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Sydney Morning Herald
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Star of Sandpapergate gives Australia a Test batting lesson
The South Africans were badly beaten 2-0, but the jolt appeared to get Markram going again. His returns since then have been sturdy rather than spectacular, and he failed to survive Mitchell Starc's first over on day one. But his combination of power and sound technique always made him among the most threatening members of Temba Bavuma's side, given an opportunity. The window opened up for Markram when Australia's top six failed to make the most of a first innings lead on day two. By sliding to 7-73, Cummins' team ensured that they could not bat South Africa out of the game, even if Starc, Alex Carey and Josh Hazlewood ensured the chase would be substantial. Loading In fact, a target of 282 required South Africa to make more runs in an innings than they had done in any of their past seven against Australia. The last time they had passed that mark – the final game of the 2018 series – was also the last time Markram played them. But the Lord's pitches on show this summer have demonstrated a tendency to get noticeably friendlier for batting from around day three onwards, resulting in good tidings for teams chasing in the fourth innings. Bowling on consecutive days can also tend to dull Australia's edge in pace. With no seam movement on offer and swing also harder to find, Markram could play a straightforward game against the same four bowlers he had handled so expertly back in 2018. In some ways, the Lord's conditions had become a reprise of the sorts of pitches that brought a very different style of Test cricket at the time, when dry conditions encouraged the increasingly cavalier search for reverse swing. Apart from some sharp turn out of the Nursery End footmarks for Nathan Lyon, there wasn't much in the way of variation for Cummins and company to utilise, and Markram was in no mood to make mistakes in the company of his captain Bavuma. Steve Smith's sickening finger injury from a difficult missed catch was a major blow for the Australians, both here and in advance of the West Indies tour. Cummins lost perhaps his best catcher, and certainly his most frequent source of tactical ideas. It was also a rare chance offered by either batter. Bavuma's next did not come until the partnership was worth more than 100, as substitute Sam Konstas was unable to latch onto a top edged sweep in front of the Mound Stand. Bavuma (64 not out) was hobbled by a hamstring strain, but did not let the injury affect his judgment. And apart from a strangled lbw appeal by Josh Hazlewood, Markram was more or less impassable, showing deft hands to find regular gaps in Cummins' increasingly speculative field placings. Loading 'It was a pretty benign wicket and conditions weren't assisting the ball, but that partnership was exceptional,' said Australian assistant coach Dan Vettori, who was under no illusions about the chances of a collapse on day four. 'With the nature of where the ball's at, and the surface, it's a difficult task.' For an Australian side that has shown signs of batting decline for some time, this was a sobering lesson in Test match run-making that was both sensible and proactive. By the close, South Africa's first win in a major global cricket final was merely 69 runs away. Had Australia managed to bowl their way to victory, many of the questions around the batting order may have been dulled by the afterglow of a winning team. As it is, Markram has not just put his own name in lights, but placed a figurative interrogation lamp on a top six now shorn of Smith, its best performer. Cummins will have to talk about that.
The Age
12 hours ago
- Sport
- The Age
Star of Sandpapergate gives Australia a Test batting lesson
The South Africans were badly beaten 2-0, but the jolt appeared to get Markram going again. His returns since then have been sturdy rather than spectacular, and he failed to survive Mitchell Starc's first over on day one. But his combination of power and sound technique always made him among the most threatening members of Temba Bavuma's side, given an opportunity. The window opened up for Markram when Australia's top six failed to make the most of a first innings lead on day two. By sliding to 7-73, Cummins' team ensured that they could not bat South Africa out of the game, even if Starc, Alex Carey and Josh Hazlewood ensured the chase would be substantial. Loading In fact, a target of 282 required South Africa to make more runs in an innings than they had done in any of their past seven against Australia. The last time they had passed that mark – the final game of the 2018 series – was also the last time Markram played them. But the Lord's pitches on show this summer have demonstrated a tendency to get noticeably friendlier for batting from around day three onwards, resulting in good tidings for teams chasing in the fourth innings. Bowling on consecutive days can also tend to dull Australia's edge in pace. With no seam movement on offer and swing also harder to find, Markram could play a straightforward game against the same four bowlers he had handled so expertly back in 2018. In some ways, the Lord's conditions had become a reprise of the sorts of pitches that brought a very different style of Test cricket at the time, when dry conditions encouraged the increasingly cavalier search for reverse swing. Apart from some sharp turn out of the Nursery