tag

Selectors are open-minded about Australia's batting order and could make further changes for the second Test against South Africa depending on the surface at Gqeberha, coach Andrew McDonald said.Selectors surprised by picking Nic Maddinson to open the batting with Travis Head in the series-opening win in Durban, the former's first Test in nearly 10 years, while having opener Matt Renshaw bat at number five. The gambit proved effective as Renshaw scored a match-winning 190 and a second-innings 82 at Kingsmead, while Maddinson chipped in a quickfire 48 in the second innings to help Australia thrash the hosts by 214 runs.McDonald, who sits on the selection panel with George Bailey and Tony Dodemaide, said they were not set on defined roles for the batters. "Every time that we plan out an opponent (and) surface, we're really open-minded to what our batting order can look like," he told reporters."I suppose the external sort of view on that is that you know you need specific orders at certain times, and this person’s an opener, this person’s a middle-order player. We’re more open-minded than that, but it doesn’t make it right either. So we’ll assess what we need to do going to the next test."Former Australia captain Steve Waugh called on selectors to stop "messing around with the top order", saying it had not worked for two years. "They've got to pick and stick now," Waugh told Australian media, adding that Renshaw should stay at number five rather than return to the top of the order."Don't mess around with that now. (Renshaw) has been successful, and he's comfortable, so I'd keep him there, for sure."McDonald said all-rounder Cameron Green had yet to prove his fitness to return for the second test after missing Durban with an abdominal strain. "Cam hasn’t started batting yet, he’s done some physical (work),” the coach said."So he’s got a few things to go through in the next three to four days." Wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis, another potential middle-order option, was more advanced in his recovery from a broken finger. "Josh had a couple of hits during this Test match out the back of the nets during lunchtime, that’s gone well," said McDonald. 

Australia paceman Josh Hazlewood bowled his side to a 214-run victory on the last day of the first Test at Kingsmead on Tuesday with South Africa's resistance ending before tea as the home side were dismissed for 206.Hazlewood took 6-49 as Australia bagged the six wickets they needed on the last day to go 1-0 up in the three-match series. He struck twice in one over with the new ball after already having taken two wickets on Monday and then breaking through South Africa's stoic early fightback on Tuesday.The 35-year-old Hazlewood also removed the last batsman to ensure the victory in the first clash between the teams since South Africa upset Australia in last year's World Test Championship final at Lord's in London.South Africa held out for the first 110 minutes of Tuesday's play before a legside delivery from Hazlewood was edged by Wiaan Mulder and snagged by a diving catch from wicketkeeper Alex Carey. Mulder and Aiden Markram resumed at 102-4 overnight and the pair extended the fifth-wicket partnership to a patient 69 runs off 205 balls before Hazlewood's breakthrough with Mulder making 29.Part-time spinner Matt Renshaw, who was the man of the match for Australia with the bat, then took a second test wicket when Kyle Verreynne quickly followed Mulder back to the change room with a reckless shot that saw him caught at slip by Steve Smith without scoring.South Africa were 166-6 at lunch and added 25 runs before the new ball was taken but crumbled quickly thereafter. Jansen was bowled by Hazlewood for 35 and three balls later Simon Harmer followed as he brushed the ball through to Carey with his glove.Markram then fell after a patient 75 off 237 balls, edging Mitch Starc's delivery off his pads to be caught behind but was only given out after a television review. PRAISE FOR HAZLEWOOD FROM HIS CAPTAINHazlewood thencompleted the win as tailender Anrich Nortje popped up the ball to short midwicket for Nathan Lyon to catch."Josh is known for being consistent but that undersells him as he can reverse the ball, get the pace up, bowl anywhere; he's a captain's dream," said Australia skipper Pat Cummins.His South African counterpart Temba Bavuma, whose 12-test unbeaten record as captain ended with the defeat, added: "You've got to give it to Australia, they dominated most of the game. Their bowling was proactive and we'll learn from how they played."Former Australia captain Smith, who did not field in Monday's late session after a blow to the head while batting, returned to action on Tuesday. "Steve Smith has undergone a series of clinical assessments over the past 24 hours in accordance with Cricket Australia's concussion protocols and has been cleared to take the field this morning," a statement said. BRIEF SCORESAustralia 390 (Renshaw 190, Mulder 4-68, Jansen 3-68) and 314 for 6 dec (Renshaw 82, Maddinson 48, Maharaj 2-56, Nortje 2-56) beat South Africa 284 (Bedingham 49, Cummins 3-54, Hazlewood 2-54) and 206 (Markram 75, Bedingham 46, Hazlewood 6-49, Renshaw 2-30) by 214 runs. 

