After the shortest Test match in 70 years, South Africa is again being outclassed as the international summer hits an embarrassing low, says Ken Piesse.
We’d all hoped it was just an aberration. Surely South Africa’s two day humbling in Brisbane was purely a one-off and the tourists would play with renewed mettle in Melbourne.
Now, after again under-achieving on Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test, even the most optimistic cricket fans are reassessing their Christmas Week plans.
So short of Test class is this South African XI that another shortened Test is likely. Few believe the game can continue through until Friday.
There has been such a sense of expectation, too, around this match.
Unbeaten in their last two home series downunder and ranked among the three most formidable Test teams in the world, we all wanted – and expected – Dean Elgar’s men to be highly competitive.
But losing another toss again exposed the tourists brittle top six and once he ran himself out, the 300 ’par’ score was always going to be out of reach.
The scoreline plunged irretrievably before and after a timely 100 run sixth wicket stand between wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne and the giant fast bowler Marco Jensen, both batting ahead of their ranking.
The Australians were relentless and had all the catches been taken, South Africa would not have made even 150.
The moving tribute to Shane Warne – play was halted at 3.50 pm and hats waved in the air for a minute – was matched by the superlative efforts in the field of Marnus Labuschagne. His direct hit to remove Elgar reminded of Viv Richards at his imperious best while his diving catch at extra cover to dismiss Khaya Zondo was astonishingly good – and worth the price of admission alone.
When new local hero Scott Boland broke though for the first wicket of the innings, the roars of approval could be heard almost all the way back to Bourke Street and the Boxing Day sales.
The fastest third-change bowler in the world, Cameron Green tore through the South African late order, underlining his multi-talents.
It seems England v Australia and the wintertime Ashes can’t come quick enough after this latest dismantling of a South African XI, far short of the talent required to extend the Australians.
And we thought the West Indies were weak…
A 3-0 series thumping seems likely, come next week in Sydney.
KEN PIESSE has covered cricket and football for more than 30 years in Melbourne. Despite that setback, Ken has written, published and edited 86 books on cricket and AFL football to become Australian sport’s most prolific author.
His latest cricket book is David Warner, The Bull, Daring to be Different with Wilkinson Publishing, out now
www.cricketbooks.com.au
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