Being top icc test rankings bowlers 2018 “Demolition Man” Stuns Australia On Day 1. No wonder why he is the current world No. 1 in bowler in the ICC Test Rankings. Kagiso Rabada is a stellar act and is in line to be a South African legend in the future. The pacer keeps growing game by game and on Day One of the second Test against Australia at Port Elizabeth, he showed why he is the side’s ‘demolition man’, with five wickets in space of 18 balls.
Rabada picked 5/96 at St George’s Park to bundle Australia out for a paltry 243 runs. He wasn’t done just there though. Sent into bat as a nightwatchman, the youngster smashed four boundaries in a comfortable looking 17* after Aiden Markram’s dismissal prior to that.
The Proteas finished Day One at 39/1 and trail their famed opponents by 203 runs. Under scrutiny Aussie vice-captain David Warner scored a valiant 63, as he looked to put the ugly saga with Quinton de Kock behind. Rabada was well supported by Lungi Ngidi (3/51) and Vernon Philander (2/25).
With the Aussies leading the four-match series 1-0, the hosts would be delighted with the start Rabada gave them especially after Australian skipper Steve Smith chose to bat first.
Stumps, Day 1: SA 39/1 (12 ovs), trail by 204 runs. Elgar 11*, Rabada 17*, Cummins 1/9. RR 3.25.
See you tomorrow Port Elizabeth!#ProteaFire #SAvAUS #SunfoilTest pic.twitter.com/EoIOQwV88w— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) March 9, 2018
Rabada sparkles and thrills
With the form the Aussies have enjoyed since the start of the Ashes 2017-18, this score will generally hurt them, given they have been riding on a lot of fear factor in producing the goods consistently in the first innings. The day started on that fearsome note though, but it all fell away.
Warner and Cameron Bancroft looked comfortably placed on a lively surface as they added a resourceful 98 runs for the first wicket. A platform was built for the star-studded middle-order to come and build on that. But Usman Khawaja (4) and Warner (63) fell quickly to leave the side reeling at 117/3.
Smith and Shaun Marsh looked to build the innings with a 44-run stand for the fifth wicket, but everything changed when Rabada returned to the attack. The pacer switched ends from where he was bowling, and it paid dividends.
Smith (25) had a rare failure after Rabada struck him on the pads. Five runs later, Marsh was trapped LBW too. Rabada’s demolition had just started. Mitchell Marsh, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc fell quickly as the pacer completed his rout in a space of just 18 balls. He missed out on a hat-trick after dismissing Marsh and Cummins with successful balls.
- It was Rabada’s eighth five-wicket haul in only his 28th Test match and his second against Australia.
- He has already picked 129 Test wickets in his 28th Test.
The 22-year-old was backed up by the experienced Vernon Philander, who did not give anything to the Aussies. Lungi Ngidi, who came in for Morne Morkel in the match, showed his prowess with three scalps that included the crucial wicket of a well set Warner.
The Proteas took 5/72 in the second session and 4/73 in the final one. The famed Australian tail showed a lot of resistance as from 182/8 they reached 243 runs. The last two wickets added 61 runs to once again take a bit of the shine away from the Proteas.
Warner (63 off 100 balls, 9 fours) was the only Australian batsman to get past 50. South Africa in reply lost last Test centurion Markram (11) and have Dean Elgar (11*) and Rabada at the crease.
Brief Scores:Â South Africa 39 for 1 (Rabada 17*, Elgar 11*) trail Australia 243 (Warner 63, Rabada 5-96, Ngidi 3-51) by 204 runs