recent years, including its 47 in Cape Town in 2011 and its 60 all out against England at Trent Bridge last year. It was also Australia's lowest home total since its 76 against West Indies in 1984.
After the 177-run defeat in the Perth series opener, only Steven Smith provided some resistance this time around with his unbeaten knock of 48 as nine batsmen fell for single-digit scores.
Starc put the brakes on South Africa with three wickets in 10 balls post tea as South Africa slipped from 43 for no loss to 46 for 3. He toe-capped Dean Elgar with a lethal yorker in front of the stumps with his first ball after tea and removed Stephen Cook with his penultimate delivery of the over. Starc then had JP Duminy snapped up by Smith at second slip, but South Africa didn't buckle completely.
Faf du Plessis, the captain, followed lbw to Josh Hazlewood for 7, but Hashim Amla (47) managed to put on a 56-run stand with Bavuma before he was caught behind off the same bowler.
The Hobart rout followed Australia's first innings collapse of 10 for 86 in Perth when it squandered a 158-run opening stand to surrender to South Africa.
David Warner (1) was the first wicket to fall when he whooshed at a wide ball in Philander's opening over and was caught behind. Things only got worse in Kyle Abbott's following over when the recalled Joe Burns was trapped leg before wicket. Both openers were gone for just two runs and it was a steady procession from there with only Smith putting up a fight.
Australia reached lunch at 43 for 6 after Usman Khawaja edged Philander to Amla at slip for 4 while Adam Voges was out next ball, caught behind by de Kock. Callum Ferguson, who fought off a hat-trick in his first ball faced in Tests, was brilliantly run out for 3 by a direct throw by Dane Vilas, the fielding substitute, while going for a second run and Peter Nevill, the wicketkeeper, perished after a DRS review of a lbw appeal off Kagiso Rabada.
Philander was forced to leave the field for shoulder treatment after a mid-pitch collision with Smith during a lbw appeal, but returned after lunch. He bowled newcomer Joe Mennie for 10 and Duminy took a screamer in the gully to remove Starc, flinging himself to his right off Abbott.
Hazlewood cracked two fours before he fell to a slips catch by Amla off Abbott, finishing with 3 for 41, while de Kock took a blinding one-handed catch across the slips cordon to remove Nathan Lyon and end Australia's misery.