South Africa vs Australia 2018: 1st Test, Day 4 – 5 things we learnt from the day
After having a lead of 402 after the third day, Australia were dominating the game. The last pair added 14 runs on the fourth morning before Pat Cummins became Keshav Maharaj’s 4th-second innings victim.
Chasing a mammoth total of 417, South Africa lost a flurry of wickets in the first session and were in big trouble at 49/4. But Aiden Markram and Theunis de Bruyn helped South Africa fightback with an 87-run partnership. Then de Kock joined Markram and counterattacked to put Australia under a little bit of pressure. Markram struck a superb 143 while de Kock scored an unbeaten 81.
However, Starc, like he did in the first innings, blew away the lower-order with a searing spell and it looked like Australia were going to wrap things up today. But bad light ensured Australia couldn’t bowl fast bowlers and spinners operated for the last few overs of the day but couldn’t get the final wicket. Hence, with only one wicket to get, Australia will look to wrap things up quickly tomorrow morning.
#5 Josh Hazlewood continues to have the wood over Hashim Amla
After the overnight pair of Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood added 14 runs to the score, the Australian team looked positive in the field. But like the first innings, South Africa got off to a steady start as they reached 29/0 in the 7th over. But Starc broke through for the visitors as Elgar edged one to the wicketkeeper.
Amla who walked in at No. 3 looked good but his stay at the crease was cut short by his nemesis Josh Hazlewood. Amla was pinged right in front of a good length delivery that nipped back of the seam. The South African No. 3 decided to review the call but to no avail. It was the 6th time that the 27-year old right arm pacer got Amla in Test cricket. In fact, in the last 7 innings that Amla has played against Australia, he’s got out to Hazlewood on 6 occasions.
Hence, Hazlewood got his bunny once again and continues to have the wood over Amla.