Veteran spinner Ravindra Jadeja took four wickets to put India in sight of victory on a manic day two of a low-scoring opening Test Saturday.South Africa were 93-7 at stumps to lead by 63 runs in their second innings on an Eden Gardens pitch that has made batting decidedly tricky.Fifteen wickets fell during the second day and K L Rahul’s 39 - from 119 balls - in India’s first innings remains the highest individual score of the match.Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma tried to replicate Rahul’s obduracy, making an unbeaten 29. Corbin Bosch, on one, was with him when play was called off due to bad light.Spinner Simon Harmer had dragged the visitors back into the contest with figures of 4-30 that helped bowl out India for 189 with the hosts taking a slender lead of 30.“Playing in India you know you will be under pressure and I thought we fought back well today in restricting them,” Harmer told reporters.“Cricket’s a funny game, we could be sitting here Monday night with a completely different story. South Africa manage to get to 150 and bowl India out for 80.”“If there is one thing that this team has showed it’s that they can fight when the backs are against the wall,” added Harmer.Jadeja’s 27 was key to India’s first innings total and the 36-year-old all-rounder showed the other side of his game with some testing left-arm spin.South Africa found themselves in a hole when Kuldeep Yadav and Jadeja removed the openers Ryan Rickelton and Aiden Markram either side of the tea break.Jadeja kept up the pressure as he struck twice in one over to send back Wiaan Mulder, caught behind by Rishabh Pant for 11, and two balls later Tony de Zorzi who was caught off his glove and thigh pad by Dhruv Jurel at short-leg.He had South Africa in more trouble when he spun the ball sharply to bowl Tristan Stubbs for five to bring the house down at the iconic venue that had over 47,000 fans according to official data.The biggest cloud on India’s horizon was the absence of skipper Shubman Gill who retired hurt on four with a neck problem. He did not return to resume his innings and nor did he field, with vice-captain Pant leading the team.Earlier, India lost regular wickets to survive just 62.2 overs in response to South Africa’s first innings total of 159.“Even we didn’t expect the wicket to deteriorate so quickly,” India bowling coach Morne Morkel said.“I thought it to be a good wicket in the first couple of overs, but that’s the beauty of playing in the sub-continent that you need to adapt and react quickly. We have quality with both seam and spin and that covers both bases.”The hosts resumed on 37-1 with overnight batters Rahul and Washington Sundar, who made 29, extending their partnership to 57 in a grinding first hour.Pant hit a 24-ball 27 on a pitch with inconsistent bounce and more turn expected.Sundar hit two fours and one six in his otherwise laboured knock before falling caught behind to Harmer.Gill walked out to loud cheers but his stay was limited to three balls as he swept Harmer for a four at backward square-leg and then held his neck in pain. The physio soon arrived and Gill walked back to the pavilion.Rahul kept up his hard work from day one when he made 13 off 59 balls and on day two looked more assured until his departure off Keshav Maharaj.India went into lunch at 138-4 and Jurel started with two fours after the break before Harmer had him caught and bowled for 14 to trigger a collapse.Jadeja took India into the lead with a boundary but fell lbw to Harmer and India slipped further when pace bowler Jansen had Kuldeep caught behind for one.Harmer cleaned up Axar Patel to end the Indian innings. Jansen returned figures of 3-35.BRIEF SCORESSouth Africa 159 and 93 for 7 (Bavuma 29*, Jadeja 4-29) lead India 189 (Rahul 39, Harmer 4-30, Jansen 3-35) by 63 runs