Rabada rocks the Aussies at St George’s

Kagiso Rabada led the charge with three big wickets as South Africa rocked the Australians in the second session of day one in the second cricket test at St George’s Park‚ on Friday.

Having resumed after lunch in the strong position of 98 for one‚ the Aussies lost five wickets in the afternoon period to take tea on a precarious 170 for six.

It only took four overs after the lunch break for South Africa to nip out Usman Khawaja for four runs. And again‚ it was Vernon Philander who did initial damage with a full-ish delivery that found the edge of Khawaja’s bat through to wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock.

Six overs later‚ and David Warner was also on his way back to the sheds bowled by a beauty from Lungi Ngidi.

Warner had batted superbly until then for his 63 and looked determined to get to the three-figure mark. But he left the gate open and Ngidi was able to penetrate his defence.

Shaun Marsh then joined captain Steve Smith and the pair looked to be getting matters back on track for the visitors with a partnership of 44 for the fourth wicket until Rabada was let loose among them.

He first captured the prized wicket of captain Smith‚ trapped leg before wicket for 25. Smith reviewed the decision unsuccessfully but not before being subjected to an over-exuberant celebration from Rabada. The fast bowler’s actions prompted the umpires to have a word with both him and captain Faf du Plessis.

Shaun Marsh followed in exactly the same mode of dismissal as Smith with Rabada striking him on the pads. Marsh reviewed and failed and was forced to settle for 24 runs.

But Rabada was not done and three balls later he had Marsh’s brother Mitchell caught behind by De Kock for four.

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