End footmarks for Nathan Lyon, there wasn't much in the way of variation for Cummins and company to utilise, and Markram was in no mood to make mistakes in the company of his captain Bavuma. Steve Smith's sickening finger injury from a difficult missed catch was a major blow for the Australians, both here and in advance of the West Indies tour. Cummins lost perhaps his best catcher, and certainly his most frequent source of tactical ideas. It was also a rare chance offered by either batter. Bavuma's next did not come until the partnership was worth more than 100, as substitute Sam Konstas was unable to latch onto a top edged sweep in front of the Mound Stand. Bavuma (64 not out) was hobbled by a hamstring strain, but did not let the injury affect his judgment. And apart from a strangled lbw appeal by Josh Hazlewood, Markram was more or less impassable, showing deft hands to find regular gaps in Cummins' increasingly speculative field placings. Loading 'It was a pretty benign wicket and conditions weren't assisting the ball, but that partnership was exceptional,' said Australian assistant coach Dan Vettori, who was under no illusions about the chances of a collapse on day four. 'With the nature of where the ball's at, and the surface, it's a difficult task.' For an Australian side that has shown signs of batting decline for some time, this was a sobering lesson in Test match run-making that was both sensible and proactive. By the close, South Africa's first win in a major global cricket final was merely 69 runs away. Had Australia managed to bowl their way to victory, many of the questions around the batting order may have been dulled by the afterglow of a winning team. As it is, Markram has not just put his own name in lights, but placed a figurative interrogation lamp on a top six now shorn of Smith, its best performer. Cummins will have to talk about that.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Australia and South Africa wickets tumble to leave WTC final on a knife-edge
This final has been dubbed 'The Ultimate Test' and though almost certainly the product of a W1A-style ideas splurge back in Dubai, this tagline scarcely felt more appropriate watching the wickets tumble for a second successive day. It had looked for all money like Pat Cummins had sealed the fate of the World Test Championship mace. Thundering in from the Nursery End, a four-wicket burst after lunch had seen him claim six for 28 and with South Africa all out for 138 in 57.1 overs – 74 behind – all it needed was a further top-up of runs. Advertisement Related: South Africa v Australia: World Test Championship final cricket, day two – live Instead, with help from a beige surface that has still delivered a bat's width of nibble throughout, South Africa delivered a stirring fightback of their own. At stumps Australia were 144 for eight – a lead of 218 runs – and the spectators who witnessed the carnage unfold could finally draw breath. Some of them were probably querying the pitch on the way out. But 28 wickets falling in the space of six sessions may say as much about how bowlers can adjust quicker to a one-off showpiece. After a rusty first day, Lungi Ngidi was the last of them to get up to speed, his cheap removals of Steve Smith and Beau Webster amid figures of three for 35 dragging South Africa back into contention. Their heads could easily have dropped after the onslaught from Cummins that took him to 300 Test wickets. There could also have been a few envious glances cast by Kagiso Rabada, star of the first innings. As unrelenting as he was, Australia's captain had profited from a collective asphyxiation that, among the frontliners, saw only Mitchell Starc go at more than two runs per over. Advertisement But after once again making early inroads – Usman Khawaja and Cameron Green nicking off cheaply once again – the South African cavalry arrived. And in the space of 25 dizzying overs Australia were suddenly 73 for seven. By the close the defending champions were grateful to Alex Carey for a nuggety 43 that, along with support from Starc, meant the chase would require the highest total of the match. South Africa will be hoping the top order that crumbled to 43 for four on the first evening can find their feet second time around. A bit like the World Cup semi-final in Kolkata 18 months ago, their initial effort had felt like a Chinese finger trap, every wriggle making things tighter. There was some defiance, Temba Bavuma and David Bedingham throwing the odd counter punch, but the task was arduous. Having shut down Bavuma for 36 via a loose shot to cover, Cummins simply came into his own after the lunch interval. Smashing the surface with remorseless accuracy, a spell of four overs, four for three – closed off by a wonderful diving catch by Webster in the deep – felt utterly game-breaking at the time. It had started with a scene straight from Super Rugby, Cummins appealing for an lbw against Kyle Verreynne and summarily flattened as his mark attempted a single. Cummins cared only for the review, however, and when three reds appeared on the big screen, he was suddenly in a scrum of jubilant teammates. Advertisement This was the first of five wickets to fall for just 12 runs, as well as the first of two in the over courtesy of a return catch from Jansen, but most critical was that of Bedingham. Though typically a dasher for Durham, the right-hander had ground his way to 45 only to be undone on the backfoot by a classical edge behind. • More to follow
