AUS vs SA, 2nd Test, Day 1:  Australia 45 for 1 (Warner 32*, Labuschange 5*) trail South Africa 189 (Jansen 59, Verreynne 52, Green 5-27) by 144 runs

Don’t be deceived by the opening day at the MCG, which suggests that this series will repeat the Gabba experience: South Africa’s batting remains poor despite this pitch’s lack of vengeance. For the seventh Test innings in a row, they were bowled for less than 200 runs, and David Warner had already made some headway toward the total in his 100th Test.

South Africa’s innings was marred by collapses when they fell to 58 for 4 before lunch and lost five wickets for 10 runs in the evening session.

A 112-run 6th wicket stands between Kyle Verreynne and Marco Jansen, who scored half-centuries each, gave the innings some spine however there was very little else.

After making the unexpected decision to bowl first and exert pressure on a weak lineup, Pat Cummins will feel vindicated. Even though Australia was disciplined with the ball, they weren’t great and didn’t make many catches, but they still beat South Africa for a low score. Before lunch, Cameron Green did most of the damage, taking out Theunis de Bruyn, the first of three for two runs, and then Verreynne, Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, and Lungi Ngidi in 12 balls for his first five-for in a Test.

🔹 Most expensive 🇦🇺 player ever at the IPL
🔹 Claims maiden five-wicket haul in Tests

All inside three days?! Cameron Green is ready for the New Year’s bash 🎉#AUSvSA #WTC23 pic.twitter.com/JeERmP6KPZ

— ICC (@ICC) December 26, 2022

Dean Elgar and Sarel Erwee did fairly well at the beginning against the stout Australian lines. Elgar was penalized on plays 7 and 19, respectively, for giving Cummins a return catch and Green a difficult point opportunity. He played and missed a few times, but he stuck with it and made it through, and it seemed like the right time for him to grind out a good knock.

However, the usual batting issues surfaced shortly thereafter. Erwee drove carelessly at Scott Boland but was caught at third slip, resulting in his 10th dismissal in 16 innings. New No. 3 de Bruyn, who took Rassie van der Dussen’s place, appeared to be in good form when he hit Green with two straight drives down the ground. However, he misjudged Green’s length and top-edged a pull.

That brought Elgar and Temba Bavuma, two of South Africa’s most seasoned players, together, but they split up 10 minutes before lunch. Mitchell Starc was pushed to the right of midfield by Elgar, and Marnus Labuschagne got the ball quickly. He turned, released, and hit Elgar directly with a direct hit, running him out for the first time in his Test career. After that, Starc’s ball found Bavuma’s edge and tailed away as he poked at it, trapping him behind.

Verreynne and Khaya Zondo both went into the lunch break without scoring, but they came back to the game with good intentions. With a confident square drive from a full, wide Starc ball, Verreynne got the game started. As Australia put pressure on Zondo, he didn’t score a run for the next eight balls, and Zondo gave in to another moment of Marnus magic. He stepped out to drive Starc past mid-off, but Labuschagne found him and took a fantastic leaping catch to end Zondo’s inning.

Despite the gravity of the situation, Verreynne and Jansen went to Australia to fight, and their strategy may serve as a model for South Africa to follow in the future. While Jansen drove well and was proactive against Nathan Lyon’s off-spin, Verreynne was particularly severe on the short ball.

When Jansen pulled Cummins to Usman Khawaja at square leg, he should have been suspended for 37 seconds, but he missed the opportunity. With a lofted drive over long-on, he then scored his sixth first-class fifty and first fifty in Test play. The shot that got him to his achievement just dodged Starc at long-on and got the tip of his finger, in what at first appeared to be a serious injury. Starc left the field immediately and returned later with a dressing covering his finger. He didn’t have to bowl again.

Following Verreynne’s fifty, which marked his second series milestone after also scoring the most runs in the first innings in Brisbane, South Africa was on track to surpass 200 before Green struck.

However, Jansen followed Verreynne’s lead and edged Green to Steven Smith at slip in his subsequent over. With 19 overs remaining in the day, Green struck out Lungi Ngidi’s off stump, Keshav Maharaj hit Lyon to mid-off, and Rabada continued to play.

South Africa’s bowlers lacked vigor and barely threatened, even though their attack had more options than at the Gabba. Rabada hit Warner with five of his first six balls that went down the leg. Warner did as he promised and took Rabada on in the subsequent over. When he pulled Rabada behind square for four, he got things started. In the subsequent over, Rabada made the same shot. When Khawaja stole, South Africa’s spearhead was rewarded. Khawaja had been disqualified by Rabada five times in nine matches.

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Marco Jansen and Lungi Ngidi were more disciplined, but Warner gave the final warning when he hit a wide Anrich Nortje ball, which went over the slips for four more runs. He and Labuschagne were both undefeated on 32 overnight.