Aussies lose Bancroft cruising to 98 for one in first session

09 March 2018 - 13:04 By Alvin Reeves‚ At St George’S Park
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Cameron Bancroft of Australia during day 1 of the 2nd Sunfoil Test match between South Africa and Australia at St George’s Park on March 09, 2018 in Port Elizabeth.
Cameron Bancroft of Australia during day 1 of the 2nd Sunfoil Test match between South Africa and Australia at St George’s Park on March 09, 2018 in Port Elizabeth.
Image: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images

South Africa struck on the stroke of lunch as Australia reached 98 for one on the opening day of the second cricket test at St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth‚ on Friday.

After a sedate start‚ Australian openers David Warner and Cameron Bancroft took control of matters but it was the latter who fell just before lunch when he got a thick edge through to wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock off Vernon Philander for 38.

Warner‚ who had been in the news for all the wrong reasons this week‚ got the bit between his teeth and was impressive at the other end against the Proteas’ seamers.

He was unbeaten on 50 off only 69 balls with eight boundaries at the lunch break.

South Africa tried all of their frontline options including some spin from Keshav Maharaj but were only able to make the breakthrough when Philander was brought back into the attack just before lunch.

The visitors were watchful in the first hour in the presence of some disciplined South African bowling. When drinks were taken after the first hour of play the Aussies had crawled to 23 without loss after 14 overs.

But it was during the next hour that they started to play more freely. There were some streaky boundaries here and there but for the most part it was some fine strokeplay that had Australia assume the advantage.

Vernon Philander was the best of the home seamers returning figures of one for five in 7.4 overs.

Earlier‚ Australia won the toss and chose to bat under overcast skies and on a grassy surface.

South Africa made one change‚ bringing in Lungi Ngidi to replace Morne Morkel in the starting lineup.

The Australians were unchanged from Durban where they won the first test by 118 runs on Sunday.

Teams:

South Africa: Aiden Markram‚ Dean Elgar‚ Hashim Amla‚ AB de Villiers‚ Faf du Plessis (capt)‚ Quinton de Kock (wk)‚ Theunis de Bruyn‚ Vernon Philander‚ Keshav Maharaj‚ Kagiso Rabada‚ Lungi Ngidi

Australia: David Warner‚ Cameron Bancroft‚ Usman Khawaja‚ Steve Smith (capt)‚ Shaun Marsh‚ Mitchell Marsh‚ Tim Paine (wk)‚ Pat Cummins‚ Mitchell Starc‚ Nathan Lyon‚ Josh Hazelwood

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